O Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
our only help in time of need:
We humbly beseech thee to behold, visit, and relieve
thy sick servant N. for whom our prayers are desired.
Look upon him (her) with the eyes of thy mercy;
comfort him (her) with a sense of thy goodness;
preserve him (her) from the temptations of the enemy;
and give him (her) patience under his (her) affliction.
In thy good time, restore him (her) to health,
and enable him (her) to lead the residue of his (her) life
to thy glory;
and bring us all to thy heavenly kingdom,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
ECUMENICAL BCP 1662 AND TRADITIONAL
A Prayer for a Sick Person
Also known as Prayer for the Sick · Prayer in Time of Illness · Visitation of the Sick Prayer
About this prayer
Prayer for the sick is attested throughout the New Testament: James 5:14-15 instructs the elders of the church to pray over the sick and anoint them with oil; Jesus heals throughout the Gospels in response to prayer and faith. All Christian traditions include forms of prayer for the sick. The BCP provides a Visitation of the Sick service with prayers for use by clergy visiting the ill. The prayer given here is drawn from that tradition and is suitable for use by anyone praying for a person who is sick: by the sick person themselves, by family and friends, or by a pastor or priest at the bedside. It asks not only for physical healing but for spiritual peace and trust in God whatever the outcome.
When it's said
This prayer is used when visiting the sick, in intercessory prayer for someone who is ill, and in private prayer by those who are unwell. In Catholic practice, the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick (formerly called Extreme Unction) is accompanied by prayers in this tradition. In Anglican practice the Visitation of the Sick service includes this form. In Protestant practice it is used as a pastoral prayer.
Notes on the text
The phrase 'God of all comfort' is from 2 Corinthians 1:3. 'Temptations of the enemy' refers to the spiritual temptations that accompany serious illness: despair, bitterness, loss of faith. The prayer asks for healing but holds it within God's will ('in thy good time'), reflecting the Christian understanding that healing is God's gift to give on his terms.
Source
Book of Common Prayer, 1662, Visitation of the Sick. Public domain.
Last reviewed: May 2026 against primary source.