On Prayer

Origen, tr. Oulton, 1954

Moreover, I hold that the words of the prayer of the saints are filled with power, …

Our whole life ought to be a prayer (Chapters XII to XIII, 1)

Moreover, I hold that the words of the prayer of the saints are filled with power, especially when “praying with the spirit” they “pray with the understanding also.”¹ This last is like a light shining from the mind of him who is praying, and going forth from his mouth, to weaken by the power of God the spiritual poison injected by hostile powers into the reason of those who neglect prayer, and do not observe the saying “pray without ceasing”² spoken by Paul in conformity with the exhortations of Jesus.³ It goes forth like a dart from the soul of the saint who prays, sent on its way by knowledge and reason or by faith,⁴⁵ and inflicts a wound for the destruction and overthrow of the spirits that are at enmity with God, and desire to cast around us the bonds of sin.

That man “prays without ceasing”² (virtuous deeds or commandments fulfilled being included as part of prayer)⁶ who combines with the prayer the needful deeds and the prayer with the fitting actions. For thus alone can we accept “pray without ceasing”⁷ as a practicable saying, if we speak of the whole life of the saint as one great unbroken prayer: of which prayer that which is commonly called prayer is a part. This ought to be engaged in not less than three times every day,⁸ as is clear from the case of Daniel, who when great danger hung over him “prayed three times a day.”⁹ “Peter” also, “going up to the housetop about the sixth hour to pray,” when also he saw the “vessel let down”¹⁰ from heaven, “let down by four corners,”¹¹ is evidence for the middle one of the three prayers, while the one before it is spoken of by David, “In the morning¹² shalt thou hear my” prayer,¹³ “in the morning will I order [my prayer] unto thee and will look up”¹⁴; and the final one is indicated in the words “the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”¹⁵ Indeed we shall not fittingly pass even the night time without this prayer: for David says, “At midnight did I rise to give thanks unto thee for the judgments of thy righteousness”¹⁶; and “Paul,” as is stated in the Acts of the Apostles, “about midnight” in company with “Silas,” at Philippi, “was praying and singing hymns unto God,” so that even the “prisoners listened to them.”¹⁷

Notes

I Cor. 14:15.
I Thess. 5:17.
XII, 1. the exhortations of Jesus] E.g., Luke 18:1, “men ought always to pray, and not to faint,” and 21:36, “watch ye at every season, making supplication.”
Following an emendation of the text.
XII, 1. It goes forth . . . or by faith] The text as emended by the Anonymous scholar has been followed. The general sense of the passage is not in doubt, and even Koetschau admits that some emendation is necessary. T has: “It goes forth like a dart from the soul of him who prays by knowledge and reason or by faith from the saint.”
XII, 2. virtuous deeds or commandments being included as part of prayer] Cf. In Matt., XVI, 22 (C.B., XL, 551) “‘My house shall be called the house of prayer.’ For there should be nothing else in the Church besides prayer, every good deed also inviting the attention of God, being reckoned as prayer by God, in accordance with which the saying ‘pray without ceasing’ becomes possible.” It is clear, therefore, that Origen did not regard the contemplative life and the practical life as distinct.
I Thess. 5:17.
XII, 2. three times every day] Cf. Clement of Alexandria, Strom., VII, 40.
Dan. 6:10.
Perhaps descending should be read (Acts 10:11).
Acts 10:9–11.
XII, 2. “In the morning,” etc.] In this quotation from Ps. 5:3 Origen apparently alters “voice” (Hebrew and LXX) to “prayer” in the first half of the verse. In the second half the object of “I will order” has to be supplied from the sense; and the Revised Version adds “my prayer.”
The Hebrew and LXX have “voice.”
Ps. 5:3.
Ps. 141:2.
Ps. 119:62.
Acts 16:25.