προσευχή (proseuchē)
proseuchē
prayer
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 36 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun proseuchē refers to prayer as a direct address to God, serving as the standard New Testament term for this act of worship. It appears frequently in the Gospels and Acts, capturing moments where Jesus withdraws to pray (Luke 6:12) or where believers gather in persistent devotion (Acts 1:14). The word conveys a sense of earnest communication, often linked with thanksgiving or intercession for others, as seen in Paul’s letters.
Uniquely, proseuchē can also denote the physical location where such prayer occurs. In Acts 16:13, it describes a place by the river outside Philippi where women gathered for prayer, reflecting a Jewish practice of praying in open spaces near water for ritual washing. This dual usage highlights how early Christians viewed prayer not just as an internal act but as a communal practice with specific settings.
The term is closely related to the verb proseuchomai and often appears alongside deesis (supplication), though deesis tends to emphasize specific requests while proseuchē covers broader worship. Translators usually render it simply as "prayer," preserving its wide range from personal devotion to corporate assembly.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word προσευχὴ (proseuchē) simply means prayer, yet it carries a warmth that reminds us we are speaking directly to God. It is not a formal ritual but an earnest conversation, whether you are alone on a mountain or gathered with others in a community setting. This term appears often in the New Testament because it captures the heart of our relationship with the Creator: open, honest, and persistent.
What makes this word special is that it can refer both to the act of praying and the place where we gather to do so. In Acts 16:13, believers met by a riverside for prayer, showing that devotion often happens in everyday spaces, not just inside buildings. This encourages us to see our daily routines as opportunities to connect with God, turning ordinary moments into sacred encounters.
When anxiety tries to take over, προσευχὴ offers a way out. Paul tells us to present our requests to God with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6), replacing worry with trust. This simple act of communication reminds us that we do not have to carry our burdens alone. God invites us to bring everything to Him, knowing He hears and cares for each request.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 36 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- prayers12×
- prayer9×
- of prayer3×
- in prayer2×
- with fervent prayer1×
- to prayer1×
- prayers.1×
- prayers,1×
- prayer,1×
- of prayer’;1×
- in prayers1×
- by prayer1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- προσευχῇ11×
- προσευχῶν4×
- προσευχῆς4×
- προσευχαῖς4×
- προσευχὴ2×
- προσευχάς,2×
- προσευχῆς·1×
- προσευχῆς,1×
- προσευχήν,1×
- προσευχὴν1×
- προσευχὰς1×
- προσευχαῖς.1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 6:12
In these days, he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God.
This verse shows Jesus withdrawing to pray all night, modelling that even the Son of God sought extended time in direct communication with the Father before major decisions.
-
Acts 16:13
On the Sabbath day we went outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
Here the word denotes a physical location by the river, illustrating how early Christians viewed prayer as a communal practice that could happen in open, everyday spaces outside the temple.
-
Philippians 4:6
In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
Paul connects this term with thanksgiving to show how prayer actively displaces anxiety by turning our worries into specific requests made known to God.
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Acts 12:5
Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him.
The church’s constant prayer for Peter in prison highlights the power of corporate devotion, where believers unite their voices to seek God’s intervention for one another.