King James Version

The Lord's Prayer

The Lord's Prayer is the prayer Jesus taught his disciples, recorded in Matthew 6:9-13 and in a shorter form in Luke 11:2-4. In the KJV of Matthew it begins "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name" and ends "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."

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After this manner therefore pray ye: 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 6:9-13 in context

⁶But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

⁷But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

⁸Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

⁹After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

¹⁰Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

¹¹Give us this day our daily bread.

¹²And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

¹³And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

¹⁴For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

¹⁵But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

¹⁶Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Matthew 6:6-16, King James Version.

What Matthew 6:9-13 means

Jesus introduces it with the words After this manner therefore pray ye. It is given as a pattern for prayer as well as a prayer to say. He has just warned against praying to be seen by others and against vain repetitions, and he reminds his hearers that the Father knows what they need before they ask (verses 5-8).

The first half is about God. Our Father which art in heaven speaks to God as a near Father who is also above all. Hallowed be thy name asks that God's name be honoured as holy. Thy kingdom come and Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven ask for God's rule to be as real on earth as it is in heaven.

The second half is about our needs. Give us this day our daily bread asks for what is needed for today. Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors treats sin as a debt owed and ties receiving forgiveness to giving it. Jesus underlines that in verses 14-15. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil asks God to keep us from being overcome. James 1:13 makes clear that God tempts no one, so the line is a plea for protection, not a suggestion that God leads people into sin.

Many churches say trespasses instead of debts. That wording comes from older English prayer books and matches Matthew 6:14, which uses the word trespasses. The meaning is the same.

Background and context

The prayer is part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), where Jesus teaches about giving, prayer and fasting done for God rather than for show. The Gospel of Matthew is traditionally attributed to the apostle Matthew.

Luke 11:2-4 gives a shorter version, taught when a disciple asked, Lord, teach us to pray. Luke's version says sins rather than debts, and it has no closing doxology. The ending For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen is in the KJV of Matthew but not in Luke.

That closing line is not found in many of the oldest Greek manuscripts of Matthew, so many modern versions print it in a footnote. It echoes David's prayer in 1 Chronicles 29:11. Protestant churches usually include it when praying the Lord's Prayer; Catholic tradition usually prays the prayer without it and uses a related line elsewhere in the Mass.

Key verses

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14-15 · KJV

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.
Luke 11:2-4 · KJV

Cross references

Luke 11:1-4 Luke's shorter version, given after a disciple asks Jesus to teach them to pray.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.
Matthew 6:14-15 Jesus explains the forgiveness line: if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Father will also forgive you.For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:7-8 Jesus warns against vain repetitions and says the Father knows what you need before you ask.But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Matthew 26:39 In Gethsemane Jesus prays, not as I will, but as thou wilt.And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
1 Chronicles 29:11 David's prayer, which the closing doxology echoes: thine is the kingdom, O LORD.Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.
James 1:13 God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

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Common questions

What are the words of the Lord's Prayer in the KJV?

Matthew 6:9-13 reads: 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.

What does the Lord's Prayer mean?

It is a pattern for prayer that puts God first, his name, his kingdom and his will, and then asks for daily needs, forgiveness, and protection from evil.

Who wrote the Lord's Prayer?

Jesus taught it to his disciples. It is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, traditionally attributed to the apostle Matthew, and in the Gospel of Luke.

Where is the Lord's Prayer in the Bible?

Matthew 6:9-13, in the Sermon on the Mount, and Luke 11:2-4, in a shorter form.

Why do some versions leave out 'For thine is the kingdom'?

The closing doxology is in the KJV of Matthew but is missing from many of the oldest Greek manuscripts, so many modern versions place it in a footnote. Luke's version does not have it in any translation.

Is it debts or trespasses?

The KJV of Matthew 6:12 says debts, and Luke says sins. Many churches say trespasses, a wording from older English prayer books that matches Matthew 6:14.