The crowd that shouted “Hosanna” on Sunday, waving palm branches for a coming king, was gone by Friday, replaced by a different crowd shouting “crucify him.” Holy Week moves fast, from celebration to betrayal to silence to an empty tomb, all in the space of one week.
These thirty verses walk through that whole week in order, from the palm branches to the resurrection morning.
Read one section each day this week, following the story as it actually happened rather than skipping straight to Sunday.
Prayer for Holy Week
1. Matthew 21:9 (KJV)
“And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.”
Prayer: Hosanna to the Son of David. Let me welcome You this week the way that crowd did, with real expectation.
Let my welcome of You not fade by the time this week gets hard.
2. Matthew 26:6-13 (KJV)
“Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.”
Prayer: Let me pour out something costly for You this week, the way she poured out that perfume.
Let extravagant devotion not embarrass me the way it embarrassed the disciples watching her.
3. John 13:1-5 (KJV)
“Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.”
Prayer: You knelt and washed feet, the lowest task in the room. Let me follow that example this week.
Let humility this week look like actual service, not just a nice idea.
4. John 13:34-35 (KJV)
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
Prayer: Let me love others the way You loved, so people would know I follow You by that alone.
Let love this week be evident, not just claimed.
5. Matthew 26:26-28 (KJV)
“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
Prayer: This is Your body, this is Your blood, poured out for forgiveness. Let me remember that intentionally this week.
Let this remembrance feel personal, not just historical.
6. Matthew 26:36-39 (KJV)
“Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
Prayer: Not as I will, but as You will. Let me pray that with You in Gethsemane this week, meaning it.
Let surrender this week be real, not just a phrase.
7. Luke 22:44 (KJV)
“And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
Prayer: You agonized so deeply Your sweat became like drops of blood. Let me not minimize how much this week cost You.
Let the weight of Gethsemane not be rushed past on the way to Easter.
8. Matthew 26:47-50 (KJV)
“And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.”
Prayer: You were betrayed with a kiss. Let me not betray You with my own words while claiming to follow.
Let my closeness to You be real, not just close enough to betray.
9. Matthew 26:56 (KJV)
“But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.”
Prayer: Even Your closest friends fled. Let me stay when it would be easier to run.
Let loyalty this week hold, even under real pressure.
10. Matthew 27:11-14 (KJV)
“And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.”
Prayer: You stood silent before Pilate, not defending Yourself. Let me trust Your silence was strength, not weakness.
Let me not need You to explain everything to still trust You.
11. Matthew 27:22-23 (KJV)
“Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.”
Prayer: The crowd chose crucify him. Let me examine what I choose when the pressure is on this week.
Let me not be part of any crowd that chooses the easy, cruel answer.
12. Isaiah 53:3-5 (KJV)
“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
Prayer: You were despised and rejected, pierced for my transgressions. Let me not look away from what this actually cost.
Let this ancient prophecy feel as real to me as it was for those who watched it happen.
13. Matthew 27:27-31 (KJV)
“Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.”
Prayer: They mocked You with a crown of thorns. Let me never mock what You actually did this week.
Let reverence, not casualness, mark how I read this part of the story.
14. Matthew 27:32 (KJV)
“And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.”
Prayer: Simon was pulled from the crowd to carry Your cross. Let me carry mine willingly this week too.
Let me not need to be forced into carrying what following You costs.
15. Luke 23:34 (KJV)
“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”
Prayer: Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they’re doing. Let me forgive that same way this week.
Let this forgiveness reach the people I’ve been holding something against.
16. Luke 23:43 (KJV)
“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
Prayer: Today you will be with me in paradise, You told the thief. Let me trust that same grace reaches me too.
Let it not be too late for anything I’m carrying to be forgiven this week.
17. Matthew 27:46 (KJV)
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Prayer: My God, why have You forsaken me? Let me sit with how alone You felt, not rush past it.
Let this cry mean something to me, not just be a line I read quickly.
18. John 19:30 (KJV)
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”
Prayer: It is finished. Let me actually believe that means finished, nothing left for me to add.
Let this be enough, not something I feel like I need to complete myself.
19. Luke 23:46 (KJV)
“And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”
Prayer: Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit. Let me commit mine that same way this week.
Let surrender be my last posture too, whatever this week asks of me.
20. Matthew 27:51 (KJV)
“And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”
Prayer: The curtain was torn in two, top to bottom. Let me walk through the access that tearing opened.
Let me actually use the access Your death purchased, not stay outside out of habit.
21. Matthew 27:57-60 (KJV)
“When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.”
Prayer: Joseph gave his own tomb for Your body. Let me give something real this week too, not just words.
Let generosity this week be costly, not convenient.
22. John 12:24 (KJV)
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”
Prayer: Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. Let me trust this pattern, even when death comes before the harvest.
Let me trust something good is growing even in what looks like loss right now.
23. Matthew 27:66 (KJV)
“So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.”
Prayer: They sealed the tomb and set a guard, trying to make sure this story ended there. Let me trust no seal can hold against You.
Let nothing sealed against me hold either, if You’re the One breaking it open.
24. Matthew 28:1-6 (KJV)
“In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 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 truth actually shake me the way it shook them.
Let resurrection be as unbelievable and wonderful to me now as it was to them.
25. 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 look for the living among the dead? Let me stop looking for life in places it can’t be found.
Let me search for life in the right place from here on.
26. 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: Peace be with you, You told the disciples, still afraid behind locked doors. Say that over me too.
Let peace reach whatever locked door I’m still hiding behind.
27. 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 whole week end in that hope.
Let this resurrection be the guarantee of my own hope too.
28. Philippians 2:8 (KJV)
“And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Prayer: You humbled Yourself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. Let me sit with that cost this week.
Let obedience like Yours shape my own this week.
29. 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: Let me walk in newness of life this week, buried and raised with You, not the same as before.
Let this week actually change something about how I live afterward.
30. Hebrews 12:2 (KJV)
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Prayer: You endured the cross, scorning its shame, for the joy set before You. Let me fix my eyes on You this whole week.
Let my focus this week stay on You, not on the busyness of the season.
Conclusion
The women who came to the tomb that first morning weren’t expecting resurrection, they were bringing spices for a body. Sometimes the biggest turn in the story happens right when hope has run completely out.
Read this in order across the week, day by day, rather than all at once.
For the meal at the center of it, a prayer for communion at home pairs directly with Thursday of this week.