Teach Us to Pray

Prayer, Light, and True Cleanness · Luke 11

Story guide: After praying, Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray. He urges persistent asking, seeking and knocking, and assures them that the Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask.

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1And it happened that while he was praying in a certain place, when he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”

2And he said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.’”

3Give us each day our daily bread.

4And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us into temptation.

5And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves,’”

6because a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.

7and he from inside answers and says, ‘Do not trouble me. The door has already been shut, and my children are with me in bed. I am not able to get up and give you anything.’

8I tell you, even if he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

9And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

10For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

11What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish?

12Or if he asks for an egg, will he give him a scorpion?

13If you, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father from heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.

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