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
Prayers
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.
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.
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.
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.
You could also offer God a prayer for a good outcome in court.
Have Your Prayer Submitted
Have your prayer for prisoners submitted all over the world:
Bible Verses and Scripture for Prisoners
Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. – Hebrews 13:3
This verse from Hebrews instructs Christians to remember those who are in prison as if they were prisoners themselves. In other words, we are called to empathize with the experience of prisoners and to offer them support and compassion.
This is in keeping with the general Christian principle of love for one’s neighbor. We are also instructed to remember those who are mistreated, which presumably includes prisoners.
This is because, as members of the body of Christ, we share in the sufferings of others. By remembering those who are suffering, we can offer them hope and comfort in their time of need.
You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also – Matthew 5:38-39
This really speaks to our emotional reaction to vengeance and our need to understand that this is not our role. We are not the judge, God is the only one with the right to exact any revenge. There are Bible verses about revenge that tell us exactly this.
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer – Romans 13:1-4
Prisoners are prisoners for a reason. They have offended societal rules and have broken the laws we put in place to stop that from happening. Whatever we consider an offense, we have enshrined it into law, including proportionate sentencing.
If you love me, you will keep my commandments – John 14:15
A simple command for all to follow. Break these and you break the laws of God.