How Did Jesus Teach Us to Pray?

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone,

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.