“He is not here, He has risen, just as He said,” the angel told the women at the tomb, as if reminding them of something Jesus had already told them plainly, more than once, that they hadn’t quite let themselves believe until they saw the empty tomb for themselves.
These thirty verses trace that whole morning and the weeks that followed, doubt met with proof, grief turned to recognition, and a promise finally kept exactly as said. The story that leads here begins months earlier, and a prayer for Christmas marks its beginning.
Pray these throughout the day, letting the shock of that first morning stay fresh rather than familiar.
Prayer for Easter
1. Matthew 28:5-6 (KJV)
“And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
Prayer: He is not here, He has risen, just as He said. Let this promise land as freshly for me today.
Let me not take for granted a promise this astonishing.
2. Mark 16:6 (KJV)
“And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.”
Prayer: Let me not be alarmed, You who were crucified have risen.
Let this truth calm fears I didn’t even realize I was carrying.
3. Luke 24:5-6 (KJV)
“And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,”
Prayer: Why do I look for the living among the dead? He is not here, He has risen.
Let me stop looking for life in places it was never going to be found.
4. John 20:1 (KJV)
“The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.”
Prayer: Like Mary arriving early, let me come looking for You, even before I fully understand what I’ll find.
Let seeking You be my first move today.
5. John 20:15-16 (KJV)
“Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.”
Prayer: Let me recognize You the moment You speak my name, the way Mary did.
Let recognition come, even through my own grief and confusion.
6. Luke 24:30-31 (KJV)
“And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.”
Prayer: Let my eyes be opened to recognize You, the way those disciples did on the road to Emmaus.
Let You be known to me in ordinary moments too, not just extraordinary ones.
7. John 20:19-20 (KJV)
“Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the LORD.”
Prayer: Even through locked doors, You came and said, peace be with you.
Let peace reach me too, wherever I’ve locked myself away.
8. John 20:27-28 (KJV)
“Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God.”
Prayer: Like Thomas, let my doubt meet real proof, and let me say, my Lord and my God.
Let honest doubt be met with real evidence, not just told to disappear.
9. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (KJV)
“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”
Prayer: Christ died for my sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day.
Let this simple, ancient statement of fact settle deep in me today.
10. 1 Corinthians 15:20 (KJV)
“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”
Prayer: Christ has been raised, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Let this firstfruits promise cover what’s still ahead for me too.
11. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 (KJV)
“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Prayer: Where, O death, is your sting? Thank You for giving the victory through Christ.
Let victory, not fear of death, be what actually shapes my life.
12. Romans 6:4 (KJV)
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
Prayer: Just as Christ was raised, let me live a genuinely new life too.
Let this newness be visible, not just theoretical.
13. Romans 8:11 (KJV)
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”
Prayer: The same Spirit that raised Jesus lives in me. Let that power be evident in how I live.
Let this power reach even the tired, worn-down parts of me.
14. Colossians 3:1 (KJV)
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”
Prayer: Since I’ve been raised with Christ, let me set my heart on things above.
Let this reset how I spend my attention today.
15. Philippians 3:10 (KJV)
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”
Prayer: Let me know You, and the power of Your resurrection.
Let this power be something I actually experience, not just believe about.
16. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Prayer: Anyone in Christ is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come.
Let this newness be real today, not just a nice idea.
17. Ephesians 1:19-20 (KJV)
“And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,”
Prayer: Your incomparably great power raised Christ from the dead. Let that same power be at work in me.
Let this power reach whatever feels dead or stuck in my own life.
18. Acts 2:24 (KJV)
“Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.”
Prayer: You freed Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to hold Him.
Let this same impossibility apply to whatever feels like death in my own life.
19. John 11:25-26 (KJV)
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
Prayer: You are the resurrection and the life. Let this truth outlast every fear I carry.
Let this promise be more solid than anything currently worrying me.
20. Revelation 1:18 (KJV)
“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
Prayer: You are alive forever and ever, and You hold the keys of death and Hades.
Let this authority settle any fear I still carry about death.
21. Psalms 16:10 (KJV)
“For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
Prayer: You did not abandon Him to the grave, nor let Your holy one see decay.
Let this ancient promise have been exactly kept, word for word.
22. Isaiah 25:8 (KJV)
“He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.”
Prayer: You have swallowed up death forever, and wiped away every tear.
Let this promise stand over my whole life, not just this one day.
23. Hosea 6:2 (KJV)
“After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.”
Prayer: On the third day, You restore, that we may live in Your presence.
Let this ancient prophecy have found its full meaning right here.
24. Acts 1:3 (KJV)
“To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:”
Prayer: You gave many convincing proofs that You were alive.
Let this evidence settle any lingering doubt in me today.
25. Matthew 28:9 (KJV)
“And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.”
Prayer: Let me meet You today, and worship You the way those women did.
Let worship, not just relief, be my response to this good news.
26. Luke 24:39 (KJV)
“Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”
Prayer: Touch and see, You said, it is I myself. Let this be real, not wishful thinking, to me too.
Let this be as physically real to me as it was for those first disciples.
27. John 21:12 (KJV)
“Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.”
Prayer: Come and have breakfast, You said, an ordinary invitation after an extraordinary morning.
Let You meet me in ordinary moments too, not only dramatic ones.
28. Romans 4:25 (KJV)
“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
Prayer: You were delivered over to death for my sins, and raised to life for my justification.
Let justification feel as real to me as this verse describes.
29. Hebrews 4:14 (KJV)
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.”
Prayer: You are my great high priest, gone through the heavens. Let me hold firmly to this faith.
Let this confidence hold me steady long after today is over.
30. Numbers 6:24-26 (KJV)
“The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”
Prayer: Bless me and keep me, make Your face shine on me, and give me peace this Easter.
Let this old blessing carry this resurrection joy all year long.
Conclusion
Jesus had told His disciples exactly what would happen, more than once. And yet when it actually happened, they were still stunned, still needed convincing, still had to be reminded, He said this would happen. Sometimes even a promise you already know can still catch you off guard when it’s finally kept.
Read the resurrection account out loud today, from whichever Gospel you haven’t read in a while.
For the days leading up to this one, a prayer for Holy Week is worth returning to next year, from the beginning.