The Lord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13) is the prayer Jesus taught His disciples when they asked how to pray. In seven petitions, it covers every dimension of the Christian's relationship with God: worship, surrender, provision, forgiveness, protection, and deliverance.
Type
verse
Biblical verse
Significance
The Lord's Prayer is not merely a prayer to be recited but a template for all prayer. Its structure, beginning with God's glory, then moving to human need, corrects every distortion of prayer and shapes the heart of those who pray it deeply.
About The Lord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13) is the prayer Jesus taught His disciples when they asked how to pray. In seven petitions, it covers every dimension of the Christian's relationship with God: worship, surrender, provision, forgiveness, protection, and deliverance.
Why It Matters
The Lord's Prayer is not merely a prayer to be recited but a template for all prayer. Its structure, beginning with God's glory, then moving to human need, corrects every distortion of prayer and shapes the heart of those who pray it deeply.
Key Verses
The most important scripture passages relating to The Lord's Prayer.
Matthew 6:9–10
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Context
The first half of the prayer is entirely God-centered, His name, His kingdom, His will. Jesus teaches us to begin prayer with worship before we get to requests.
Matthew 6:11–12
“Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Context
The human petitions: physical provision for today, and forgiveness, both received from God and extended to others. The connection between the two is startling.
Matthew 6:13
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Context
The closing petition acknowledges human vulnerability and dependence on God's protection. The prayer ends not with achievement but with trust in God's deliverance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should Christians pray the Lord's Prayer word for word?
Jesus introduces it with "pray then like this" (Matthew 6:9), suggesting it as a model or template rather than a rigid formula. The parallel account in Luke 11:2 says "when you pray, say..." which leans toward direct use. Most Christians use both approaches: praying it verbatim as a devotional act and using its structure to shape spontaneous prayer.
What does "lead us not into temptation" mean?
This petition asks God to spare us from trials we are not equipped to handle and to keep us from situations where temptation would be overwhelming. James 1:13 clarifies that God does not tempt anyone, so the petition is not about God being the source but about asking for His protective guidance away from situations that would test us beyond our strength.
Where does the ending doxology come from?
The familiar ending, "For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen", appears in some manuscripts of Matthew 6:13 but is not found in the oldest and most reliable Greek manuscripts. It likely entered the liturgical tradition from ancient Jewish prayer forms and was added to the text by later copyists for use in worship.