Prayer, for others

Believers must value others

Philippians 2:3–4 NASB95

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Examples of praying for others

Moses prays for the Israelites

Deuteronomy 9:18–19 NASB95

“I fell down before the Lord, as at the first, forty days and nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sin which you had committed in doing what was evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke Him to anger. “For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure with which the Lord was wrathful against you in order to destroy you, but the Lord listened to me that time also.

See also Ex 32:9–14; Ex 34:9; Nu 14:11–19; Dt 9:25–29

Samuel prays for Israel

1 Samuel 7:5–9 NASB95

Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah and I will pray to the Lord for you.” They gathered to Mizpah, and drew water and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah. Now when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. Then the sons of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the Lord; and Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel and the Lord answered him.

See also 1 Sa 12:19–23

Job prays for his friends

Job 42:10 NASB95

The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold.

Jeremiah prays for Judah

Je 7:16 God forbade the prophet Jeremiah to pray for his people because they were unrepentant sinners.

See also Je 11:14; Je 14:11

Jesus Christ intercedes for believers

Romans 8:34 NASB95

who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

See also Is 53:12; Heb 7:25; 1 Jn 2:1

The Holy Spirit intercedes for believers

Romans 8:26–27 NASB95

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Christians are to intercede for others

Christians are to pray for their enemies

Matthew 5:44 NASB95

“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

See also Lk 6:28; Lk 23:34; Ac 7:60

Christians are to pray for one another

Ephesians 6:18 NASB95

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

See also 1 Th 5:25; Phm 22; Heb 13:18–19; Jas 5:14–16; 1 Jn 5:16

Christians are to prayer for rulers

1 Timothy 2:1–2 NASB95

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

Examples of pleas made to Jesus Christ on behalf of others

Mt 8:5–13; Mt 15:21–28; Mt 17:14–20

Examples of notable prayers of intercession

2 Ki 19:14–19 Hezekiah for deliverance; Ezr 8:21–23 Ezra for a safe journey; Da 9:1–19 Daniel for Jerusalem; Jn 17:6–26 Jesus Christ for his disciples

Paul for the believers in Ephesus:

Eph 1:15–21; Eph 3:14–21

Col 1:9–13 Paul for the believers in Colosse