What Does the Bible Say About Prayers Of Unbelievers?

John 9:31 ESV / 7 helpful votes

We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.

1 John 5:14 ESV / 6 helpful votes

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

James 4:3 ESV / 6 helpful votes

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Psalm 66:18 ESV / 6 helpful votes

If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

Isaiah 59:2 ESV / 5 helpful votes

But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

Isaiah 1:15 ESV / 5 helpful votes

When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.

Proverbs 28:9 ESV / 4 helpful votes

If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

Proverbs 1:24-25 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof,

1 Peter 5:5 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

James 4:6 ESV / 3 helpful votes

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

James 1:6-7 ESV / 3 helpful votes

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

Acts 2:38 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Luke 18:11-14 ESV / 3 helpful votes

The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 12:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes

In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Zechariah 7:11-13 ESV / 3 helpful votes

But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the Lord of hosts. “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the Lord of hosts,

Micah 3:2-4 ESV / 3 helpful votes

You who hate the good and love the evil, who tear the skin from off my people and their flesh from off their bones, who eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them, and break their bones in pieces and chop them up like meat in a pot, like flesh in a cauldron. Then they will cry to the Lord, but he will not answer them; he will hide his face from them at that time, because they have made their deeds evil.

Ezekiel 8:15-18 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? You will see still greater abominations than these.” And he brought me into the inner court of the house of the Lord. And behold, at the entrance of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men, with their backs to the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east, worshiping the sun toward the east. Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations that they commit here, that they should fill the land with violence and provoke me still further to anger? Behold, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore I will act in wrath. My eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. And though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.”

Jeremiah 14:10-12 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Thus says the Lord concerning this people: “They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet; therefore the Lord does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.” The Lord said to me: “Do not pray for the welfare of this people. Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.”

Jeremiah 11:11-14 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Therefore, thus says the Lord, Behold, I am bringing disaster upon them that they cannot escape. Though they cry to me, I will not listen to them. Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they make offerings, but they cannot save them in the time of their trouble. For your gods have become as many as your cities, O Judah, and as many as the streets of Jerusalem are the altars you have set up to shame, altars to make offerings to Baal. “Therefore do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer on their behalf, for I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their trouble.

Proverbs 21:13 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.

Proverbs 1:28 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.

Psalm 18:40-41 ESV / 3 helpful votes

You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed. They cried for help, but there was none to save; they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.

1 John 5:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that.

1 John 5:14-15 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

1 John 3:1 ESV / 2 helpful votes

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

1 Peter 3:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

James 1:6-8 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Hebrews 10:19-20 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,

Hebrews 4:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:14-16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Pray without ceasing,

Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Romans 10:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 1:1-32 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, ...

Acts 10:1-48 ESV / 2 helpful votes

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. ...

John 15:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

John 3:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Luke 18:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:

Luke 18:1 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Luke 10:25-37 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” ...

Matthew 6:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Matthew 5:45 ESV / 2 helpful votes

So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Matthew 4:1-25 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple ...

Daniel 6:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes

When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

Psalm 23:1-6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ...

45 Bible Verses about Prayers Of Unbelievers

John 9:31 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 5:14 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

James 4:3 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 66:18 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 59:2 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 1:15 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 28:9 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 1:24-25 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Peter 5:5 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

James 4:6 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

James 1:6-7 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 2:38 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 18:11-14 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 12:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Zechariah 7:11-13 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Micah 3:2-4 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ezekiel 8:15-18 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 14:10-12 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 11:11-14 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 21:13 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 1:28 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 18:40-41 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 5:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 5:14-15 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 3:1 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Peter 3:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

James 1:6-8 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Hebrews 10:19-20 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Hebrews 4:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Hebrews 4:14-16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 10:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 1:1-32 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 10:1-48 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 15:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 18:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 18:1 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 10:25-37 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 6:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 5:45 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 4:1-25 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Daniel 6:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 23:1-6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

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