Sophia Scriptura

On Prayer 24

Tertullian · On Prayer · ca. 198–206 · Carthage · Read in context

Summary: Praying “in every place” does not contradict the command not to pray in public; it means wherever occasion or necessity requires, as the apostles did in prison and on the ship.

Latin text · CSEL 20:197

Sed quomodo omni loco, cum prohibeamur in publico? omni, inquit, loco, quem opportunitas aut etiam necessitas importarit. neque enim contra praeceptum reputatur ab apostolis factum, qui in carcere audientibus custodiis orabant et canebant deo, aut a Paulo, qui in naui coram omnibus eucharistiam fecit.

English · Claude translation

But how “in every place,” when we are forbidden to pray in public? In every place, he means, which opportunity or even necessity brings. For it is not reckoned contrary to the precept that the apostles, in prison, with the guards listening, prayed and sang to God; or that Paul on the ship gave thanks before everyone.

About this passage

Source
CSEL 20:197 · August Reifferscheid and Georg Wissowa, eds., Quinti Septimi Florentis Tertulliani Opera, Pars 1, CSEL 20 (Prague: Tempsky; Vienna: Tempsky; Leipzig: Freytag, 1890), 180–200 · Latin text: August Reifferscheid and Georg Wissowa (CSEL 20), digitized by Open Greek and Latin, University of Leipzig (csel-dev), CC BY-SA 4.0
Text
As printed in CSEL 20. Manuscript variants and the editor's apparatus are not reproduced; no textual problem is noted in this passage.
Translation
Claude translation (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 · Translated by Claude from the Latin text of CSEL 20; made independently of existing English translations.
Compare
Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 3 (1885) (an older public-domain English translation, whole volume at CCEL; checked against ours only after ours was made)
Scripture
Topics
Prayer

Notes

Translation notes

  • “Gave thanks” renders eucharistiam fecit (it could also be read “celebrated the Eucharist”; Acts 27:35 describes a thanksgiving over bread). The allusions are 1 Tim 2:8, Matt 6:5–6, Acts 16:25, and Acts 27:35.

Cite this passage

Tertullian, Or. 24 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/tertullian-oratione/24/).

Plain text
Tertullian, Or. 24 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/tertullian-oratione/24/).

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