The Lord's Prayer, or the Our Father (Pater Noster in Latin), is arguably the most famous prayer in all of Christianity. It is a unifying prayer, used by nearly every Christian denomination.
Here is a comprehensive look at its history, text, and meaning.
The Text of the Prayer
There are two main versions in the Bible, but the longer one from the Gospel of Matthew is the most commonly used in liturgy and public prayer.
The Matthean Version (The Common Form)
This is the standard version, most often recited in churches:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
[For some traditions, the prayer concludes with the Doxology: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.]
Biblical Source and History
Taught by Jesus
The prayer is unique because it was given directly by Jesus Christ to his disciples. It appears in the New Testament in two gospels:
- Matthew (6:9–13): This is the longer version and is presented as part of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus instructs his followers on how they should pray, in contrast to the hypocrites.
- Luke (11:2–4): This is a shorter version, given when one of the disciples explicitly asks, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."
A Model for Prayer
The prayer is not just a set of words to be recited; it is intended as a template or a model for how a person should approach God. Theologians often divide the prayer's seven petitions into two parts:
- Focus on God: The first three petitions are dedicated to the character, holiness, and purpose of God.
- Focus on Human Needs: The final four petitions address our spiritual, physical, and moral needs.
✨ Meaning: A Line-by-Line Breakdown
The prayer is a powerful summary of Christian faith and ethics.
1. "Our Father, who art in heaven"
- Meaning: This establishes an intimate, family-like relationship with God, addressing the Creator not as a distant ruler but as a loving Father. The "Our" emphasizes that this relationship is shared by the entire community of believers.
2. "Hallowed be thy Name"
- Meaning: This is a petition for God's name (representing His entire being, holiness, and authority) to be treated with reverence, respect, and worship throughout the world.
3. "Thy kingdom come"
- Meaning: This is a plea for the ultimate realization of God's rule and reign, both now in the hearts of believers (spiritual kingdom) and in the future with the Second Coming of Christ (eschatological kingdom).
4. "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven"
- Meaning: The ultimate goal is for God's perfect will, which is already executed perfectly in heaven by the angels, to be carried out flawlessly here on earth. It is an act of submission to God's plan.
5. "Give us this day our daily bread"
- Meaning: A request for physical sustenance and the basic necessities of life. The "daily" (or epiousios in Greek) can also have an eschatological meaning, referring to the "bread of the future," or the Eucharist (Holy Communion).
6. "And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us"
- Meaning: This is a request for spiritual sustenance (forgiveness). Crucially, the prayer links our reception of God's forgiveness directly to our willingness to forgive others.
7. "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"
- Meaning: A prayer for spiritual protection. It asks God to protect us from being tested beyond our strength (temptation or trial) and to deliver us from all harm, often understood as deliverance from the power of evil (or the evil one, Satan).
The Lord's Prayer is central to Christian worship, uniting believers across all traditions in the very words given to them by their founder.