The prayer Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew 6 and Luke 11, shared by Christians of every tradition.
Tagged: Daily Prayer Prayer Scripture
The Text
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.
Historical Context
Jesus taught this prayer in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:9–13) and in a shorter form in Luke 11:2–4; the closing doxology appears in later manuscripts of Matthew and in early liturgical use. It is the shared anchor of all Christian prayer: the Westminster Shorter Catechism's closing questions call it the special rule of direction for prayer, and the Heidelberg Catechism treats it in its final section, under thankfulness. Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches all pray it, differing mainly over the doxology's place in the liturgy.
Use and Practice
The prayer is used in daily private devotion and in virtually every Christian service, including Mass, the Divine Liturgy, Anglican Morning and Evening Prayer, and the Rosary, where it opens each decade.
References
- Matthew 6:9–13 (KJV) — Bible Gateway Free / open access
- USCCB Prayers and Devotions Free / open access
Related Prayers and Creeds
- Apostles' Creed — The ancient baptismal creed of the Western Church, summarizing belief in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- Prayers of the Rosary — The set of prayers prayed on the beads of the Rosary, including the Fatima Prayer and the Hail Holy Queen.
- Westminster Confession and Catechisms — The Presbyterian standards produced by the Westminster Assembly in the 1640s: a confession of faith and a Larger and Shorter Catechism.
- Heidelberg Catechism — A Reformed catechism of 129 questions and answers, published in 1563 and organized around guilt, grace, and gratitude.
- Anglican Collects (Book of Common Prayer) — The short, structured prayers of the Book of Common Prayer appointed for each Sunday and feast, exemplified by the Collect for Purity.
Related Across the Site
- Al-Fatiha Prayer or Creed — The opening chapter of the Qur'an, recited in every unit of the ritual prayer.
- Amidah Prayer or Creed — The standing prayer at the center of every Jewish prayer service, recited silently while standing.
- Jesus Prayer Prayer or Creed — A short, repeated invocation of Jesus asking for mercy, central to the Orthodox hesychast tradition.
- Nitnem Prayer or Creed — The daily banis (hymns) prescribed for Sikh devotion: morning, evening, and night prayers from the Sikh scriptures.
- Refuge Prayer (Tisarana) Prayer or Creed — The formula of going for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha — the act that makes a person a Buddhist.
- Salah Prayer or Creed — The ritual prayer performed five times daily, with fixed postures, recitations, and the closing testimony (Tashahhud).
- Shema Prayer or Creed — Judaism's central affirmation of the one God, drawn from Deuteronomy 6:4 and recited morning and evening.
- The Angelus Prayer or Creed — A thrice-daily prayer of versicles and Hail Marys commemorating the Annunciation and the Incarnation.