Is it okay to pray in public?

[tonychanyt]

Yes, 1 Kings 8:

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven, 23 and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath

Luke 23:

34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Praying the public is fine. Both Soloman and Jesus did it. However, there are some warnings, Matthew 6:

1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them

Don't be showy (Mark 12:40). Don't glorify yourself. You are speaking to God.

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.

Don't be a hypocrite. You can fool people but you cannot fool God.

6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.

This is an example of private prayer. It does not forbid public prayer. Avoiding praying publicly may help some people not to be showy.

7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Don't try to impress God with your many words. God knows your need already. Be genuine when you pray either publicly or privately.