Luke 11
The Lord's Prayer
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
After Jesus has been praying, one of his disciples asks him to teach them to pray, as John taught his disciples. Jesus gives them a short prayer: addressing God as Father, asking that his name be honoured and his kingdom come, and asking for daily bread, forgiveness and protection in the time of testing.
What does this mean?
"Hallowed be thy name" (KJV) means "may your name be treated as holy." "Temptation" can also mean testing or trial. The prayer pairs "sins" with those "indebted to us," reflecting an Aramaic idiom in which sin is a debt.
Historical context
Jewish teachers and movements had characteristic prayers; the request suggests the disciples wanted one that marked them as Jesus' followers. Addressing God simply as "Father" probably reflects the Aramaic "Abba."
Why does it matter?
Prayer is a prominent theme in Luke, and the teaching that follows (11:5–13) continues it.
Editorial notes, not scripture.
Told in two Gospels
Matthew 6:9–13
The Lord's Prayer
How Matthew tells it
Matthew sets the prayer in the Sermon on the Mount, as a contrast to showy or wordy prayer; in Luke it answers a disciple's request after Jesus has been praying. Matthew asks forgiveness of 'debts', Luke of 'sins'; Matthew has 'this day', Luke 'day by day'. Only Matthew's text, in the KJV and WEB, ends with words of praise.
Continue reading in Matthew →How Luke tells it
Luke sets the prayer after a disciple's request, not in the Sermon on the Mount. It is shorter than Matthew's: in the oldest manuscripts it begins simply "Father" and lacks "thy will be done" and "deliver us from evil," which the KJV and WEB include. Luke asks for bread "day by day" and forgiveness of "sins."