Introductory notes

• Though Matthew's version of the Lord's Prayer is most often used today by Christians in both private and public prayer, most scholars believe that Luke's simpler version of the Lord's Prayer more nearly represents the prayer taught by Jesus. Luke's version is used as the basis for the outline of prayer below, but this is not intended to discourage the use of Matthew's version. This is simply consistent with Bibletexts.com's endeavor to give primary attention to the authentic words and deeds of Jesus and to the practices of the earliest Christians.
• In all of the versions below, the bold words represent what is common in the original texts of both Luke and Matthew.
• In the KJV below, the [italicized, bracketed words] were not in the original Greek text of Luke or Matthew.
• Jeremias refers to Joachim Jeremias' Aramaic-based reconstruction of the Lord's Prayer (The Prayers of Jesus, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1964, pages 94-95).
• To further explore the Lord's Prayer as presented in both Luke and Matthew, browse http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/lordspr.htm.

Lord's Prayer in Luke and Matthew (The 5 parts of the Lord's prayer are numbered below.)

Some correlative references. (For more details browse http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/prayer1.htm.)

• 1.a. "Acknowledge...God" (Psa 100:3,5)
• 1.b. "Praise" and "Thank" God (Psa 106:1)

.	TEV	NRSV	Jeremias*	KJV
Luk 11	may your Kingdom come.	Your kingdom come.	Thy kingdom come.	Thy kingdom come. [Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.]
Mat 6	may your Kingdom come; may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.	Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.	.	Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

 

Some correlative references. (For more details browse http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/prayer2.htm.)

• 2.a. "Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom..." (Psa 143:1,13)
• 2.b. "The kingdom of God has come to you." (Luk 10:20)
• 2.c. "The kingdom of God is within you." (Luk 17:20,21)
• 2.d. "The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the Good News!" (Mar 1:15)

  2.d.1. REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOOD NEWS: "Confess... and forsake... sins" (Pro 28:13) in thought, word, or action (per Mat 5,6,7), including the sin of influencing others to sin in thought, word, or action (per 1Ti 4:12; 2Ti 3:1-9)

  • Self-examination checklist #1: The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17, Deuteronomy 5:7-21): 1. Have no other gods. 2. Do not make idols. 3. Do not take the Lord's name in vain. 4. Keep the Sabbath day. 5. Honor your parents. 6. Do not kill. 7. Do not commit adultery. 8. Do not steal. 9. Do not falsely accuse. 10. Do not covet.

  • Self-examination checklist #2:The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5,6,&7): *The beatitudes; *salt and light; *teaching about the law, anger, adultery, divorce, oaths, retaliation; *love for enemies; *teaching about charity, prayer, fasting; *treasure in heaven; *the light of the body; *God and posessions and cares; *judging others; *ask, seek, knock; *the narrow gate; *a tree and its fruit; *I never knew you; *the two house builders and the two foundations.

  • Self-examination checklist #3: The Sermon on the Plain (Luk 6:20-49): *Happiness and sorrow; *love for enemies; *judging others; *a tree and its fruit; *the two house builders.

  2.d.2. REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOOD NEWS: 'Deny... self' (Luk 9:23) and "put on the new self, which is created in God's likeness" (Eph 4:24)

  • "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." (Luk 9:23, NRSV)

  • "Get rid of your old self... , ...put on the new self, which is created in God's likeness" (Eph 4:22-24, TEV)

  2.d.3. PREACH AND LIVE THE GOOD NEWS: "Rebuke [sin]...," "love your enemies...," "be merciful...," "forgive..."

  • "Rebuke [sin]" (2Ti 4:2)
  • "Love your enemies" (Luk 6:35, Mat 5:44, 1Jo 4:19)
  • "Be.. merciful" / "Pray for those who persecute you" (Luk 6:35, Mat 5:44)
  • "Forgive anything you may have against anyone" (Mar 11:25)
  • Summary of 2.d.3: "In Science, divine Love alone governs man; and a Christian Scientist reflects the sweet amenities of Love, in rebuking sin, in true brotherliness, charitableness, and forgiveness." (Church Manual, page 40:4-11, by Mary Baker Eddy)

    Note regarding the terms "Science" and "Christian Scientist:" Mary Baker Eddy considered the term divine Science or Science as synonymous with the biblically equivalent terms: the Holy Ghost (or the Holy Spirit) and the Comforter (or the Advocate, the Counselor, the Paraclete, the Defense Attorney), which John 14:17 described as "the Spirit of truth." In light of this, a genuine "Christian Scientist" may be considered to be one whose practice of Christianity and Christian healing includes following Christ in thinking, speaking, and acting as instructed and directed by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth. In this sense being a Christian Scientist is a way of life and is in no way defined by or limited to any denominational affilation. See also http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/comforter.htm.

  2.d.4. BELIEVE THE GOOD NEWS: "Fear not,.. for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luk 12:32)

  • "Perfect love casts out fear." (1Jo 4:18)

.	TEV	NRSV	Jeremias*	KJV
Luk 11	Give us day by day the food we need.	Give us each day our daily bread.	Our bread for tomorrow / give us today.	Give us day by day our daily bread.
Mat 6	Give us today the food we need.	Give us this day our daily bread.	.	Give us this day our daily bread.

 

Some correlative references. (For more details browse http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/prayer3.htm.)

• 3.a. "How blest are those who know their need of God; the kingdom of Heaven is theirs." (Mat 5:3, NEB)
• 3.b. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Mat 5:6, NRSV)
• 3.c. "Do not start worrying: ‘Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes?’ ...Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things." (Mat 6:31-33, TEV)
• 3.d. "Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need." (S&H 494:10-11, by Mary Baker Eddy)

Some correlative references. (For more details browse http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/prayer4.htm.)

• 4.a "And when you stand and pray, forgive anything you may have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive the wrongs you have done." (Mar 11:25)
• 4.b. “If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done." (Mat 6:14,15)

Some correlative references. (For more details browse http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/prayer5.htm.)

• 5.a. God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But people are tempted when they are drawn away and trapped by their own evil desires. Then their evil desires conceive and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death... Happy are those who remain faithful under trials, because when they succeed in passing such a test, they will receive as their reward the life which God has promised to those who love him. (Jam 1:13-15, 12, TEV)
• 5.b. "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation" (Mat 26:41)
• 5.c. "Do by nature the things contained in the law [and be] a law unto [your]selves" (Rom 2:13-15)
• 5.d. "Pray to God" for "[yourself]" (Jam 1:5)
• 5.e. "Pray to God" for "[family]" (and family prayer) (Act 21:5)
• 5.f. "Pray to God" for "all God's people" (Eph 6:10,18)
• 5.g. "Pray to God" for "all people" (1Ti 2:1-4)
• 5.h. Pray regularly (Psa 5:1-3; Psa 55:16,17; Dan 6:10; Mar 1:35; Mar 8:6; Luk 5:15,16; Luk 6:12; 1Th 5:16-18)
• 5.i. Acknowledge prayer-help from Jesus (Joh 14:12-14; 16:25-27; Joh 17:6-7,20-23)
• 5.j. Acknowledge prayer-help from the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:26-30)

Our Father which art in heaven,

Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious,

Hallowed be Thy name.

Adorable One.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy kingdom is come; Thou art ever-present.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Enable us to know,--as in heaven, so on earth,--God is omnipotent, supreme.

Give us this day our daily bread;

Give us grace for to-day; feed the famished affections;

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And Love is reflected in love;

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;

And God leadeth us not into temptation, but delivereth us from sin, disease, and death.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.

For God is infinite, all-power, all Life, Truth, Love, over all, and All.

See also S&H, page 16:7,20

Our Master taught his disciples one brief prayer, which we name after him the Lord's Prayer. Our Master said, "After this manner therefore pray ye," and then he gave that prayer which covers all human needs. There is indeed some doubt among Bible scholars, whether the last line is not an addition to the prayer by a later copyist; but this does not affect the meaning of the prayer itself... Only as we rise above all material sensuousness and sin, can we reach the heaven-born aspiration and spiritual consciousness, which is indicated in the Lord's Prayer and which instantaneously heals the sick.

See also Christian Healing, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 15:28-3

The Lord's Prayer, understood in its spiritual sense, and given its spiritual version, can never be repeated too often for the benefit of all who, having ears, hear and understand.