The Lord’s Prayer (Our Father): Meaning Line by Line

The Lord’s Prayer is the model prayer Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13, moving from praise of God’s name and kingdom to specific requests for daily need, forgiveness, and protection.

Jesus gave this prayer, also called the “Our Father,” in direct response to His disciples asking Him to teach them how to pray, making it the closest thing Scripture offers to a template for prayer itself.

Aspect	The Lord’s Prayer
Bible Reference	Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4
Taught By	Jesus Christ
Setting	The Sermon on the Mount
Structure	Two halves: God’s glory, then human need
Also Called	The “Our Father”

What Is the Lord’s Prayer?

What is the Lord’s Prayer? It is a short model prayer Jesus taught in Matthew 6:9-13, given right after He warned against praying to impress others and using empty, repetitive words to seem more spiritual.

The Lord’s Prayer Text (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV).

Matthew vs Luke: Two Versions of the Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer actually appears twice in the Gospels, in a longer form in Matthew and a noticeably shorter form in Luke, given on a different occasion.

Matthew 6:9-13	Luke 11:2-4
Given during the Sermon on the Mount	Given after a disciple asked Jesus directly to teach them to pray
Includes “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”	Omits this line in most manuscripts
Includes “deliver us from evil”	Ends at “lead us not into temptation” in most manuscripts
Uses “debts” and “debtors”	Uses “sins” and “everyone who is indebted to us”

• Key Takeaway: Most churches recite the fuller Matthew version, which is why it’s the one most people recognize by heart.

Why Some Churches Say “Trespasses” and Others Say “Debts”?

This common point of confusion comes down to translation history rather than a different underlying prayer. The Greek word in Matthew’s account, opheilema, literally means “debt,” which is why some traditions translate it that way.

The word “trespasses” comes from William Tyndale’s early English Bible translation and stuck in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, which is why Anglican, Catholic, and Methodist congregations often recite “trespasses” while Presbyterian and Reformed traditions typically say “debts.” Luke’s version uses yet another word, “sins,” reflecting his own Greek phrasing.

The Prayer’s Two Halves: God’s Glory, Then Our Need

The prayer divides cleanly into two sections, moving from God’s priorities to human need, similar in structure to how the Ten Commandments divide between duty to God and duty to others.

Part 1: God’s Glory (Petitions 1-3)	Part 2: Our Need (Petitions 4-6)
Hallowed be Thy name	Give us this day our daily bread
Thy kingdom come	Forgive us our debts
Thy will be done	Lead us not into temptation

Line by Line Meaning

“Our Father Which Art in Heaven”

This opening address establishes an intimate family relationship with God while affirming His position above and beyond the earthly realm, and the word “our” immediately unites all believers into one community of prayer rather than a private, individual address.

“Hallowed Be Thy Name”

This asks that God’s name be treated as holy and set apart, both in how the one praying lives and in how God’s character becomes visible to others through that life.

“Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done”

This asks for God’s reign and will to become as fully realized on earth as it already is in heaven, submitting personal plans to God’s greater purpose rather than the reverse.

“Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread”

This asks for provision one day at a time, reflecting ordinary, practical dependence on God rather than anxiety about long-term security or accumulated wealth.

“Forgive Us Our Debts, As We Forgive Our Debtors”

This ties receiving God’s forgiveness directly to a willingness to extend forgiveness toward others, a connection Jesus reinforces immediately after the prayer in Matthew 6:14-15.

“Lead Us Not Into Temptation, But Deliver Us From Evil”

This asks God for protection from situations that would test faith beyond what a person can bear, and for active rescue from the schemes of a real spiritual enemy.

Does God “Lead Us Into Temptation”?

This line raises an honest question, since James 1:13 states plainly that God cannot be tempted with evil and does not tempt anyone Himself.

• Key Takeaway: The line functions as a humble request for God to keep a person away from circumstances that would overwhelm their capacity to resist, not an accusation that God actively causes temptation, consistent with 1 Corinthians 10:13’s promise that God provides a way of escape from every trial.

Is the Ending (“For Thine Is the Kingdom…”) Actually in the Bible?

The familiar closing doxology, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever,” does not appear in the earliest and most reliable Greek manuscripts of Matthew’s Gospel.

Most modern translations include a footnote noting this line was likely added later for use in early church liturgy, then copied into later manuscripts that the King James Version was based on. This doesn’t diminish the phrase theologically, since its content echoes 1 Chronicles 29:11, but it does explain why some modern translations print it differently or footnote it separately.

FAQs

What is the Lord’s Prayer?

The Lord’s Prayer is a model prayer Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13, covering praise of God’s name and kingdom followed by requests for daily provision, forgiveness, and protection from temptation.

Where is the Lord’s Prayer found in the Bible?

The Lord’s Prayer is found in Matthew 6:9-13, given during the Sermon on the Mount, and in a shorter form in Luke 11:2-4, given after a disciple asked Jesus to teach them to pray.

Why do some people say “trespasses” instead of “debts”?

The word “trespasses” comes from William Tyndale’s early English translation and became standard in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, while other traditions use “debts,” a more literal translation of the original Greek word.

Does “lead us not into temptation” mean God causes temptation?

No, James 1:13 clarifies that God does not tempt anyone with evil. The line is a humble request for God to keep a person from situations that would overwhelm their ability to resist, not an accusation against God.

Is “For thine is the kingdom” part of the original prayer?

Most scholars believe this closing doxology was added later for use in early church worship and is absent from the earliest Greek manuscripts of Matthew, though it echoes language found elsewhere in Scripture, such as 1 Chronicles 29:11.

What is the difference between the Matthew and Luke versions?

Matthew’s version is longer and used more widely in worship, including lines about God’s will being done and deliverance from evil that are absent from Luke’s shorter, more condensed version.

Why did Jesus teach this specific prayer?

Jesus taught this prayer directly in response to His disciples asking Him how to pray, offering it as a model rather than a mandatory script, immediately after warning against showy or repetitive prayer.