28. Teachings on Prayer
1He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”2And he said to them, 9“When you pray, say:
Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
10Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our daily
bread;
12And forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgiven our
debtors.
13Lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.”a
5And he said to them: “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves, 6for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him;' 7and he answers from within, 'Trouble me not, for the door is now shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9And, I tell you: ask and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks it shall be opened.”
(Lk. 11:1–2; Mt. 6:9–13; Lk. 11:5–10) (continued)
a Commentary on The Lord's Prayer—“Our Father who is in heaven,” teaches us to recognize and approach God as “Our Father.” He is our loving heavenly Father, and we may come before him as his sons and daughters on earth. “Hallowed be your name” leads us to come into his presence with reverence, humility, and a worshipful attitude. “Your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” is the central petition of the prayer. The complete fulfillment of this prayer would mean the rule of God in the heart of every individual on earth, but it begins in us when our personal will becomes the doing of the Father's will. In “Give us this day our daily bread,” our bread for tomorrow is an alternative (and perhaps better) translation of our daily bread. (See Oxford Bible, p. 1178.) “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors,” teaches us that the way to receive and experience God's forgiveness is to forgive others. “Lead us not into temptation,” is best understood in the sense of “Save us in temptation.” God leads us in the ways of righteousness and saves us in times of temptation.
Mt. 6:9 who is in (NRSV) / who art in (RSV) • be your name (NRSV) / be thy name (RSV)
Mt. 6:10 Your kingdom (NRSV) / Thy kingdom (RSV) • Your will (NRSV) / Thy will (RSV)
Lk. 11:5 them: “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go / them: “Which of you who has a friend, and you will go (RSV)
Lk. 11:7 he answers from (NRSV) / he will answer from (RSV) • within, 'Trouble me not, for the (KJV) / within, 'Do not bother me; (RSV) • children and I are in (NAB) / children are with me in (RSV)
Lk. 11:9 it shall be (KJV) / it will be (RSV) • you shall find (KJV) / you will find (RSV)
Lk. 11:10 it shall be (KJV) / it will be (RSV) (144:1-3/1618–20)
