What Does the Bible Say About Unanswered Prayer?
Here are 15 Bible verses about unanswered prayer, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #1James 4:3
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
BSBAnd when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.
- #2Psalms 66:18
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
BSBIf I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
- #31 John 5:14-15
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
BSBAnd this is the confidence that we have before Him: 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 already possess what we have asked of Him.
- #4Matthew 21:22
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
BSBIf you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
- #5Mark 11:24
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
BSBTherefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
- #6Proverbs 28:9
He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
BSBWhoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer is detestable.
- #7John 15:7
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
BSBIf you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
- #81 John 5:14
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
BSBAnd this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
- #9Matthew 7:7-11
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
BSBAsk, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
- #10John 9:31
Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
BSBWe know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will.
- #11James 1:6
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
BSBBut he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
- #12Isaiah 59:2
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
BSBBut your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.
- #131 Peter 3:12
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
BSBFor the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
- #14Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
BSBBe anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
- #152 Corinthians 12:7-9
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
BSBor because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).