A funeral procession was already underway, a widow’s only son being carried out of town, when Jesus saw her. “His heart went out to her,” Luke wrote, “and he said, ‘Don’t cry.'” He touched the coffin, the bearers stopped, and He simply said, “Young man, I say to you, get up.” The boy sat up and began to talk.
These thirty verses are for someone on life support, prayed in that same space between what looks final and what You’re still able to do. For the wider family carrying this, a prayer for sick is worth praying alongside this one.
Pray these by their name, whatever the outcome you’re bracing for.
Prayer for Someone on Life Support
1. Luke 7:12-15 (KJV)
“Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.”
Prayer: Let Your heart go out to us, the way it went out to that grieving mother.
Let compassion, not just clinical process, mark this moment.
2. Luke 7:13 (KJV)
“And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.”
Prayer: You saw her and told her not to weep. Let me trust You see us too.
Let this comfort be real, whatever happens next.
3. Mark 5:35-36 (KJV)
“While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.”
Prayer: Even if this news feels frightening, let me not fear, only believe.
Let faith outlast whatever discouraging news has already come.
4. 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 right now.
Let this promise be more solid than what this moment feels like.
5. John 11:43-44 (KJV)
“And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.”
Prayer: Let nothing be too far gone for You to call back, the way You called Lazarus.
Let this same power still be active today.
6. Psalms 23:4 (KJV)
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
Prayer: Even through this valley, let us fear no evil, for You are with us.
Let Your presence be as real here as anywhere else.
7. Psalms 116:15 (KJV)
“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”
Prayer: Precious in Your sight is the death of Your faithful ones.
Let this life be precious to You, exactly as this verse says.
8. Psalms 121:7-8 (KJV)
“The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”
Prayer: Keep them from all harm, watch over their life, now and forevermore.
Let this watching cover whatever happens in the hours ahead.
9. Isaiah 43:1-2 (KJV)
“But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
Prayer: Let them not fear, You have redeemed them, called them by name.
Let being known by name matter more than any machine or monitor.
10. Psalms 71:20-21 (KJV)
“Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.”
Prayer: Though You’ve let us see this trouble, restore life again and comfort us once more.
Let restoration or comfort come, whichever this moment calls for.
11. Jeremiah 30:17 (KJV)
“For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.”
Prayer: Restore health and heal, if that is what You will.
Let restoration reach exactly what’s needed right now.
12. Psalms 91:9-11 (KJV)
“Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”
Prayer: Because we’ve made You our refuge, let no harm come near, command Your angels to guard them.
Let this guarding be as real as this psalm describes.
13. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (KJV)
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
Prayer: You are the God of all comfort, comfort our whole family right now.
Let comfort reach everyone waiting in this hard place.
14. Psalms 34:18 (KJV)
“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
Prayer: You are close to the brokenhearted, close to us right now.
Let nearness be real, not just a comforting idea.
15. Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV)
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Prayer: Let us bring this fear to You, and let peace guard our hearts in this waiting.
Let peace hold, whatever the next hours bring.
16. Deuteronomy 33:27 (KJV)
“The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.”
Prayer: The eternal God is our refuge, underneath are the everlasting arms.
Let those arms hold them, and hold us, right now.
17. Isaiah 41:10 (KJV)
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Prayer: Don’t let us be dismayed, You are our God, You will strengthen and help us through this.
Let strength meet us exactly here, in this uncertain waiting.
18. Job 19:25-27 (KJV)
“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”
Prayer: I know my Redeemer lives. Let this ancient confidence hold for us here.
Let this hope be real, whatever the outcome.
19. Romans 8:38-39 (KJV)
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Prayer: Let nothing separate them, or us, from Your love, not even this.
Let this certainty hold steady through whatever comes.
20. 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 the victory through Christ, whatever happens here.
Let victory be the last word, not death.
21. Psalms 46:1 (KJV)
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Prayer: You are our refuge and strength, a very present help right now.
Let help feel present in this hospital room, not distant.
22. John 14:1-3 (KJV)
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
Prayer: Don’t let our hearts be troubled, You have gone to prepare a place.
Let this hope be real, even while we stay honest about this fear.
23. Hebrews 4:15-16 (KJV)
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Prayer: You are able to empathize with this, let us approach Your throne with confidence.
Let confidence come from being genuinely understood.
24. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (KJV)
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”
Prayer: Let us not grieve like those with no hope, whatever happens here.
Let hope and honest fear hold together, not cancel each other out.
25. Psalms 27:14 (KJV)
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”
Prayer: Let us wait for You, be strong, and take heart, through this uncertain time.
Let waiting build strength instead of despair.
26. Isaiah 57:1-2 (KJV)
“The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.”
Prayer: If it is time, let them enter into peace, finding real rest.
Let rest be complete, if that is what’s ahead.
27. Psalms 139:16 (KJV)
“Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”
Prayer: Every one of their days was written in Your book before one of them came to be.
Let this be a comfort, that their life was never outside Your knowledge.
28. Matthew 19:26 (KJV)
“But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”
Prayer: With people this may seem impossible, but with You all things are possible.
Let this truth hold, even against what the odds currently look like.
29. 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 them and us, keep us, make Your face shine on us, and give us peace right now.
Let this old blessing cover this whole family in this hard hour.
30. Lamentations 3:22-23 (KJV)
“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
Prayer: Your mercies are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness, even in this uncertain moment.
Let mercy be present in even this very hard hour.
Conclusion
That funeral procession had already started moving before Jesus arrived. It looked over, already decided. He touched the coffin anyway, and the story didn’t end where everyone assumed it would. That doesn’t make every outcome the same. It does mean the situation isn’t fully written until it’s actually over.
Stay close to them today, and let others sit with you in this waiting rather than facing it alone.
For your own family as you carry this, a prayer for the bereaved is worth reading, whatever comes next.