A prayer for prisoners may not seem like the first priority for prayer we should be made to the Lord, but when we think of his capacity for forgiveness and love it is obvious that we too should extend our prayers for those in prison without judgment and blame.
This is a prayer for hope, forgiveness, repentance and redemption. Let us share in this prayer as fellow Christians, understanding that everyone is deserving of God’s love.
Let us pray.
Prayers for Prisoners
Short Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray for those who are incarcerated, asking that You protect them from harm and surround them with Your presence. Please soften their hearts, grant them forgiveness, and help them find hope and redemption during this difficult time. Amen.
📖 Hebrews 13:3
"Remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."
Prayer for Prison Inmates
Heavenly Father, I come to you today on behalf of a prison inmate. They have made mistakes, but they are also your children who are in need of your help. Please watch over them and protect them while they are incarcerated. Give them the strength to overcome their trials and the wisdom to make good choices. Most of all, please help them to remember that they are never alone, for you are always with them. Amen.
📖 Matthew 25:36
"I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
Prayer for Son in Prison
Dear Lord God, I come to you with a heavy heart. My son is in prison and I am struggling to cope. I know that you are aware of his situation and I pray that you will provide him with strength and guidance during this difficult time. I pray that he will be able to find peace in your love and that he will be able to return to society as a changed man. I ask that you watch over him and protect him from harm. I also ask that you bless his captors and those who are responsible for his care, that they may treat him fairly and with compassion. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
📖 Psalm 146:7
"He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free."
A Prayer for People in Prison
This was a much longer prayer shared with our YouTube congregation. You can watch the video above to join us in this prayer or if you prefer shorter prayers to offer yourself, we have prayers for forgiveness or prayers of protection from evil you could offer on their behalf. Lord God, as it says in the bible ‘let he who is without sin cast the first stone’ This sets the tone for this prayer. This is a prayer about love and forgiveness and redemption for prisoners. We are all sinners and as such, we need your love and mercy. As sinners, we all seek forgiveness from the Lord God Almighty, who is a God of forgiveness. When Jesus walked this earth with us, he treated thieves with love and mercy, showing them love and hope. Through this example of giving a new life to the thieves, he teaches all of us about acceptance and forgiveness. Prisoners are no exception they need the same clemency we show to those who walk free. We are offering this prayer for prisoners everywhere to help them be able to bear their sentence with strength and acceptance. We understand oh Lord we cannot ask for their freedom, we respect the law as you bade us do. We understand that the justice system is there to protect us and to punish those who are wrongdoers in the eyes of the law. For those incarcerated who may be innocent of their crimes, let the light shine upon their cases and let their lawyers be filled with your wisdom and sense of right and justice and may they have decisions reversed and freedom be theirs. This prayer for prisoners extends to all prisoners, no exceptions, as we are not judge and jury, we are simply soldiers of Christ spreading his word, and extending our prayers to all humanity. God, we ask that you bring the capacity to bear a sense of fortitude and acceptance of the punishment into the hearts of all prisoners. May they be able to bear their sentence not in pain and anguish but with equanimity and strength. This will be made possible if they accept the justice that has taken them into this place and the fact that this is what society expects. Taking responsibility for their actions is the way for these prisoners to start to find this peace. These prisoners are people without hope of redemption or peace. The way through this starts with a sense of taking responsibility for their crime, may you help them find a way of accepting this responsibility and the path to asking for your forgiveness. We understand that these men and women are incarcerated for a whole variety of reasons. Many of them turned to crime because of their life circumstances and what they perceived as a necessity and saw no other solution to their problems. There are those for whom the temptation of the easy life was too much and they fell prey to their own greed. Others fall prey to a greater evil. Lord, we know that our instinct can be one of vengeance for those guilty of more violent and heinous crimes. We are drawn at times to feel that we want an eye for an eye. It is tempting to want vengeance on these people, to sit in judgment and to want to exact more punishment. In the Bible, we are taught that vengeance is not man-made this is for the judgment of the Lord. We are commanded to turn the other cheek. Let us pray for the prisoners that they find redemption through prayer and that these prayers bolster them. Prisoners suffer in many ways, not just the loss of freedom but also a lack of hope. It is often through some hope appearing in their lives that they seek forgiveness for their crimes. Lord please listen to our prayers and allow some hope to enter their lives. If any prisoners can find their way to hearing your word and seeing a different life in their future it may take them on the path of seeking forgiveness and turning their lives around. Lord let this prayer usher in a sense of peace, acceptance and hope to those prisoners most in need of your love It is through prayer that we can find the word of the Lord settling in our hearts. We pray that reading the word of the Lord or hearing it spoken in the prison that it lights a small flame of hope and starts to burn in their hearts. May this sense of hope spread throughout the prison. May you open their hearts to hearing the word of the Lord and accept this as their way forward into redemption and reject the life of crime that has brought them to this place. Lord, hear this prayer for prisoners that comes from an understanding of the desperation and lack of hope that drives us to despair and wrong decisions. Bring fresh hope for a new life whether after release or whilst incarcerated that acceptance of your word and command brings a different way of living and thinking. May acknowledging your word and your presence in their lives bring a renewed sense of life and a way to pass the days more peacefully. True remorse and redemption come from accepting what you have done and seeking the forgiveness of the Lord. We pray that this understanding and love come into the hearts and minds of prisoners everywhere. Lord hear this prayer. Amen.
📖 Isaiah 61:1
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners."
Prayer for Release from Prison
Lord God, I come to You today asking for release from this prison. I have served my time and I am ready to return to the world. I know that I made mistakes, but I have learned from them and I am a better person now. I ask for Your forgiveness and for a second chance. Please open the door for me so that I can return to my family and friends. Give me the strength to stay on the right path, and guide me as I rebuild my life. Amen.
📖 1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
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Prayer Points for Prisoners
Use these prayer points to guide your personal prayer time:
- Pray for genuine repentance and spiritual awakening among prisoners to turn their hearts toward God
- Ask God to bring comfort and peace to prisoners who are struggling with guilt, shame, and hopelessness
- Pray for divine protection over inmates from violence, abuse, and negative influences within prison walls
- Ask the Lord to surround prisoners with Christian mentors, chaplains, and volunteers who can guide them to salvation
- Pray for the families of prisoners, especially children and spouses, that they may find strength and provision during separation
- Ask God to grant wisdom and compassion to prison staff, guards, and administrators in their treatment of inmates
- Pray for opportunities for education, rehabilitation, and skill development that can help prisoners rebuild their lives
- Ask the Lord to break chains of addiction, anger, and destructive patterns that led to incarceration
- Pray for fair and just legal processes, including righteous outcomes in appeals and parole hearings
- Ask God to prepare hearts and communities to receive former prisoners with grace and opportunities for reintegration
- Pray for sons and daughters in prison to experience the Father's love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ
- Ask the Lord to grant supernatural hope and faith to those serving long sentences or facing difficult circumstances
- Pray for healing of past traumas and wounds that may have contributed to criminal behavior
- Ask God to bring about divine appointments and encounters that lead prisoners into lasting transformation
- Pray for the release of those who are unjustly imprisoned and for God's justice to prevail in their situations
Watch: Prayer for Prisoners Video
Bible Verses for Prisoners
Find strength and comfort in these scriptures:
Hebrews 13:3
"Remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."
Matthew 25:36
"I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
Psalm 146:7
"He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free."
Isaiah 61:1
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners."
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
Psalm 107:10-14
"Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains, because they rebelled against God's commands and despised the plans of the Most High. So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains."
Romans 8:1
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
2 Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
Ezekiel 18:21-22
"But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live."
Luke 4:18
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free."