The Lord's Prayer

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.

Sitz im leben

Sitz im leben means "place in life," or the context that gives meaning to a particular passage.

In this case, I am thinking just about the immediate context of where this prayer is introduced in the gospels of Matthew and Luke.

In Matthew, the prayer appears in the first of five great sermons of Jesus.

In Luke, Jesus gives the prayer to his disciples because they ask him to teach them how to pray.

Matthew 6:1-14 — Sermon on the Mount

¹ “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

² “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

⁵ “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 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.

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,[a]

but deliver us from the evil one.

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Luke 11:1-11 — Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray

¹ One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

² He said to them, “When you pray, say:

“‘Father,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come.

Give us each day our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins,

for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

And lead us not into temptation.’”

⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶ a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ ⁷ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity[e] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

⁹ “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

¹¹ “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Liturgy, Matthew, Luke

There are noticeable discrepancies between the Lord's Prayer as it is prayed in the liturgy and as it is presented by Matthew and Luke.

Liturgy	Mt 6:9-13	Lk 11:1-4
Our Father	Our Father	Father
Who art in Heaven	in heaven
Hallowed be Your Name	Hallowed be Your Name	Hallowed be your name
Your Kingdom come	Your kingdom come	Your Kingdom come
Your will be done	Your will be done
on earth as it is in Heaven.	on earth as in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread	Give us today our daily bread	Give us each day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses	and forgive us our debts	and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who trespass against us	as we forgive our debtors	for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us
And lead us not into temptation	and do not subject us to the final test	and do not subject us to the final test.
But deliver us from evil.	but deliver us from the evil one.

ECEL Ecumenical Translation

Amen Online, "Ecumenical translation: English Language Liturgical Consultation (1988)."

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom the power,
and the glory are yours now and for ever.

Amen.

Greek versions

Mt 6:9-13	Lk 11:2-4
Πάτερ	Πάτερ
ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς
Ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου	Ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου
Ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου	Ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου
ενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς
Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον	Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον
δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον	δίδου ἡμῖν τὸ καθ’ ἡμέραν
Καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν	Καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν
Ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφήκαμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν	Καὶ γὰρ αὐτοὶ ἀφίομεν παντὶ ὀφείλοντι ἡμῖν
Καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν	Καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν
Ἀλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ

Trespass, Sin, and Debt

It seems that early English translators deliberately chose to render the Greek word for "debt" (ὀφείλημα) as "trespass" in English. Matthew uses the Greek word for "trespass" (παράπτωμα) in the verse immediately after the Lord's Prayer (6:14) as a synonym for what we need to forgive, so the substitution in the prayer itself has a good scriptural grounding.

¹⁴ If you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you.

¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

"The English wording of the Our Father that we use today reflects the version mandated for use by Henry VIII (while still in communion with the Catholic Church), which was based on the English version of the Bible produced by Tyndale (1525)." "Trespass" became established in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer and the liturgy for the Eucharist. The Latin form in the Vulgate is "debts," and many Protestant denominations that broke away from Anglicanism or else developed independently of the English Protestant tradition use that translation, too.

Lead us not into temptation

Καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν

"And lead us not into temptation" is a literal translation of these six words.

"And do not put us to the test" is less literal, since it obscures the verb "lead" somewhat; but it is a legitimate translation of "peirasmos."

πειρασμός (peirasmos)

ch:vv	text	sense
Matthew 6:13	and do not subject us to the final test	test
Matthew 26:41	Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.	test
Mark 14:38	Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.	test
Luke 4:13	When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.	temptation
Luke 8:13	Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, but they have no root; they believe only for a time and fall away in time of trial.	trial
Luke 11:4	and do not subject us to the final test.	test
Luke 22:28	It is you who have stood by me in my trials	trial
Luke 22:40	When he arrived at the place he said to them, “Pray that you may not undergo the test.”	test
Luke 22:46	He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test.”	test
Acts 20:19	I served the Lord with all humility and with the tears and trials that came to me because of the plots of the Jews	trial
1 Corinthians 10:13	No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.	trial
Galatians 4:14	and you did not show disdain or contempt because of the trial caused you by my physical condition, but rather you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.	trial
1 Timothy 6:9	Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into ruin and destruction.	temptation
Hebrews 3:8	Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion in the day of testing in the desert	test
James 1:2	Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials	trial
James 1:12	Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.	temptation
1 Peter 1:6-7	In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.	trial
1 Peter 4:12	Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as if something strange were happening to you.	trial
2 Peter 2:9	the Lord knows how to rescue the devout from trial and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment	trial
Revelation 3:10	Because you have kept my message of endurance, I will keep you safe in the time of trial that is going to come to the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.	trial
πειράζω (peirazó)
Matthew 4:1	Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.	temptation
Matthew 4:3	The tempter approached and said to him ...	temptation
Matthew 16:1	The Pharisees and Sadducees came and, to test him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.	trial
Matthew 19:3	Some Pharisees approached him, and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?”	trial
Matthew 22:18	Knowing their malice, Jesus said, "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax."	trial
Matthew 22:35	and one of them [a scholar of the law] tested him by asking,	trial
Mark 1:13	and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.	temptation
Mark 8:11	The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.	trial
Mark 10:2	The Pharisees approached and asked, "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?" They were testing him.	trial
Mark 12:15	Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at."	trial
Luke 4:2	Filled with the holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry.	temptation
Luke 11:16	Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.	trial
John 6:6	He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do.	trial
John 8:6	They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.	trial
Acts 5:9	Then Peter said to her, "Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen, the footsteps of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."	trial
Acts 9:26	When he arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.	try
Acts 15:10	Why, then, are you now putting God to the test by placing on the shoulders of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?	trial
Acts 16:7	When they came to Mysia, they tried to go on into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them	try
Acts 24:6	He even tried to desecrate our temple, but we arrested him.	try
1 Corinthians 7:5	Do not deprive each other, except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, to be free for prayer, but then return to one another, so that Satan may not tempt you through your lack of self-control.	temptation
1 Corinthians 10:9	Let us not test Christ as some of them did, and suffered death by serpents.	trial
1 Corinthians 10:13	No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.	trial
2 Corinthians 13:5	Examine [πειράζετε] yourselves to see whether you are living in faith. Test [δοκιμάζετε] yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless, of course, you fail the test [εἰ μήτι ἀδόκιμοί ἐστε]. 13:7 But we pray to God that you may not do evil, not that we may appear to have passed the test [ἡμεῖς δόκιμοι φανῶμεν] but that you may do what is right, even though we may seem to have failed [ἡμεῖς δὲ ὡς ἀδόκιμοι ὦμεν].	test
Galatians 6:1	Brothers, even if a person is caught in some transgression, you who are spiritual should correct that one in a gentle spirit, looking to yourself, so that you also may not be tempted.	temptation
1 Thessalonians 3:5	For this reason, when I too could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had put you to the test [μή πως ἐπείρασεν ὑμᾶς ὁ πειράζων] and our toil might come to nothing.	temptation

ὅτι ἐν πυρὶ δοκιμάζεται χρυσὸς καὶ ἄνθρωποι δεκτοὶ ἐν καμίνῳ ταπεινώσεως

"For gold is tested by fire and those who are worthy in the furnace of humiliation" (Sir 2:5).

Parallel passages: Prv 17:3; Wis 3:6; Is 48:10; 1 Pt 1:7.

ἑκάστου τὸ ἔργον φανερὸν γενήσεται ἡ γὰρ ἡμέρα δηλώσει ὅτι ἐν πυρὶ ἀποκαλύπτεται καὶ ἑκάστου τὸ ἔργον ὁποῖόν ἐστιν τὸ πῦρ αὐτὸ δοκιμάσει

"The work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire [itself] will test [δοκιμάσει] the quality of each one's work [ἑκάστου τὸ ἔργον ὁποῖόν ἐστιν]" (1 Cor 3:13).

Doxology: "Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory"

Fr. William Saunders, "Straight Answers: Who Added the Doxology?"

The "For thine..." is technically termed a doxology. In the Bible, we find the practice of concluding prayers with a short, hymn-like verse which exalts the glory of God. An example similar to the doxology in question is found in David's prayer located in 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 of the Old Testament. The Jews frequently used these doxologies to conclude prayers at the time of Our Lord.

In the early Church, the Christians living in the eastern half of the Roman Empire added the doxology "for thine..." to the Gospel text of the Our Father when reciting the prayer at Mass. Evidence of this practice is also found in the "Didache" (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles), a first century manual of morals, worship and doctrine of the Church. Also, when copying the Scriptures, Greek scribes sometimes appended the doxology onto the original Gospel text of the Our Father; however, most texts today would omit this inclusion, relegate it to a footnote, or note that it was a later addition to the Gospel. Official Catholic Bibles, including the Vulgate, the Douay-Rheims, the Confraternity Edition, and the New American Bible, have never included this doxology.

In the Mass, the Latin rite of the Catholic Church places "For the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory are Yours, now and forever" at the end of the prayer, "Libera nos":

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

For the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory
are Yours, now and forever.

Links

• Wikipedia, "Lord's Prayer."
• Catechism, 2759.
• "The Lord's Prayer (Our Father): Is 'Debts' or 'Trespasses' the More Accurate Translation?"