Orthodox prayers for siblings

Pray these when brothers and sisters don’t get along, whether they are children who fight or grown siblings who have drifted apart.

Picture: Raffaellino Bottalla, The Meeting of Esau and Jacob, 1636–41

3 prayers

Brothers and sisters at peace

Psalm 133

See how good and how pleasant it iswhen brothers live together as one!

It is like the fine oil on the head,running down on the beard,on Aaron’s beard,running down over the collar of his robes.

It is like the dew of Hermonfalling on the mountains of Zion.For there the Lord has commanded the blessing:life for ever.

Traditional wording, 1611

Behold, how good and how pleasant it isfor brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious ointment upon the head,that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard:that went down to the skirts of his garments;

As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion:for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

This is the Bible’s own song about brothers who live together as one. A Russian Orthodox service of prayer for love begins with it.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Hebrew, with the King James Version beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: The King James translators, The King James Version, 1611.

The King James Version adds a second dew in the last verse. The Hebrew has one, the dew of Hermon falling on the mountains of Zion.

Where it comes from, and the original

When they fight

Prayer to end quarrels

Plain English only: no traditional English wording is given for this prayer

O God, You command usto live of one mind in Your house.

In Your mercy, drive away the causes of our quarrels,so that, with the help we needand by Your gift,we may live in harmony.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This short prayer from an old Roman service book asks God to drive away the causes of our quarrels. A parent can pray it over children who fight, and grown siblings can pray it together.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Latin of the Old Gelasian book (Wilson’s 1894 edition); there is no traditional English translation. How the wording is made.

Where it comes from, and the Latin

Before facing a sibling you wronged

Prayer of Jacob

O God of my father Abraham,and God of my father Isaac,Lord, You said to me,“Go back to your country and to your family,and I will be good to you.”

I am not worthy of all the kindnessand all the faithfulnessYou have shown Your servant.I crossed this Jordan with nothing but my staff,and now I have become two camps.

Save me, please, from the hand of my brother,from the hand of Esau,for I am afraid of him.He may come and attack me,and the mothers with the children.

But You said,“I will surely be good to you,and make your descendants like the sand of the sea,too many to count.”

Traditional wording, 1611

O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac,the LORD which saidst unto me,Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:

I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth,which Thou hast shewed unto Thy servant;for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau:for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.

And Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good,and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

Jacob prayed it on his way to meet the brother he had cheated, who was coming with 400 men. When they met, Esau ran to embrace him.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Hebrew, with the King James Version beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: The King James translators, The King James Version, 1611.

Where it comes from, and the original

Scripture for this

¹⁴Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept as they embraced. ¹⁵Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept over them. And afterward his brothers talked with him.

Genesis 45:14-15 Joseph weeps over the brothers who once sold him, and kisses each one after telling them who he is.

³¹“‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours. ³²But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Luke 15:31-32 The father pleads with his angry older son to rejoice that his lost brother has come home.

If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.

Matthew 18:15 If your brother wrongs you, Jesus says, go and talk to him alone. If he listens, you have won your brother back.

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.

Romans 12:10 Paul tells Christians to be devoted to one another in brotherly love and to outdo each other in showing honour.

An offended brother is harder to win than a fortified city, and disputes are like the bars of a castle.

Proverbs 18:19 An offended brother is harder to win back than a strong city, and quarrels shut people out like the bars of a castle.

Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.

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