A Roman centurion loved his servant enough to send Jewish elders to plead for his life, then sent word that Jesus needn’t even come to the house, just say the word and the servant would be healed. Jesus called it the greatest faith He’d found in all of Israel. Someone else’s sickness moved him to that kind of bold asking.
These thirty verses are for praying over a friend who’s sick, whether they’re across town or across the country.
Pray these by their name, and let them know you’re praying, even if you can’t be there in person.
Short Prayer for a Sick Friend
1. Luke 7:6-7 (KJV)
“Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.”
Prayer: Lord, just say the word, and let my friend be healed, the way You healed the centurion’s servant.
Let distance be no obstacle to what You can do for them.
2. James 5:14-15 (KJV)
“Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”
Prayer: Let the prayer offered in faith make my friend well, and let You raise them up.
Let faith be part of what carries their healing forward.
3. Mark 5:34 (KJV)
“And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”
Prayer: Let their faith, and mine on their behalf, be part of what makes them well.
Let peace be part of their healing, not just relief at the end of it.
4. Psalms 41:3 (KJV)
“The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.”
Prayer: Sustain my friend on their sickbed, and restore them from this illness completely.
Let sustaining happen even on the slow, unremarkable days.
5. Exodus 15:26 (KJV)
“And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.”
Prayer: You are the Lord who heals. Be that name over my friend right now.
Let this ancient name mean something specific to their illness.
6. 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: You promise to restore health and heal wounds. Do that for my friend, fully, not partway.
Let restoration reach every part this illness has touched.
7. 3 John 1:2 (KJV)
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
Prayer: I pray that my friend may prosper and be in good health, the way this old letter blessed a friend.
Let this simple wish become true for them soon.
8. Psalms 103:2-3 (KJV)
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;”
Prayer: You heal all diseases. Let that cover my friend’s illness too.
Let all genuinely mean all, including this.
9. Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)
“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: By Your wounds my friend is healed. Let this ancient promise become present, physical relief.
Let this verse be more than poetry for them, let it be medicine.
10. Psalms 30:2 (KJV)
“O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.”
Prayer: My friend has called to You for help. Let You heal them, the way You’ve healed before.
Let calling out and healing happen close together this time.
11. Matthew 8:16-17 (KJV)
“When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”
Prayer: You healed all who were sick, carrying our infirmities Yourself. Carry this one too.
Let this ancient healing reach into their exact diagnosis today.
12. Philippians 2:27 (KJV)
“For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.”
Prayer: Epaphroditus was sick and You had mercy on him. Have that same mercy on my friend.
Let mercy be as real for them as it was for him.
13. 2 Kings 20:5 (KJV)
“Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.”
Prayer: You heard Hezekiah’s prayer and saw his tears, and healed him. Hear mine on my friend’s behalf.
Let tears, mine and theirs, be something You respond to.
14. Psalms 6:2 (KJV)
“Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.”
Prayer: Heal my friend, Lord, their body is in agony. Let this honest cry actually reach You.
Let honesty about the pain come before either of us tries to sound braver than we feel.
15. Psalms 34:17-18 (KJV)
“The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
Prayer: My friend is crying out, hear them, and be close to their heart right now.
Let closeness be something they can actually feel.
16. 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 my friend be afraid, You are with them, strengthening and upholding them.
Let Your presence be as real to them as it is to me right now.
17. Psalms 121:1-2 (KJV)
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”
Prayer: Let my friend lift their eyes to You, remembering where their help actually comes from.
Let them find real help, not just distraction from how they feel.
18. 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 my friend the way only You actually can.
Let comfort reach the exact place this illness has hollowed out.
19. Psalms 147:3 (KJV)
“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”
Prayer: Heal my friend’s body and bind up their wounds, however long that takes.
Let healing not be rushed, but let it still be real.
20. Malachi 4:2 (KJV)
“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.”
Prayer: Rise with healing in Your wings over my friend, like the sun breaking over a dark night.
Let healing arrive like morning light, unmistakable.
21. 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: Let my friend dwell in Your shelter, and command Your angels to guard them through this.
Let their guarding cover every hour of this illness.
22. Nahum 1:7 (KJV)
“The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”
Prayer: You are good, a refuge in times of trouble. Let that be true for my friend right now.
Let being cared for feel real to them, not distant.
23. Romans 8:28 (KJV)
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Prayer: Work even this illness together for good, for my friend and for everyone who loves them.
Let me trust this even before I know how it turns out.
24. Psalms 46:1 (KJV)
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Prayer: You are my friend’s refuge and strength, a very present help in this exact kind of trouble.
Let help feel present to them, not distant.
25. 1 Peter 5:7 (KJV)
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
Prayer: Let my friend cast their anxiety on You, trusting You care about what they’re carrying.
Let casting it be real relief for them, not just words.
26. 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 my friend and keep them, make Your face shine on them, and give them peace.
Let this old blessing settle over them today specifically.
27. 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. Let today’s mercy be enough for my friend today.
Let a rough day not become a rough whole illness.
28. Psalms 118:17 (KJV)
“I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.”
Prayer: Let my friend not die but live, and proclaim what You have done for them.
Let this become a story they get to tell later, not just endure now.
29. James 5:16 (KJV)
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
Prayer: Let this prayer, offered on their behalf, be powerful and effective, the way this verse promises.
Let my prayer for them carry real weight before You.
30. Psalms 34:19 (KJV)
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”
Prayer: Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but You deliver them from them all, including my friend from this one.
Let deliverance be as thorough as this promise claims.
Conclusion
The centurion never demanded Jesus prove anything. He simply trusted that a word from Him was enough, even from a distance. Sometimes that’s exactly the kind of confidence a sick friend needs someone else to carry on their behalf.
Text them these verses, or just tell them you prayed them by name today.
For a fuller walk through healing prayer, a miracle healing prayer for the sick and a prayer for healing and protection pair well with this one.