📖 Text & Translation (Matthew 6:9–13)
BibleProject Scholar Team literal rendering: "Our Father who is in the skies, may your name be recognized as holy. May your Kingdom come, and may your will be done—as it is in the skies, so also on the land. Our daily provision of bread, give to us today. And forgive us our debts, just as we also have forgiven those indebted to us. And don't lead us to be tested, but deliver us from the evil one."
Matthew's wording emphasizes God as our Father and uses "in the skies" to evoke God's rule and presence. The prayer's seven petitions fall into two halves: three focused on God's name, kingdom, and will; then four on daily bread, forgiveness, guidance in testing, and deliverance from the evil one.
Note: Luke 11:2–4 has a parallel, shorter form that preserves the same movement from God's purposes to daily needs, highlighting Jesus' emphasis on trust and forgiveness.
🧭 Structure & Design
At the Center of the Sermon
The prayer sits in the middle of the central section on authentic devotion (almsgiving, prayer, fasting). It is "the center of the center of the center" of the Sermon on the Mount, anchoring the Sermon's vision of right relationships with God and neighbor.
Two Halves, Seven Requests
Jesus' prayer has a deliberate design: three "Your …" petitions (Name, Kingdom, Will) followed by four "Our/Us …" petitions (Bread, Forgive, Lead Not, Deliver). The total of seven signals completeness in biblical numerology.
| # | Petition | Focus | Notes & Echoes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hallowed be Your name | God's reputation & holiness | Ezekiel's promise of God vindicating his holy name among the nations (Ezek 36:22–28). |
| 2 | Your kingdom come | God's reign | Prayer for Heaven–Earth reunion under God's rule; Jesus' kingdom announcement. |
| 3 | Your will be done | God's desire enacted | Alignment of human desire with God's desire, on earth as in heaven. |
| 4 | Give us today our daily bread | Provision | Allusion to manna: dependence one day at a time (Exod 16:4–5). |
| 5 | Forgive us … as we forgive | Reconciled relationships | Forgiveness "like breathing"—received and given (Matt 6:14–15; 18:21–35). |
| 6 | Do not lead us into testing | Guidance in trials | Peirasmos = "test" that reveals truth; pray to be spared traps. |
| 7 | Deliver us from the evil one | Rescue | Trust God amid the evil one's lies; Jesus embodies this in Gethsemane. |
📚 Literary Context in Matthew 5–7
Right Relationships
The Sermon's "righteousness" is right relationship with God and neighbor, producing justice and peace. Prayer is the central practice forming that life.
Hidden Devotion
Jesus contrasts performative religiosity with secret devotion seen by the Father who rewards. The Lord's Prayer models this hidden, Godward posture (Matt 6:5–6).
Treasure & Trust
The surrounding context moves from prayer to reordering desires—treasure in the skies, a generous "eye," and anti-worry trust in the Father (Matt 6:19–34).
🔎 Key Word Studies
Pater (Father)
Jesus' preferred intimate title for God—personal yet paired with "in the skies," holding transcendence and nearness together.
"In the skies"
Metaphor for God's universal reign and presence above all; not distance but rule over all creation.
Hagiasthētō (be made holy)
Sanctifying God's name = his reputation revealed holy among nations (Ezek 36:22–23).
Basileia (Kingdom)
God's reign arriving to unite Heaven and Earth; we participate by love and justice.
Thelēma (will/desire)
Aligning our desires to God's desire; the prayer forms our wants to match God's purposes.
Epiousios (daily)
Rare word; in context evokes manna-trust—"just enough for today," cultivating dependence.
Opheilēmata (debts)
Relational/moral debts. Receiving and giving forgiveness are bound together.
Peirasmos (test)
Testing reveals truth and can be twisted into traps by the evil one; we ask for rescue.
🔗 Old Testament Intertext & Echoes
| Reference | Connection | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 1:26–27 | Humans as God's image, his children | "Our Father" recalls our vocation as royal representatives. |
| Ezek 36:22–28 | God vindicates his holy name | "Hallowed be your name" rooted in prophetic hope of renewal. |
| Exod 16:4–5 | Manna for each day | "Daily bread" trains daily trust and gratitude. |
| Psalm 103:8–12 | God's compassion and forgiveness | Foundation for the forgiveness petition. |
| Deut 8:2–3 | Testing in the wilderness | Context for understanding divine testing. |
🧠 Major Theological Themes
Fatherhood & Family
The prayer is communal ("Our …")—we appeal as a worldwide family, not isolated individuals.
Holiness & Mission
God's name is hallowed as his people embody his character among the nations.
Kingdom & Desire
We ask for God's reign and align our desires to his will on earth as in heaven.
Daily Dependence
Scarcity mindset is countered by trust in the Father's provision—today.
Forgiveness Culture
The forgiven become agents of forgiveness, breaking cycles of revenge.
Testing & Deliverance
We face tests; we ask for guidance and rescue from the evil one's deception.
Jesus' own praying: In Gethsemane, Jesus prays "Your will be done," embodying this prayer's posture and trusting the Father through the ultimate trial and deliverance in resurrection (Matt 26:39–42; Luke 22:42).
🌙 Jesus Prays the Prayer: Gethsemane (Matt 26:36–46; Luke 22:39–46)
"Not my will but your will be done." On his most trying night, Jesus prays language that mirrors the Lord's Prayer's third petition ("your will be done"), entrusting himself to the Father's purpose even as he asks for the "cup" to pass (Matt 26:39; Luke 22:42). This is the Lord's Prayer embodied under trial and deliverance.
"Your Will" Under Pressure
What Jesus teaches in private devotion he practices in public crisis: desire aligned to the Father, even through suffering, leading to resurrection deliverance ("deliver us from the evil one").
The "Cup" & Testing
Jesus' prayer about the "cup" resonates with the petition "do not lead us into testing" and "deliver us," framing trials as moments for faithful trust rather than entrapment.
🌀 Chiastic Design (Proposed A–B–C–D–C′–B′–A′)
Many readers observe that the seven petitions can be read as a chiasm—a mirror-like structure that centers the prayer's formative middle while binding the opening and closing requests. The scheme below is one responsible proposal.
Reading the Mirror
- A ↔ A′: God's name honored ↔ protection from the evil one that profanes it.
- B ↔ B′: God's kingdom life ↔ guidance through testing.
- C ↔ C′: God's will on earth ↔ forgiveness that embodies his will.
- D (Center): Daily bread - physical and spiritual sustenance at the heart.
This visualization presents one possible chiastic reading. Various scholars propose different arrangements, each highlighting different theological emphases.
Compact Table
| Pair | Petitions | Practiced Posture |
|---|---|---|
| A / A′ | Name hallowed ↔ Deliver from evil | Holiness with vigilance |
| B / B′ | Kingdom come ↔ Not led into testing | Kingdom ethics in trials |
| C / C′ | Will be done ↔ Forgive as forgiven | Divine will through forgiveness |
| Center | Daily bread | Dependent trust |
📜 Variants & Transmission
Matthew's form ends with "deliver us from the evil one" in the oldest recoverable text. A liturgical doxology ("For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever") appears in many later manuscripts and Christian worship traditions, reflecting early church practice. Luke's shorter version (11:2–4) omits several petitions but maintains the essential structure.
🕯️ Practice & Application
Formed by Repetition
Praying the Lord's Prayer makes Jesus' story our own—training trust, generosity, forgiveness, and resilient faith. Early Christians prayed it three times daily (Didache 8:3).
From Words to Way
- Pray it daily around meals ("daily bread") and decisions ("your will").
- Name hurts honestly, then release vengeance and bless.
- In trials, ask for wisdom and protection from the evil one's lies.
- Use each petition for extended meditation and personal prayer.
📚 Bibliography & Sources
Primary & Study Resources
Academic references for the study of the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13
Primary & Study Resources
Academic references for the study of the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13