The Lord's Prayer - Our Father Who Art in Heaven - Bible Verses & Meaning

Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff Crosswalk.com
Updated Nov 12, 2024

What is the Lord's Prayer?

In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, we read of Jesus teaching His disciples how they should pray. This famous Scripture is known as The Lord’s Prayer, also sometimes called Our Father's Prayer. Below, you can read through and memorize the Lord’s Prayer as it was the example Jesus gave when asked how we should pray. While this prayer was given as a template by Christ, we must use its word with heartfelt seeking of God! Contemplate the words of the Lord's Prayer to examine your own heart.

The Lord's Prayer (Traditional)

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from the evil one.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer (Contemporary)

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and forever. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer in the Bible:

Matthew 6:9-13 - "This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

Luke 11:2-4 - "He said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation."

Strengthen your prayer life with this free PDF Discerning the Voice of God: A 30 Day Prayer Challenge

6 Steps taught in the Lord’s Prayer.

1. Address God’s rightful place as the Father
2. Worship and praise God for who He is and all that He has done
3. Acknowledge that it is God’s will and plans are in control and not our own
4. Ask God for the things that we need
5. Confess our sins and repent
6. Request protection and help in overcoming sin and Satan's attacks on us

As you read this Scripture, let it soak into your heart and begin to talk to God honestly and openly. He created you, loves you, and wants to hear from you! Use the Lord's Prayer as a way to walk through communicating with God!

Watch a profoundly moving video of the Lord's Prayer:

Meaning of the Lord's Prayer

Let’s break down each line of the Lord’s Prayer in an engaging and meaningful way, exploring what each statement can mean for us personally.

“Our Father who art in heaven”

Right from the start, Jesus invites us to call God Father. This isn’t a distant, impersonal deity—He’s a loving, caring Father who knows us intimately. By addressing God as “our Father,” we’re reminded that we’re His children and part of a larger family of believers. When we say "in heaven," we acknowledge that while God is close to us, He is also holy and powerful, reigning above all things.

The Father-Son relationship within the Trinity reveals our potential relationship with God. Christ, the Son of God, grants us the privilege of calling God Our Father by the grace of adoption (Galatians 4:4-7). As a "son of God," the Christian is called to love, trust, and serve God as Christ does the Father. We must note that God is not our Father simply because He created us. He is the only Father to those in a saving and personal relationship with Him, a communion that only comes by the grace of adoption.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:14-17)

“Hallowed be Thy name”

This line is a reminder of God’s holiness. Hallowed means honored as holy, so when we say this, we’re setting God apart in our hearts, recognizing His glory and reverence. It’s a call to honor God not just in words, but in how we live, respecting His name and His nature.

“Thy kingdom come”

Here, we’re asking God to bring His heavenly kingdom to earth. It’s a powerful prayer for change, hope, and restoration. We’re inviting God’s rule and justice into our world and into our lives, asking Him to make things right. When we pray this, we’re also committing ourselves to be part of that kingdom, to live in a way that reflects God’s values of love, mercy, and truth.

“Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”

This line can be challenging because it’s a prayer of surrender. We’re saying, “God, I trust Your plans more than my own.” It’s an invitation for God’s purposes to take priority in our lives, even when we don’t fully understand them. Just as things in heaven align perfectly with God’s will, we’re asking that His guidance and intentions be realized here on earth—and within our own hearts.

“Give us this day our daily bread”

In this line, we ask God to provide for our daily needs. It’s a humble request, a reminder that everything we have comes from Him. By asking for our “daily bread,” we learn to depend on God one day at a time, trusting that He knows what we need and will supply it. It’s a way of saying, “Lord, I rely on You for my every need, both physical and spiritual.”

"Daily" is actually a misleading translation of the Greek epiousios, which is literally "above the essence," or "supersubstantial." The expression for daily bread indicates not merely bread for this day, for earthly nourishment; it is the bread for the eternal day of the Kingdom of God, for the nourishment of our immortal soul. This living, supersubstantial bread is Christ Himself. In the Lord's Prayer, we are not asking merely for material bread for physical health but for spiritual bread for eternal life. (Read more about this in John 6:27-58)

“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us”

The earliest English translations, like the King James Version (KJV), use “debts” (Matthew 6:12) to reflect the original Greek word, opheilēmata, which often means a moral or financial obligation. Here, “debts” implies that we owe God perfect obedience and have a “debt” because of our shortcomings. In this context, asking for forgiveness of debts means asking God to release us from the obligations we’ve failed to meet due to sin. Using “debts” emphasizes the concept of reconciliation with God, who “forgives our debt,” clearing the account so we can be fully restored to Him.

The word “trespasses” comes from a later translation and focuses on the idea of stepping over a boundary or “crossing a line.” This term is drawn from another part of the prayer’s passage where Jesus uses the Greek word paraptōma (Matthew 6:14–15), which is often translated as “trespasses.” Here, Jesus teaches that God forgives us when we cross His boundaries, but only if we extend the same forgiveness to others. The term “trespasses” brings a relational focus, reminding us of the importance of respecting God’s boundaries and showing mercy to others who may have “trespassed” against us.

Some modern translations, like the New Living Translation (NLT), use “sins” to make the meaning clear and accessible. The Greek word hamartia (used elsewhere in the New Testament) means “to miss the mark,” similar to how an archer might miss a target. When we ask God to forgive our sins, we acknowledge that we fall short of His holiness and moral standard. “Sins” is a straightforward term that highlights human frailty and the need for God’s grace and mercy.

In all translations, this is a prayer for both mercy and grace. We ask God to forgive our sins, knowing we fall short but believing in His mercy. But there’s more: we’re also pledging to forgive others as we have been forgiven. It’s a beautiful, but challenging, call to extend grace to others, letting go of grudges and resentment so we can reflect God’s forgiveness.

“And lead us not into temptation”

Here, we’re asking God to guide us away from things that could lead us away from Him. We’re asking for strength to resist the pull of temptation, recognizing that we need God’s help to stay on the right path. It’s a plea for His protection and guidance, a reminder that we’re not meant to fight our battles alone.

“But deliver us from evil”

This line is a prayer for protection from all forms of evil—both external and internal. We ask God to keep us safe from harm and protect our hearts from anything that could separate us from Him. It’s a declaration of trust, knowing that God has the power to rescue us from every danger and to keep us close to Him.

“For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”

The prayer closes with a beautiful declaration of God’s ultimate authority and glory. By acknowledging that the kingdom, power, and glory all belong to Him, we place our lives in His hands. It’s a way of saying, “God, everything is Yours. You have all power, and Your glory will never end.” And with the word “Amen,” we affirm that we believe and trust in every word we’ve prayed.

The Lord's Prayer for Kids

Dear God, our Father in heaven,
Your name is special and holy.
We want to be with you in heaven,
And for what you want to be done on earth, just like in heaven.
Please give us what we need each day.
Forgive us for the wrong things we do,
Help us to forgive people who do wrong to us.
Help us to make good choices,
And keep us safe from evil.
We know you are powerful forever and ever, Amen.

What phrase in the Lord's Prayer resonates most with you? Comment and share your thoughts and testimony at Crosswalk Forums! Click HERE.

Bible Verses About the Lord & Prayer

2 Chronicles 7:14 - If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

James 5:16 - Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Psalm 145:18 - The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Proverbs 15:29 - The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

Philippians 4:6-7 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

How the Lord's Prayer Teaches Us How to Pray

The Lord's Prayer is not a formula for prayer. If we take this too literally, we will miss the principles, the general framework, that we can grab from this passage. But as Nicole Unice, host of the How to Study the Bible Podcast, teaches us in this episode, there is SO much to learn from the Lord's prayer about how to pray. Listen in as we deep dive into Matthew 6 and learn what it means to pray.

How to Teach the Lord's Prayer to Kids

This article is part of our Prayer resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, and God knows your heart even if you can't find the words to pray.

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