Prayer for healing in the Bible: Scripture's own words
Praying for the sick with the leper, the centurion, David, and Jeremiah
Morning Prayer editorial team · Updated: November 2026
The Bible is full of prayers for healing: Hezekiah on his sickbed, David in the Psalms, the leper, the centurion, and the blind beggar on the Jericho road. This prayer for healing in the Bible takes their words and makes them yours, or those of someone you love.
Let us pray
Lord Jesus, when You walked through Galilee, they brought You the sick on stretchers, and You did not turn one away. I bring You (name) today, and I use the words of those who came before me, because they knew how to ask.
With the leper I say: Lord, if You will, You can make me clean. With the centurion I say: I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and Your servant will be healed. With blind Bartimaeus I cry out, even when others tell me to be quiet: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.
With King Hezekiah I turn my face to the wall and weep, and I remember that You added years to his life. With David I pray: O Lord my God, I cried to You, and You healed me. Heal me, Lord, for my bones are troubled. Bless the Lord, O my soul, who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.
With Jeremiah I ask: heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed. With the prophet Isaiah I believe: by His wounds we are healed. Lay those wounds of Yours, Jesus, against the wound of this sickness.
I do not know whether You will heal the body quickly, slowly, or in the resurrection. But I know that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that You have never stopped loving the sick. Give (name) Your peace tonight, courage for tomorrow, and the healing You know is best. I believe; help my unbelief. Amen.
Blessing
May the Lord who healed the sick in Galilee lay His hand on you and on those you love, and give you His peace.
How to pray this prayer
- Find a quiet moment and breathe slowly.
- Read the prayer aloud or in your heart.
- Add your own intention before the Amen.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Bible verses to pray for healing?
Psalm 103:2-3 (He heals all your diseases), Psalm 30:2, Psalm 6:2, Jeremiah 17:14, Isaiah 53:5, James 5:14-16 on anointing the sick, and the Gospel healings in Matthew 8, Mark 10, and Luke 17. Reading one slowly before praying this prayer deepens it.
Does the Bible promise that every sick person will be healed?
No. Scripture shows God healing many, yet Saint Paul lived with a thorn in the flesh and Timothy with a weak stomach. What God promises is His presence, His grace, and final healing in the resurrection. We ask boldly and trust Him with the form of the answer.
Should a sick Catholic also receive the Anointing of the Sick?
Yes. The Letter of James tells the sick to call the priests of the Church to pray over them and anoint them. The sacrament gives strength, peace, forgiveness, and sometimes physical healing, and it can be received whenever someone is seriously ill, not only at the point of death.
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