What does the Bible say about healing prayer?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible encourages believers to pray confidently for healing while trusting God’s wise and sovereign will. James 5:14-16 calls the sick to seek prayer from the church’s elders, with confession, faith, and mutual prayer among God’s people. Jesus gave His apostles authority to heal and commanded them to minister compassionately in Matthew 10:1, 10:8, while Mark 16:17-18 testifies to confirming signs in the early gospel witness. Christ bore our sins in His body, as 1 Peter 2:24 teaches, securing forgiveness and ultimately full restoration. Proverbs 4:20-22 commends receiving God’s life-giving word. Believers pray boldly, yet rest in God’s purposes, knowing He is able and faithful.
Top passages, ranked by readers
Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible
- 1 Peter 2:24 8 votes
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness. You were healed by his wounds.
- James 5:16 6 votes
Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.
- James 5:14 6 votes
Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
- Philippians 4:13 6 votes
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
- Proverbs 4:20-22 5 votes
My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
- Matthew 10:1 4 votes
He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.
- Hebrews 11:6 4 votes
Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.
- 3 John 1:2 4 votes
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be healthy, even as your soul prospers.
- Matthew 10:8 4 votes
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.
- Mark 16:17-18 4 votes
These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
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