Prayers of Jesus
Jesus did not only teach about prayer — He prayed Himself, and the Gospels record what He actually said. Four moments stand out: the pattern prayer He gave His disciples (the Lord's Prayer), His anguished surrender in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before His crucifixion, His High Priestly Prayer in John 17 interceding for His followers, and His prayer of forgiveness spoken from the cross.
Each one shows a different posture toward the Father — obedience, surrender, intercession, forgiveness — and each gives a pattern for how you can pray today. This page walks through what Jesus prayed in each moment and offers original prayers modeled on His example, plus the Scripture behind each one and answers to common questions about the prayers of Jesus.
A Prayer Modeled on Gethsemane (Surrender)
Father, the night before the cross, You asked to let the cup pass, and then You said 'not my will, but Yours.' I bring You what I'm afraid of today, and I ask for that same honesty — to tell You the truth about my fear, and still end there: not my will, but Yours. Amen.
A Prayer Modeled on the High Priestly Prayer (Interceding for Others)
Lord Jesus, on the night You were betrayed, You prayed not for Yourself but for those You loved — for their unity, their protection, and their joy. Teach me to pray that way for the people You've put in my life. I bring [name them] before You now, asking for their protection and their joy the way You asked for mine. Amen.
A Prayer Modeled on the Prayer From the Cross (Forgiveness)
Jesus, in the middle of Your own execution, You prayed, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' I hold someone I have not forgiven. Give me the same posture You had toward the people hurting You — forgiveness spoken before it is felt. Help me forgive [name them]. Amen.
A Prayer Thanking Jesus for Still Praying for Us
Lord, Scripture says You are alive right now, interceding for me at the Father's right hand. I don't have to carry my case before God alone — You are already speaking for me. Thank You for a prayer life that started two thousand years ago and has never stopped. Amen.
A Longer Prayer Through the Prayers of Jesus
Father, when I read the prayers Jesus actually prayed, I see the whole shape of what my prayer life is missing. In Gethsemane He brought You His real fear and still surrendered to Your will — teach me that same honesty, instead of the polished prayers I'm tempted to perform. In His prayer for His disciples He interceded for people other than Himself, on the worst night of His life — grow that same instinct in me, to pray for others even when I have every reason to only think of myself. From the cross He forgave the people killing Him before they even asked — soften my grip on the grudges I'm still holding, and let me forgive the way He forgave. And even now, the Bible says He is still praying for me, interceding at Your right hand — let that truth settle the anxious parts of my prayer life, because I was never praying alone in the first place. Shape my prayers after His. Amen.
Scripture to pray
Pray then like this: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name...'— Matthew 6:9-13 (ESV)
And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.'— Matthew 26:39 (ESV)
I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you.— John 17:20-21 (ESV)
And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."— Luke 23:34 (ESV)
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.— Hebrews 7:25 (ESV)
Frequently asked questions
What are the prayers of Jesus recorded in the Bible?
The Gospels record several: the Lord's Prayer, the model He taught His disciples (Matthew 6:9-13); His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before His arrest (Matthew 26:36-46); His High Priestly Prayer for His disciples and future believers (John 17); and His prayers from the cross, including 'Father, forgive them' (Luke 23:34) and 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' (Matthew 27:46, quoting Psalm 22:1).
What did Jesus pray in the Garden of Gethsemane?
Jesus asked God to 'let this cup pass' from Him — to spare Him the coming suffering — but ended His prayer with surrender: 'not as I will, but as you will' (Matthew 26:39). It shows Him bringing real fear to God honestly, then submitting to God's will anyway.
What is the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus in John 17?
It's the longest recorded prayer of Jesus, prayed the night before His crucifixion. He prayed for Himself, for His immediate disciples, and specifically for future believers — 'those who will believe in me through their word' (John 17:20) — asking for their unity and protection.
What did Jesus pray on the cross?
The Gospels record several statements from the cross that are prayers, most directly 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do' (Luke 23:34) and 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' (Matthew 27:46), and finally 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit' (Luke 23:46).
Did Jesus teach His disciples how to pray?
Yes — when His disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, He gave them what's known as the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4), a short model covering worship, submission to God's will, daily provision, forgiveness, and protection from temptation. See the full breakdown on our dedicated Lord's Prayer page.
Is Jesus still praying for us today?
Scripture says yes. Hebrews 7:25 says He 'always lives to make intercession' for believers, and Romans 8:34 describes Him at God's right hand interceding on our behalf — meaning His prayer life, in a sense, has never stopped.