Online Encyclopedia
Lord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer (sometimes known by its first two Latin words as the Pater Noster, or the English equivalent Our Father) is probably the most well-known prayer in the Christian religion.
According to the New Testament, the prayer was given by Jesus of Nazareth as a response to a request from the Apostles for guidance on how to pray. It is called the "Lord's Prayer" because, in the doctrine of the Trinity expounded in most versions of Christianity, Jesus is considered to be the form of God on earth, that is to say, the "Lord".
The prayer is excerpted from the book of Matt. (6:9-13), where it appears as part of the Sermon on the Mount. A similar prayer is found in Luke 11:2-4.
Most Christian theologians argue that Jesus would have never used this prayer himself, for it specifically asks for forgiveness of sins (or more literally for cancellation of debts), and in most schools of Christian thought, Christ never sinned. However since it says "forgive us our sins", not "forgive me my sins", some claim that Christ might have prayed it by way of identifying himself with the common plight of man and of asking for the forgiveness of the sins of his disciples.
The doxology (For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.) was probably not present in the original version of the prayer, but rather was added to the Gospels as a result of its use in the liturgy of the early church. For this reason, it is not included in many modern translations.
The Lord's Prayer in various languages
Greek
In Greek (from which all others are translated):
Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου·
ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου· γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς·
τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον·
καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφελήματα ἡμῶν, ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν·
καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν, ἀλλὰ ρῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ.
Ὅτι σοῦ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία καὶ ἡ δύναμις καὶ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας·
ἀμήν.
Latin
-
- Pater Noster, qui es in caelis,
- Sanctificetur nomen tuum.
- Adveniat regnum tuum,
- Fiat voluntas tua,
- sicut in caelo, et in terra.
- Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie,
- Et dimitte nobis debita nostra,
- sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.
- Et ne nos inducas in tentationem,
- Sed libera nos a malo.
- Amen.
English
From the Book of Common Prayer
Although numerous variations exist, this version, from the 1928 proposed revision of the Book of Common Prayer, is a fairly well known example:
-
- 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 of our debts,
- as we forgive our debters.
- And lead us not into temptation,
- but deliver us from evil.
- For thine is the kingdom, and the glory
- for ever.
- Amen.
Apart from four minor words and some capital letters, this is essentially the same as the 1662 Book of Common Prayer: the earlier version had "which art in Heaven", "in Earth", and "them that trespass".
In the Roman Catholic Mass
When the Lord's Prayer is recited in the Roman Catholic Mass (according to the 1969 Roman Missal), an additional section, recited by the Priest alone, is inserted before the final doxology ("For thine is the kingdom", etc.):
-
- All.
- 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.
- Priest.
- Deliver us, Lord, from every evil,
- and grant us peace in our day.
- In your mercy keep us free from sin
- and protect us from all anxiety
- as we wait in joyful hope
- for the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
- All.
- For the kingdom,
- the power,
- and the glory are yours
- now and for ever.
Catholics, when reciting the Lord's prayer, omit the doxology, since in the Mass it is separated from the rest of the prayer by the additional section.
Eastern Orthodox
When Eastern Orthodox Christians pray the Lord's prayer, the priest, if one is present, says a modified version of the doxology:
-
- All.
- Our Father, who art in the heavens,
- 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 the evil one.
- Priest.
- For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
- of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
- now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
- All
- Amen.
If a priest is not present, a different doxology is typically substituted and said by those present, such as Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. In the Russian practice, however, when a priest is not serving the doxology is replaced by the Jesus Prayer (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us).
A modern English non-denominational translation (from the Greek)
-
- Father, One in heaven,
- Your name is sacred.
- Your kingdom appear!
- Your purpose continue!
- About the Earth as it does
- About heaven.
-
- Bring to us our daily bread,
- Send away our faults,
- As we send away our debtors.
- Bring us not to testing,
- But send evil out from us.
-
- Amen
This modern non-denominational translation shows the original poetic multiple use of contrasts: down (on Earth) and up (in Heaven), bring in and send out.
Notes: "Your purpose continue!", 'purpose' as in 'aim' or 'goal'. "May your kingdom appear", presumes the kingdom is here but not visible. "our daily bread" can be interpreted as "our needs". "As we send away our debtors" assumed to be "sent away freed from debt".
Croatian
-
- Oče naš, koji jesi na nebesima,
- sveti se Ime Tvoje.
- Dođi kraljevstvo Tvoje, budi volja Tvoja,
- kako na Nebu, tako i na Zemlji.
- Kruh naš svagdanji daj nam danas,
- i otpusti nam duge naše,
- kako i mi otpuštamo dužnicima našim.
- i ne uvedi nas u napast,
- nego izbavi nas of zla.
- Amen.
Czech
Here is the Czech version:
-
- Otče náš,jenž jsi na nebesích
- Posvěť se jméno tvé
- Přijď v království tvé
- Buď vůle tvá
- jak v nebi tak i na zemi
- Chléb náš vezdejší
- Dejž nám dnes
- A odpusť nám naše viny
- Jako i my odpouštíme naším viníkům
- A chraň nás od zlého
- Amen
Finnish
Here is the Finnish version of the Pater Noster:
-
- Isä meidän, joka olet taivaissa,
- Pyhitetty olkoon sinun nimesi.
- Tulkoon sinun valtakuntasi.
- Tapahtukoon sinun tahtosi,
- myös maan päällä niin kuin taivaassa.
- Anna meille tänä päivänä
- meidän jokapäiväinen leipämme.
- Ja anna meille meidän syntimme anteeksi,
- niin kuin mekin anteeksi annamme niille,
- jotka ovat meitä vastaan rikkoneet.
- Äläkä saata meitä kiusaukseen,
- vaan päästä meidät pahasta.
- Sillä sinun on valtakunta
- ja voima ja kunnia iankaikkisesti.
- Aamen.
French
This is the modern and most common version of the French Pater Noster:
-
- Notre Père qui es aux cieux,
- que votre Nom soit sanctifié,
- que votre règne vienne,
- que votre volonté soit faite
- sur la terre comme au ciel.
- Donnez-nous aujourd'hui notre pain de ce jour.
- Pardonnez-nous nos offenses,
- comme nous pardonnons aussi à ceux qui nous ont offensé.
- Et ne nous soumets pas à la tentation,
- mais délivrez nous du mal.
- Amen.
Gaelic (Irish)
-
- Ár n-Athair, atá ar neamh: go naofar d'ainm.
- Go dtaga do riocht.
- Go ndéantar do thoil ar an talamh,
- mar dhéantar ar neamh.
- Ár n-arán laethiúl tabhair dúinn inniu,
- agus maith dúinn ár bhfiacha,
- mar mhaithimid dár bhféichiúnaithe féin.
- Agus ná lig sinn i gcathú,
- ach saor sinn ó olc.
- Óir is leatsa an Ríocht agus an Chumhacht
- agus an Ghloir, tré shaol na saol.
- Amen.
Gaelic (Scottish)
- Urnaigh an Tighearna
-
- Ar n-Athair a tha air nèamh: gu naomhaichear d'ainm.
- Thigeadh do rìochachd.
- Dèanar do thoil air an talamh,
- mar a nìthear air nèamh.
- Tabhair dhuinn an-diugh ar n-aran làitheil,
- agus maith dhuinn ar fiachan,
- amhail a mhaitheas sinne dar luchd-fiach.
- Agus na leig ann am buaireadh sinn,
- ach saor sinn o olc.
- Oir is leatsa an Rìoghachd, agus an Cumhachd
- agus a' Ghlòir, gu sìorraidh.
- Amen.
German
Here is the standard version of the Pater Noster in German:
-
- Vater Unser im Himmel,
- Geheiligt werde Dein Name.
- Dein Reich komme,
- Dein Wille geschehe,
- Wie im Himmel, so auf Erden.
- Unser tägliches Brot gib uns heute,
- und vergib uns unsere Schuld,
- wie auch wir vergeben unseren Schuldigern.
- Und führe uns nicht in Versuchung,
- sondern erlöse uns von dem Bösen.
- Denn Dein ist das Reich, und die Kraft, und die Herrlichkeit,
- in Ewigkeit.
- Amen
Portuguese (Brazilian)
Here is a Brazilian Portuguese version
-
- Pai nosso, que estás no céu,
- Santificado seja o Vosso nome.
- Venha a nós o Vosso reino.
- Seja feita a Vossa vontade,
- Assim na terra como no céu.
- O pão nosso de cada dia nos dai hoje.
- Perdoais nossas ofensas
- Assim como nós perdoamos a quem nos tem ofendido.
- Não deixai-nos cair em tentação,
- E livrai-nos do mal,
- Amém.
Spanish
Here is a spanish version
-
- Padre Nuestro, que estás en el Cielo,
- santificado sea Tu Nombre.
- Venga a nosotros Tu Reino.
- Hágase Tu voluntad,
- así en la tierra como en el Cielo.
- Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día.
- Y perdona nuestras ofensas,
- como nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden.
- No nos dejes caer en la tentación,
- y líbranos del mal.
- Amén
Swedish
Here is a version of the Pater Noster in Swedish:
-
- Fader Vår som är i Himmelen.
- Helgat varde Ditt namn.
- Tillkomme Ditt Rike.
- Ske Din vilja, såsom i Himmelen
- så ock på Jorden.
- Vårt dagliga bröd giv oss idag
- Och förlåt oss våra skulder
- såsom ock vi förlåta dem oss skyldiga äro
- och inled oss icke i frestelse
- utan fräls oss ifrån ondo.
- Ty Riket är Ditt och Makten och Härligheten
- i Evighet.
- Amen
Tagalog
Here is the Tagalog (Filipino) version of the Pater Noster:
-
- Ama namin nasa langit,
- Sambahin nawa ang pangalan mo.
- Ikaw nawa ang maghari sa amin,
- Sundin nawa ang iyong kalooban dito sa lupa at sa langit.
- Bigyan mo kami ng pagkaing kailangan namin sa araw na ito;
- At patawarin mo kami sa aming mga kasalanan,
- Tulad ng aming pagpapatawad sa mga nagkakasala sa amin.
- At huwag mo kaming iharap sa mahigpit na pagsubok,
- Kundi ilayo mo kami sa Masama.
- Sapagkat iyo ang kaharian at kapangyarihan at ang kapurihan,
- magpakailama
- Amen.
Aramaic
Here is a version of the Pater Noster in Aramaic:
-
- Abwoon d'bwashmaya,
- Nethqadash shmakh,
- Teytey malkuthakh.
- Nehwey tzevyanach aykanna d'bwashmaya aph b'arha.
- Hawvlan lachma d'sunqanan yaomana.
- Washboqlan khaubayn (wakhtahayn)
- aykana daph khnan shbwoqan l'khayyabayn.
- Wela tahlan l'nesyuna.
- Ela patzan min bisha.
- Metol dilakhie malkutha wahayla wateshbukhta l'ahlam almin.
- Amen.
Gothic language
Gothic bishop Ulfilas wrote down the "Atta Unsar" or "Lord's Prayer" circa 350. Here is one version :
-
- Atta unsar, þu in himinam,
- weihnai namo þein,
- qimai þiudinassus þeins,
- wairþai wilja þeins,
- swe in himina jah ana airþai.
- hlaif unsarana þana sinteinan gif uns himma daga,
- jah aflet uns þatei skulans sijaima,
- swaswe jah weis afletam þaim skulam unsaraim,
- jah ni briggais uns in fraistubnjai,
- ak lausei uns af þamma ubilin;
- unte þeina ist þiudangardi
- jah mahts jah wulþus in aiwins.
- Amen.
The same text, in the Gothic alphabet:
-
- 𐌰𐍄𐍄𐌰 𐌿𐌽𐍃𐌰𐍂, 𐌸𐌿 𐌹𐌽 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌼,
- 𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌽𐌰𐌹 𐌽𐌰𐌼𐍉 𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌽,
- 𐌵𐌹𐌼𐌰𐌹 𐌸𐌹𐌳𐌿𐌽𐌰𐍃𐍃𐌿𐍃 𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃,
- 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌸𐌰𐌹 𐍅𐌹𐌻𐌾𐌰 𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃,
- 𐍃𐍅𐌴 𐌹𐌽 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐌰 𐌾𐌰𐌷 𐌰𐌽𐌰 𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌸𐌰𐌹.
- 𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐍆 𐌿𐌽𐍃𐌰𐍂𐌰𐌽𐌰 𐌸𐌰𐌽𐌰 𐍃𐌹𐌽𐍄𐌴𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌽 𐌲𐌹𐍆 𐌿𐌽𐍃 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌼𐌰 𐌳𐌰𐌲𐌰,
- 𐌾𐌰𐌷 𐌰𐍆𐌻𐌴𐍄 𐌿𐌽𐍃 𐌸𐌴𐍄𐌴𐌹 𐍃𐌺𐌿𐌻𐌰𐌽𐍃 𐍃𐌹𐌾𐌰𐌹𐌼𐌰,
- 𐍃𐍅𐌰𐍃𐍅𐌴 𐌾𐌰𐌷 𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍃 𐌰𐍆𐌻𐌴𐍄𐌰𐌼 𐌸𐌰𐌹𐌼 𐍃𐌺𐌿𐌻𐌰𐌼 𐌿𐌽𐍃𐌰𐍂𐌰𐌹𐌼,
- 𐌾𐌰𐌷 𐌽𐌹 𐌱𐍂𐌹𐌲𐌲𐌰𐌹𐍃 𐌿𐌽𐍃 𐌹𐌽 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌹𐍃𐍄𐌿𐌱𐌽𐌾𐌰𐌹,
- 𐌰𐌺 𐌻𐌰𐌿𐍃𐌴𐌹 𐌿𐌽𐍃 𐌰𐍆 𐌸𐌰𐌼𐌼𐌰 𐌿𐌱𐌹𐌻𐌹𐌽;
- 𐌿𐌽𐍄𐌴 𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌽𐌰 𐌹𐍃𐍄 𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰𐌽𐌲𐌰𐍂𐌳𐌹
- 𐌾𐌰𐌷 𐌼𐌰𐌷𐍄𐍃 𐌾𐌰𐌷 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐌿𐍃 𐌹𐌽 𐌰𐌹𐍅𐌹𐌽𐍃.
- 𐌰𐌼𐌴𐌽.
Older English versions of the Lord's Prayer
Dated 1611 AD. (Early Modern English)
-
- Our father which art in heauen,
- hallowed be thy name.
- Thy kingdom come.
- Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen.
- Giue us this day our daily bread.
- And forgiue us our debts as we forgiue our debters.
- And lead us not into temptation,
- but deliuer us from euill.
- Amen.
Dated 1384 (Middle English)
-
- Oure fadir þat art in heuenes halwid be þi name;
- þi reume or kyngdom come to be.
- Be þi wille don in herþe as it is doun in heuene.
- yeue to us today oure eche dayes bred.
- And foryeue to us oure dettis þat is oure synnys as we foryeuen to oure dettouris þat is to men þat han synned in us.
- And lede us not into temptacion but delyuere us from euyl.
Dated circa 1000 (Old English)
-
- Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum
- si þin nama gehalgod
- tobecume þin rice
- gewurþe þin willa
- on eorðan swa swa on heofonum
- urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us to dæg
- and forgyf us ure gyltas
- swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum
- and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge
- ac alys us of yfele soþlice.
See also
External links
- The Lord's Prayer in over 1000 languages
- The Lord's Prayer in Aramaic including sound clip
- Catholic Encyclopedia Reference to the Lord's Prayer