Intercession
Praying on behalf of someone else — asking God for another person's needs, rather than your own.
What they actually mean
“"Praying for other people."”
Heard in the wild
“We have a team devoted to intercession.”
“Thank you for interceding for us while we were overseas.”
The Lighter Side
Praying for other people, which sounds simple until you're handed the church prayer list and it's four pages, single-spaced.
The longer version
What it means
Intercession is prayer for others. Praying for your own needs is petition; praying for someone else's is intercession. It covers the church prayer list, the friend you pray for daily, the nation, the persecuted, the stranger whose story you heard. An intercessor is a person who does this as a calling, and many churches have intercession teams or prayer meetings devoted to it.
The word also describes what Christians believe Jesus does: He "lives to intercede" for His people before the Father. And in Catholic and Orthodox teaching, the saints and Mary intercede too — they pray for the living, and can be asked to.
Why people say it
Christians believe prayer for others is one of the most loving things they can do, and the Bible is full of it: Abraham bargaining for Sodom, Moses pleading for Israel, Paul praying for every church he wrote to. Intercession is how Christians carry each other, and the word gives that work a name and a dignity. It's also a discipline — a way of turning attention outward, away from one's own worries.
How to respond
If someone tells you they've been interceding for you, they've been praying for you regularly and seriously; thank them. If a Catholic friend says they asked a saint to intercede for you, they asked a saint to pray for you; it's meant as kindness. If you're asked to join an intercession meeting, expect an hour of praying through a list, aloud, in turns — it's not for everyone, and nobody minds if you just sit and listen.
If you hear it in different churches
Universal. The Catholic Mass has "prayers of the faithful" or "intercessions" as a fixed part; Anglican and Lutheran liturgies have "prayers of the people"; Orthodox litanies are intercession from start to finish. Evangelical and Pentecostal churches organize intercession teams and prayer meetings. The only real disagreement is about the saints: Catholics and Orthodox ask them to intercede; Protestants don't, and go directly to God.
Where does “Intercession” come from?
Abraham interceding for Sodom (Genesis 18) and Moses for Israel after the golden calf (Exodus 32) are the founding examples; God laments in Ezekiel 22:30 that He "looked for someone… to stand in the gap." Paul urges "petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving… for all people" (1 Timothy 2:1). The New Testament's central use is for Christ, who "always lives to intercede" (Hebrews 7:25). Asking the saints' intercession is attested by the third century. The word entered English from the Latin intercedere, "to go between."
Good to know
Christians also speak of Jesus interceding for them in heaven, and Catholics and Orthodox ask the saints to intercede — pray on their behalf — which is where the phrase "pray to the saints" comes from. It means asking them to pray, as you'd ask a friend, not worshipping them. "Standing in the gap" is the same idea from Ezekiel 22.
You might also hear
Prayer Warrior
Prayer & DevotionSomeone known for praying often, seriously, and persistently on behalf of others — the person you call when you need prayer that means business.
“"The person who really, actually prays for people. A lot."”
Prayer Chain
Prayer & DevotionA church's system for spreading an urgent prayer request quickly — once a telephone tree, now usually a group text or email — so that many people are praying within the hour.
“"The church's emergency alert system. For prayer, and also, inevitably, for news."”
Lifting You Up (in prayer)
Prayer & DevotionPraying for someone — bringing their name and need before God. Nobody is physically lifted.
“"I'm praying for you."”
Common questions
What's the difference between intercession and regular prayer?+
Intercession is specifically prayer for others. Praying for yourself is petition; praising God is worship. Most prayer mixes all three.
What does it mean that Jesus intercedes for us?+
Christians believe the risen Jesus prays for His people before the Father — that He's on their side, continually. Hebrews 7:25 and Romans 8:34 are the verses.
What does "pray to the saints" mean?+
Catholics and Orthodox ask the saints to pray for them, the way you'd ask a friend. It's intercession, not worship. Protestants don't practice it.
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Written by Rev. Christopher D.F. Warrington, Ordained Minister, M.Div. · Updated September 2026
This entry was compiled with AI assistance and has not yet been reviewed by an ordained pastor.