Parable
Parable Of The Pharisee and the Tax Collector Prayer
A short, Scripture-shaped parable prayer for an ordinary moment of Christian faith.
The prayer
A prayer to pray now
Father, I see myself in the Pharisee from Luke 18. He did not pray badly because he lied. He prayed badly because he looked sideways. He counted his good deeds while glancing at the tax collector in the back.
That is how my prayers go wrong. I do not have to be a fraud to be proud. I only have to look at someone worse off and feel glad I am not them.
But the tax collector did not even lift his eyes. He had no one to compare himself to. He just said, "God, have mercy on me."
Help me to pray with my face down. Take out of my prayers the quiet "at least I am not like so-and-so." Replace it with the plain "have mercy."
The tax collector went home right with God. The Pharisee went home tall and empty.
Lower me, Father. I would rather be small and clean than tall and far from You.
Amen.
How to pray it
- Read it slowly. Move through this prayer one line at a time, out loud if you can, letting each phrase land before the next.
- Make it personal. Pause where a line meets your day and name the person, fear, or hope it touches before God.
- Carry it with you. Keep one sentence with you — on your phone or in your pocket — and return to it when the day gets loud.
Verses to pray
Pray these slowly, one line at a time. Scripture quoted from a public-domain translation.
The Pharisee stood and prayed by himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men: extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
Luke 18:11
Questions about this prayer
When should I pray parable of the pharisee and the tax collector prayer?
Pray it whenever the words fit your moment — at the start of the day, in a hard stretch, or when you simply want to turn toward God.
Which Bible verses anchor this prayer?
This prayer is anchored in Luke 18:11. The "Verses to pray" section above quotes them in full.
Can I save or share this prayer?
Yes. Use the Copy prayer button to copy the words, or open the Chosen Portion app to keep a daily prayer, devotional, and Scripture with you.