Early Christian Set Times of Prayer
Early Christians did pray at set hours, especially the third, sixth, and ninth, and they also taught believers to pray continually. Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Cyprian, and the Apostolic Constitutions all connect prayer with regular daily times. Acts 3:1 and Acts 10:9, 30 give the main Bible examples behind that pattern. The tradition is strong, but some writers treat fixed hours as a wise practice rather than a strict rule.
126 early-church witnesses · 198 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about set times of prayer?
Early Christians did set regular times for prayer, especially the third, sixth, and ninth hours, while also teaching that prayer should continue through the whole day. Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Cyprian, and the Apostolic Constitutions all point to set prayer hours, and Acts 3:1 and Acts 10:9, 30 give the Bible background for those hours. At the same time, Tertullian and Clement also say prayer is not limited to fixed hours, so the practice was both scheduled and continual.
The evidence is broad and steady across the second and third centuries, though some writers stress custom more than command. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- The most common early prayer times were the third, sixth, and ninth hours.
- Early Christian writers also taught prayer at all times, not only at set hours.
- Acts 3:1 and Acts 10:9, 30 are the main Bible passages tied to this practice.
- Some writers present the hours as custom or discipline, not as a hard command.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did early Christians pray at set hours?
Several early Christian writers say believers prayed at defined hours, especially the third, sixth, and ninth. The Apostolic Constitutions explicitly instruct prayer at those hours, while Tertullian and Cyprian describe them as special or lawful times associated with biblical precedent.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching
Offer your prayers in the morning, at the third hour, the sixth, the ninth, in the evening, and at cockcrow. In the morning, give thanks that the Lord has sent you light, that He has brought you through the night and brought in the day. At the third hour, pray because at that hour the Lord received the sentence of condemnation from Pilate. At the sixth hour, pray because at that hour He was crucified. At the ninth hour, pray because everything was shaken at the crucifixion of the Lord, as if trembling at the bold act of the impious Jews and not enduring the injury done to their Lord. In the evening, give thanks that He has given you the night for rest from the labors of the day. At cockcrow, pray because that hour brings the good news that the day is coming, for the works proper to the light. But if it is not possible to go to the church because of unbelievers, then you, O bishop, shall gather them in a house, so that a godly man may not enter an assembly of the ungodly. For it is not the place that sanctifies the man, but the man the place. And if the ungodly possess the place, avoid it, because it is profaned by them. For just as holy priests sanctify a place, so profane people d
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Tertullian, On Prayer Direct teaching
...ward observance of certain hours. I mean those common hours that mark the divisions of the day: the third, the sixth, and the ninth. In Scripture, we find that these hours were more solemn than the others. The first pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples when they were gathered together took place at the third hour. On the day when Peter experienced the vision of Universal Community, shown in that small vessel, he had gone up to the higher part of the house to pray at the sixth hour, Acts 10:9. The same apostle was going into the temple with John at the ninth hour when he restored the paralyzed man to health. Although these practices stand simply without any command for observing them, still it may be granted that it is a good thing to establish some definite practice. This can both add firmness to the exhortation to pray and, as if by a law, tear us away from our business to such a duty. So then, as we read that Daniel also observed, in keeping, of course, with Israel's discipline, let us pray at least no less than three times a day, since we are debtors to the Three: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is, of course, in addition to our regular prayers, which are due
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Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching
..., we find that the three children and Daniel, strong in faith and victorious in captivity, kept the third, sixth, and ninth hour. These were, as it were, a sacrament of the Trinity, which had to be revealed in the last times. For the first hour, as it advances to the third, shows the completed number of the Trinity. And the fourth, going on to the sixth, declares another Trinity. And when the ninth is completed from the seventh, the perfect Trinity is counted every three hours. In earlier times, the worshippers of God, having spiritually determined these periods of hours, used them as fixed and lawful times for prayer. Later, it was made clear that these things had long ago been sacraments, since the righteous men of old prayed in this way. For at the third hour the Holy Spirit came down on the disciples, fulfilling the grace of the Lord's promise. Moreover, at the sixth hour, Peter, going up to the housetop, was instructed both by the sign and by the word of God, which warned him to receive all into the grace of salvation, although before this he had doubts about admitting the Gentiles to baptism. And from the sixth hour to the ninth, the Lord, being crucified, washed away our
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
34. And in discharging the duties of prayer, we find that the three children with Daniel, being strong in faith and victorious in captivity, observed the third, sixth, and ninth hour, as it were, for a sacrament of the Trinity, which in the last times had to be manifested.
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
and when from the seventh the ninth is completed, the perfect Trinity is numbered every three hours, which spaces of hours the worshippers of God in time past having spiritually decided on, made use of for determined and lawful times for prayer.
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Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Background
... services to be performed for Him, not thoughtlessly or irregularly, but at the appointed times and hours. Where and by whom He desires these things to be done, He Himself has determined by His own supreme will, so that all things done piously according to His good pleasure may be acceptable to Him. Therefore, those who present their offerings at the appointed times are accepted and blessed, for as they follow the laws of the Lord, they do not sin. Specific services are assigned to the high priest, proper places are prescribed for the priests, and special ministrations are designated for the Levites. The layman is bound by the laws that pertain to laymen.
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Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Background
He has enjoined offerings [to be presented] and service to be performed [to Him], and that not thoughtlessly or irregularly, but at the appointed times and hours.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
But the distribution of the hours into a threefold division, honoured with as many prayers, those are acquainted with, who know the blessed triad of the holy abodes.
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Tertullian, Apology Background
...an obstinate refusal to offer sacrifices, he found in their religious services nothing but meetings early in the morning for singing hymns to Christ and God, and sealing their way of life by a united pledge to remain faithful to their religion, forbidding murder, adultery, dishonesty, and other crimes. In reply, Trajan wrote back that Christians were by no means to be sought out. But if they were brought before him, they should be punished. O miserable deliverance. Under the necessities of the case, it is a self-contradiction. It forbids them to be sought out, as innocent, and it commands them to be punished, as guilty. It is at once merciful and cruel. It passes by, and it punishes. Why do you play this game of evasion with yourself, O Judgment? If you condemn, why do you not also inquire? If you do not inquire, why do you not also absolve? Military stations are set throughout all the provinces for tracking robbers. Against traitors and public enemies every man is a soldier. Search is made even for their confederates and accessories. The Christian alone must not be sought, though he may be brought and accused before the judge, as if a search had any other end than that! And so
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Tertullian, On Fasting Direct teaching
of course, through exception of certain stated hours, no other, moreover, than the more marked and subsequently apostolic (hours) — the third, the sixth, the ninth.
Did early Christians also teach prayer should happen at all times?
Alongside set hours, early Christian sources also stress continuous prayer. Tertullian says nothing is prescribed except to pray at every time and every place, and other writers echo prayer without ceasing or continual watchfulness in prayer.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
Now, some people set specific hours for prayer, such as the third, sixth, and ninth hours. But the Gnostic prays throughout his whole life, trying through prayer to have fellowship with God. In short, when he has reached this, he leaves behind everything that is of no use, because he has now received the perfection of the person who acts by love. But those who know the blessed triad of the holy dwelling places understand the division of the hours into three parts, honored with the same number of prayers.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
Now, if some assign definite hours for prayer— as, for example, the third, and sixth, and ninth — yet the Gnostic prays throughout his whole life, endeavouring by prayer to have fellowship with God.
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Tertullian, On Prayer Direct teaching
Touching times of prayer nothing at all has been prescribed, except clearly to pray at every time and every place.
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
...essness of your prayer. This is to be watchful with your eyes and asleep with your heart, while the Christian, even if he is asleep with his eyes, ought to be awake with his heart, as it is written in the person of the Church speaking in the Song of Songs, "I sleep, yet my heart wakes." Song of Songs 5:2 Therefore the apostle anxiously and carefully warns us, saying, "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same;" Colossians 4:2 teaching and showing, that those whom God sees to be watchful in prayer are able to obtain from God what they ask.
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
Before all things, the Teacher of peace and the Master of unity did not want prayer to be made separately and individually, as if each person should pray only for himself. For we do not say, "My Father, who art in heaven," or, "Give me today my daily bread." Nor does each person ask that only his own debt should be forgiven. Nor does he ask for himself alone that he may not be led into temptation and delivered from evil. Our prayer is public and shared. And when we pray, we do not pray for one person, but for the whole people, because we, the whole people, are one. The God of peace and the Teacher of harmony, who taught unity, willed that each one should pray in this way for all, just as He Himself bore us all in one. The three children kept this rule of prayer when they were shut up in the fiery furnace. They prayed together and were of one heart in the agreement of the spirit. Sacred Scripture assures us of this. And by telling us how such people prayed, it gives an example that we ought to follow in our prayers, so that we may be as they were: "Then these three," it says, "as if from one mouth sang a hymn and blessed the Lord." They spoke as if from one mouth, although Christ ha
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Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness
...onomy 5. And so on. These things must be kept, along with whatever else is commanded in reading the Bible. And by Isaiah He commands us: "Wash yourselves, and make yourselves clean. Put away wickedness from your souls before my eyes. Learn to do good. Seek judgment. Rescue the wronged. Judge for the orphan, and justify the widow. And come, and let us reason together," says the Lord. And we will find many examples in other places also. For example, about prayer, Scripture says, "Good works are an acceptable prayer to the Lord." And the manner of prayer is described: "If you see the naked, cover him, and do not overlook those who belong to your own seed. Then your light shall break forth early, and your healing shall spring up quickly; and your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of God shall surround you." What, then, is the fruit of such prayer? "Then you shall call, and God will hear you; while you are still speaking, He will say, 'I am here.'"
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
But marriage, when by agreement it gives time to prayer, is a teaching of self-control. For he added the words “by agreement,” so that no one might dissolve a marriage. And he added “for a time,” in 1 Corinthians 7:5, so that a man who has taken a wife, if he practices self-control by necessity, may not slip into sin, and while sparing his own marriage, may desire another’s. For this reason, in the case of the man who thinks he is behaving improperly because he keeps his virgin unmarried, he rightly says that if she marries, he does not sin. But each person, whether he has chosen chastity, or whether he has joined himself in marriage for the begetting of children, must firmly remain in his own purpose and not turn aside to what is worse. For if he is able to increase and intensify the pattern of life he has chosen, he gains greater honor with God because of pure self-control that comes from reason. But if he goes beyond the rule he chose, he will then fall back into a lesser hope of glory. For just as chastity has its own duties and ministries, marriage also has its own duties and ministries that belong to the Lord. I mean the care of children and of a wife. For what properly occup
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Ignatius of Antioch, Connection to 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Supporting witness
Give thyself to prayer without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). Implore additional understanding to what thou already hast. Be watchful, possessing a sleepless spirit.
More related quotations from this section 1 shown
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1 Thessalonians 5:17 Background
pray without ceasing,
What Bible passages are tied to fixed prayer times?
Acts 3:1 and Acts 10:9, 30 are the clearest passages tied to prayer at specific hours. The Psalm and wisdom texts also support regular prayer, but they are more general than the Acts passages.
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Acts 3:1 Direct teaching
Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
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Acts 10:30 Direct teaching
And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
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Psalms 55:17 Supporting witness
Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.
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Luke 1:10 Supporting witness
And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
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Acts 10:9 Supporting witness
The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
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Mark 1:35 Supporting witness
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
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1 Timothy 2:8 Background
I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
Common Questions
Did early Christians pray at set times?
Yes. Several early Christian writers mention regular prayer at the third, sixth, and ninth hours, along with morning, evening, and night prayer.
Did early Christians pray only at set times?
No. Writers like Tertullian and Clement also say Christians should pray always and throughout life.
Which Bible passages are linked to set prayer times?
Acts 3:1 and Acts 10:9, 30 are the clearest passages, with Peter and Cornelius praying at the ninth and sixth hours.
Source Index for Set times of prayer
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 152 ranked source links from 198 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 152 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 126
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 72 included
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.