The Lord's Prayer is a well known and many Christians pray it each day across the world. Typically the version that is prayed comes from the book of Matthew:
Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Matthew 6:9-13 ESV
This prayer is great because it avoids repetition, praises God first and foremost, and asks for the forgiveness of sins. At the end of the prayer is what's called the doxology, which means a liturgical form of praise. This doxology was not found in the earliest manuscripts, so many translations now leave it out. It appends:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Matthew 6:13 KJV
While the doxology may not have been written in the original manuscripts, it affirms other biblical truths. If you would like to add it to the Lord's prayer, then it is a great way to end the prayer.
The Meaning of the Lord's Prayer
The Lord's prayer is one of the most meaningful prayers available to Christians. It can apply to all situations, walks of life, backgrounds and it covers the need of the individual and the many. Learning to recite the Lord's prayer is a great way to improve your prayer life - but what does it mean?
Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name; this addresses God, to whom you are praying. The word hallowed is somewhat archaic but means holy is your name. It is to put God's name above all other concerns, to praise Him.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven; this prays that God's reign and rule will be brought down from Heaven to the Earth. While now we live in a world that is sinful and disobedient. We hope for the day when we are alongside and in partnership with our God.
Give us this day our daily bread; this doesn't necessarily refer to a loaf of bread, but rather, our daily provision. We pray that God meets our daily needs - emphasis is on the needs of the many. However, God also meets our individual needs.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors; matches the teaching of Jesus that the measure we judge others is measured against us. If we withhold forgiveness from others, it is also withheld from us. This prayer can also be a great reminder for us to forgive others and can be used in distressing situations when gifts of forgiveness are needed.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; God never tempts us to sin, but we are oftentimes tempted by the satan. We should pray that we are delivered from sin. A second sense could mean that God sometimes trials us, and these trials can be hard for us. In those times, we may pray that God delivers us from our trials and sufferings.
Why is there a difference between Luke and Matthew?
The difference between Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4 appears to be due to the event happening at different times.
The context of Matthew's account is the Sermon on the Mount. Before the prayer he is teaching people not to pray like the hypocrites with vain repetition. Instead, he provides a short and punchy prayer that is fruitful in their lives.
In the account of Luke, the disciples prompt Jesus to teach them to pray like John. So, Jesus insists that they should pray like this:
And he said to them, “When you pray, say:
“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”
Luke 11:2-4
Allthough the two accounts differ slightly, the overall structure of the prayer remains the same. Glorify God, and ask forgiveness of sins, as we too forgive others.
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