The Lord’s Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer is the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples, when they asked him how they should pray. It has two Origins in scripture from the New Testament:

Matthew 6:9–13 and Luke 11:1–4

Most Christians know the prayer by heart in their own language, and it is used today by every Christian tradition, though there are sometimes minor variations in the wording. It has a place in every Anglican act of worship, and forms a pattern for prayer for Christians:

  • We bless God and pray for our world, our communities and our lives to be shaped by God’s will;
  • We pray for daily needs to be met,
  • For forgiveness for wrongdoings, strength to resist temptation and protection from danger.

Matthew 6.9–13

In this manner, therefore, 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 this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Luke 11.1–4

The Model Prayer

Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

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

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.”