Single lesson
Ezra's Prayer of Confession
Ezra 9:5–15
Ezra 9:5–15 records a prayer of confession. Ezra speaks with grief, admits guilt before God, remembers God’s kindness, repeats the command that was broken, and ends by saying God is righteous while the people stand guilty.
Before you teach
This passage is a prayer, not another incident. It begins at the evening offering, with Ezra kneeling and spreading out his hands to Yahweh. The prayer looks back over the people’s long guilt, God’s recent grace to leave a remnant, and the commandments given through the prophets.
Describe the central teaching of Ezra's Prayer of Confession, using two details from the reading. This prayer teaches that confession tells the truth about sin, remembers God’s mercy, and admits that God is righteous.
Welcome: Ezra's Prayer of Confession
4 minIntroduce “Ezra's Prayer of Confession” and locate Ezra 9:5–15. This prayer teaches that confession tells the truth about sin, remembers God’s mercy, and admits that God is righteous. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
Ezra 9:5, Ezra 9:10, Ezra 9:15
Read and explain the passage
8 minThe prayer opens with visible humility. Ezra rises at the evening offering with torn garment and robe, falls on his knees, and spreads out his hands to Yahweh. These actions fit the words that follow, where he says he is ashamed to lift his face because their iniquities and guilt have become very great.
The prayer is not only sorrowful. Ezra says that for a little moment grace has been shown by Yahweh, leaving a remnant to escape and giving them a stake in his holy place. Even in bondage, God has not forsaken them but has shown loving kindness and revived them.
At the close, Ezra says God has punished them less than their iniquities deserve and still given a remnant. That makes renewed disobedience even more serious. So he ends without excuses: Yahweh is righteous, the people are before him in guiltiness, and no one can stand before him because of this.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Ezra's Prayer of Confession”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Ezra 9:5, Ezra 9:6, Ezra 9:8, Ezra 9:9, Ezra 9:13, Ezra 9:14, Ezra 9:15
Discuss the details and their meaning
6 minUse the three questions below. Begin with “What words in the prayer show both Ezra’s shame and his honesty before God?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. This prayer teaches that confession tells the truth about sin, remembers God’s mercy, and admits that God is righteous. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Ezra 9:6, Ezra 9:8, Ezra 9:9, Ezra 9:13, Ezra 9:15
Make and respond: Words and images response sheet
9 minWork on “Ezra's Prayer of Confession: Words and images response sheet”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Ezra's Prayer of Confession” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
Ezra 9:5, Ezra 9:10, Ezra 9:15
Closing: return to Ezra's Prayer of Confession
3 minRevisit Ezra 9:5–15. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about Ezra's Prayer of Confession and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
Ezra 9:5, Ezra 9:10, Ezra 9:15
Questions to explore
What words in the prayer show both Ezra’s shame and his honesty before God?
Look for his statements about being ashamed to lift his face and about iniquities and guilt growing very great.
Ezra 9:6
How does Ezra describe God’s kindness even while the people are still in bondage?
Notice the phrases about a remnant, a stake in God’s holy place, loving kindness, revival, and the rebuilding work.
Ezra 9:8, Ezra 9:9
Why does Ezra say God is righteous at the end of the prayer?
Trace how he says their punishment was less than deserved, they still have a remnant, and yet they remain guilty before God.
Ezra 9:13, Ezra 9:15
Make, think or respond
Ezra's Prayer of Confession: Words and images response sheet
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- coloured pencils or crayons
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “A repeated word or image”, “Its verse reference”, “What it expresses”.
- Read Ezra 9:5–15. Use “Ezra's Prayer of Confession” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Talk through your notes with an adult. Add a word, drawing or short quotation that helps you remember each part.
- Choose one image and add a short written response or a simple drawing. Explain how it connects with the passage.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Ezra's Prayer of Confession connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, read the selected verses aloud, prepare the three panels and let them respond with drawings or a few words. Use Ezra's Prayer of Confession as the retelling prompt.
- For older children, add verse references to the response sheet and explain a connection between Ezra's Prayer of Confession and the final part of the reading.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read Ezra 9:5–15. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Ezra 9
5 At the evening offering I rose up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn; and I fell on my knees, and spread out my hands to Yahweh my God;
6 and I said, “My God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have increased over our head, and our guiltiness has grown up to the heavens.
7 Since the days of our fathers we have been exceedingly guilty to this day; and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
8 Now for a little moment grace has been shown from Yahweh our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a stake in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and revive us a little in our bondage.
9 For we are bondservants; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended loving kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to set up the house of our God, and to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
10 “Now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments,
11 which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land to which you go to possess is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness.
12 Now therefore don’t give your daughters to their sons. Don’t take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity forever, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.’
13 “After all that has come on us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, since you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such a remnant,
14 shall we again break your commandments, and join ourselves with the peoples that do these abominations? Wouldn’t you be angry with us until you had consumed us, so that there would be no remnant, nor any to escape?
15 Yahweh, the God of Israel, you are righteous; for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold, we are before you in our guiltiness; for no one can stand before you because of this.”
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.