Definition and Etymology:
The term "Proseuche" (προσευχή) is a Greek word commonly translated as "prayer" in the New Testament. It is derived from the verb "proseuchomai" (προσεύχομαι), meaning "to pray" or "to offer prayers." The noun form "proseuche" emphasizes the act of prayer as a form of worship and communication with God.

Biblical Usage:
In the New Testament, "proseuche" is used to describe both the act of praying and the place of prayer. It appears frequently in the Gospels, Acts, and the Epistles, highlighting the centrality of prayer in the life of early Christians.

1. Prayer as Worship:
"Proseuche" is often used to denote prayer as an act of worship and devotion to God. In Matthew 21:13, Jesus refers to the temple as a "house of prayer" (οἶκος προσευχῆς), emphasizing the importance of prayer in the worship of God: "It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it a den of robbers!" .

2. Private and Public Prayer:
The New Testament encourages both private and public expressions of prayer. In Matthew 6:6, Jesus instructs His followers on the importance of private prayer: "But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" . This highlights the personal and intimate nature of prayer.

3. Prayer in the Early Church:
The early church placed a strong emphasis on communal prayer. Acts 2:42 describes the early believers as devoted to "the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" . This communal aspect of "proseuche" was foundational to the life and growth of the early Christian community.

4. Prayer as a Spiritual Discipline:
The Epistles frequently exhort believers to engage in prayer as a vital spiritual discipline. In Philippians 4:6, Paul writes, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" . This underscores the role of prayer in maintaining a relationship with God and seeking His guidance and provision.

5. Prayer and the Holy Spirit:
The New Testament also associates prayer with the work of the Holy Spirit. In Romans 8:26, Paul explains, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words" . This indicates that "proseuche" is not merely a human effort but is empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit.

Cultural and Historical Context:
In the Greco-Roman world, "proseuche" could also refer to a place of prayer, often a synagogue or a designated area for worship outside of a city. This is seen in Acts 16:13, where Paul and his companions go to a place of prayer by the river in Philippi: "On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there" .

Theological Significance:
"Proseuche" is a vital component of the Christian faith, serving as a means of communication with God, a form of worship, and a source of spiritual strength. It reflects a believer's dependence on God and is integral to the life of the church. Through "proseuche," Christians express adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication, aligning their hearts with the will of God.PROSEUCHE; PROSEUCHA

pro-su'-ke, prosu'-ka (proseuche): "A place in the open air where the Jews were wont to pray, outside of those cities where they had no synagogue," Acts 16:13, 16 (Thayer, Lexicon of the New Testament).

See PHILIPPI.

4335. proseuche -- prayer
... 4334, 4335. proseuche. 4336 . ... (proseuches) -- 6 Occurrences. (proseuchon) --
5 Occurrences. 4334, 4335. proseuche. 4336 . Strong's Numbers.
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4335.htm - 7k

4336. proseuchomai -- to pray
... (proseuchestho) -- 2 Occurrences. (proseuchetai) -- 2 Occurrences. (proseuche) --
13 Occurrences. (proseuchesthe) -- 2 Occurrences. (proseuchomai) -- 1 Occurrence ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4336.htm - 9k

Pros Ephesious Ignatios
... tou theou. ei gar henos kai deuterou proseuche tosauten ischun echei, poso
mallon he te tou episkopou kai pases tes ekklesias? 3 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lake/the apostolic fathers/pros ephesious ignatios.htm

Title and Position.
... Van Ess in his LXX (Lips.1835) entitles it Proseuche Azariou kai humnos ton trion,
but as he puts this heading in curved brackets it is possibly merely his own ...
/.../daubney/the three additions to daniel a study/title and position.htm

Philadelpheusin Ignatios
... huperagallomenos asphalizomai humas; ouk ego de, all' Iesous Christos, en ho dedemenos
phoboumai mallon, hos eti on anapartistos; all' he proseuche humon eis ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/lake/the apostolic fathers/philadelpheusin ignatios.htm

Smurnaiois Ignatios
... XI. 1. He proseuche humon apelthen epi ten ekklesian ten en Antiocheia tes Surias,
hothen dedemenos theoprepestatois desmois pantas aspazomai, ouk on axios ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lake/the apostolic fathers/smurnaiois ignatios.htm

Trallianois Ignatios
... 2. parakalei humas ta desma mou, ha heneken Iesou Christou periphero, aitoumenos
theou epituchein; diamenete en te homonoia humon kai te met' allelon proseuche ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lake/the apostolic fathers/trallianois ignatios.htm

Romaiois Ignatios
... ean patho, ethelesate; ean apodokimastho, emisesate. IX. 1. Mnemoneuete en te proseuche
humon tes en Suria ekklesias, hetis anti emou poimeni to theo chretai. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lake/the apostolic fathers/romaiois ignatios.htm

Index ii.
... pentaselidon, to, 67. pentateuchos, he, 123, 204 ff. IPIP ( ) 39 f. proseuche Azariou,
253, 260; proseuche Mannasse, 253 f. proselutos, ho (hgr)?, 32. ...
/.../an introduction to the old testament in greek additional notes/index ii.htm

Thoughts Upon the Imitation of Christ.
... I confess the words there used en te proseuche tou theou, will scarce admit of that
Interpretation or Exposition, signifying rather in a strict sense, that he ...
/.../private thoughts upon a christian life/thoughts upon the imitation of.htm

Political and Religious Life of the Jewish Dispersion in the West ...
... [344] Where there was no Synagogue there was at least a Proseuche, [345] [346] open
sky, after the form of a theatre, generally outside the town, near a river ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter vi political and religious.htm

The Synagogue.
... Christian congregation, James 2:2); also in Philo and Josephus; sometimes sunagogion
(Philo), sabbateion (Josephus), proseukterion (Philo), proseuche house of ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 51 the synagogue.htm

Proseuche
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia PROSEUCHE; PROSEUCHA. pro-su'-ke,
prosu'-ka (proseuche): "A place in the open air where the Jews ...
/p/proseuche.htm - 6k

Proseucha
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia PROSEUCHE; PROSEUCHA. pro-su'-ke,
prosu'-ka (proseuche): "A place in the open air where the Jews ...
/p/proseucha.htm - 6k

Prospect (10 Occurrences)

/p/prospect.htm - 10k

Three (5005 Occurrences)
... A under the headings, "The Prayer of Azarias" (Proseuche Azariou, Azariah, Daniel
1:6) and "The Hymn of Our Fathers" (Humnos ton pateron hemon); see Swete, The ...
/t/three.htm - 18k

Tiberias (3 Occurrences)
... its palace "with figures of living things" and its senate, it may be properly described
as a Greek city, although it also contained a proseuche, or place of ...
/t/tiberias.htm - 15k

Philippians (2 Occurrences)
... There was no synagogue at Philippi, but a little company of Jews gathered for Sabbath
worship at "a place of prayer" (proseuche, Acts 16:13), about a mile to ...
/p/philippians.htm - 42k

Synagogue (52 Occurrences)
... Acts 13:43), "gathering-place" (Luke 7:5), was the name applied to the Jewish place
of worship in later Judaism in and outside of Palestine Proseuche, "a place ...
/s/synagogue.htm - 50k

Halicarnassus
... 1st century BC, a decree was issued granting to the Jews in Halicarnassus liberty
to worship "according to the Jewish laws, and to make their proseuche at the ...
/h/halicarnassus.htm - 9k

Prayer (406 Occurrences)
... prar (deesis, proseuche, (enteuxis; for an excellent discussion of the meaning of
these see Thayer's Lexicon, p. 126, under the word deesis; the chief verbs ...
/p/prayer.htm - 80k

Dispersion (4 Occurrences)
... At Philippi we know from Acts 16:16 there was a proseuche, or place of of prayer,
and at Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth there were synagogues in Paul's ...
/d/dispersion.htm - 44k

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus