That's why I showed the CONTEXT of Heb. 12:1 by referring to Rev. 5:8, which shows those in Heaven TAKING our prayers to God (interceding).
YOUR problem - as is ALWAYS the problem with anti-Catholics - is that you cherry-pick Scripture. You are afraid of reading it in its proper context because it would destroy MANY of your false beliefs . . .
Prayers of
DEAD saints. Revelation 5:8 "And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four [and] twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours,
which are the prayers of saints.
My Mother prayed, as well as Grandmother and father and many, many other saints which are DEAD now, and some alive. yes God answer prayes, and thank God for those praying saint. likewise my prayers are there for others whom I know not, for we pray for children whom I no not but still pray for them.
so the prayers of the saints here proves nothing of what your talking about, for the Holy Ghost interceds for us right now.
second if you think that those prayers are dead saints now, ERROR. as said the DEAD prayed before they died. scripture,
1 Corinthians 15:33
"Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
1 Corinthians 15:34 "
Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God:
I speak [this] to your shame.
let's see about the dead,
1 Corinthians 15:12 "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
1 Corinthians 15:13 "But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
1 Corinthians 15:14 "And if Christ be not risen, then [is] our preaching vain, and your faith [is] also vain.
1 Corinthians 15:15 "Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
1 Corinthians 15:16 "For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
1 Corinthians 15:17 "And if Christ be not raised, your faith [is] vain; ye are yet in your sins.
1 Corinthians 15:18 "
Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
1 Corinthians 15:19 "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
1 Corinthians 15:20 "But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and]
become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1 Corinthians 15:21 "For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:22 "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15:23 "
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits;
afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
THOSE IN CHRIST SLEEP, AND THEY ARE NOT IN HEAVEN. THEY WILL NOT AWAKE UNTIL JESUS COME, SUPPORTIVE SCRIPTURE,
1 Thessalonians 4:16 "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:
and the dead in Christ shall rise first: THIS IS WHEN HE COME "from" HEAVEN
The dead have no ears to hear, nor eyes to see UNTILL HE COME.
so try again.
PICJAG.