Our Father. Prayer Our Father - text, interpretation Prayer who art in heaven

Our Father, who art in heaven!
Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done as it is in heaven and on earth.
Give us this day our daily bread;
And forgive us our debts,
Just as we leave our debtors;
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Modern Russian translation:
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Matt. 6:9-13)

Interpretation : This prayer is called the Lord’s Prayer because the Lord Jesus Christ Himself gave it to His disciples when they asked Him to teach them how to pray (see Matt. 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4). Therefore, this prayer is the most important prayer for everyone.
Our Father, who art in heaven! With these words we turn to God and, calling Him Heavenly Father, we call upon Him to listen to our requests or petitions. When we say that He is in heaven, we must mean the spiritual, invisible sky, and not that visible blue vault that is spread over us and which we call heaven.
Hallowed be your name- that is, help us to live righteously, holyly and glorify Your name with our holy deeds.
Thy Kingdom come- that is, honor us here on earth with Your Heavenly Kingdom, which is truth, love and peace; reign in us and rule us.
Thy will be done as it is in heaven and on earth- that is, let everything not be as we want, but as You please, and help us to obey this Your will and fulfill it on earth as unquestioningly and without grumbling as it is fulfilled, with love and joy, by the holy Angels in heaven . Because only You know what is useful and necessary for us, and You wish us good more than we ourselves.
Give us our daily bread today- that is, give us for this day, for today, our daily bread. By bread here we mean everything necessary for our life on earth: food, clothing, housing, but most importantly the Most Pure Body and the Honest Blood in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, without which there is no salvation in eternal life. The Lord commanded us to ask for ourselves not wealth, not luxury, but only the most necessary things, and to rely on God in everything, remembering that He, as a Father, always cares and takes care of us.
And forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors.- that is, forgive us our sins just as we ourselves forgive those who have offended or offended us. In this petition, our sins are called our debts, because the Lord gave us strength, abilities and everything else in order to do good deeds, and we often turn all this into sin and evil and become debtors to God. And if we ourselves do not sincerely forgive our debtors, that is, people who have sins against us, then God will not forgive us. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself told us about this.
And do not lead us into temptation- temptations are a state when something or someone draws us to sin, tempts us to do something lawless or bad. We ask - do not allow us to be tempted, which we cannot endure, help us overcome temptations when they happen.
But deliver us from evil- that is, deliver us from all evil in this world and from the culprit (chief) of evil - from the devil (evil spirit), who is always ready to destroy us. Deliver us from this cunning, crafty power and its deceptions, which is nothing before you.
Father- Father (appeal is a form of the vocative case).
Yesi- verb form be in the 2nd person singular. numbers of the present time.
Who art thou in heaven- Which is in heaven, or heavenly.
Hallowed be Thy name- will become famous. Commentary by St. John Chrysostom: "Saying Hallowed be thy name, we do not bring to God holiness that supposedly does not exist with Him, but we glorify what exists.”
Yako- How.
In heaven- in the sky.
Urgent - letters from Greek. - necessary for existence.
Give it a try- give.
Today- today, today.
Like- How.
Leave it- sorry.
Debts- sins.
Our debtor- to those people who sinned against us.
Don't lead us into temptation- Do not allow us to fall into temptation.
From the evil one- from the devil and, in general, from all evil.

The “Our Father” prayer is the main one for all Orthodox Christians and at the same time the simplest and most necessary. She alone replaces all others.

Text of the prayer in Church Slavonic in modern spelling

Our Father, who art in heaven!
Hallowed be Thy name,
may your kingdom come,
Thy will be done
as in heaven and on earth.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts,
just as we also leave our debtors;
and do not lead us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

The most famous prayer and its history

The Lord's Prayer is mentioned twice in the Bible - in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. It is believed that the Lord Himself gave it to people when they asked for words to pray. This episode is described by the evangelists. This means that even during Jesus’ earthly life, those who believed in Him could know the words of the Lord’s Prayer.

The Son of God, having chosen the words, suggested to all believers how to begin prayer so that it would be heard, how to lead a righteous life in order to be worthy of God’s mercy.

They entrust themselves to the will of the Lord, because only He alone knows what a person really needs. “Daily bread” does not mean simple food, but everything that is needed for life.

Likewise, “debtors” mean simple sinful people. Sin itself is a debt to God that must be atoned for by repentance and good deeds. People trust in God, ask to forgive their sins, and themselves promise to forgive their neighbors. To do this, with the help of the Lord, one must avoid temptations, that is, temptations with which the devil himself “confuses” in order to destroy humanity.

But prayer is not so much about asking. It also contains gratitude as a symbol of honoring the Lord.

How to recite the Lord's Prayer correctly

This prayer is read upon awakening from sleep and for the coming sleep, since it is included without fail in the morning and evening rules - a set of prayers for daily reading.

The “Our Father” certainly sounds during the Divine Liturgy. Usually believers in churches sing it in chorus together with the priest and singers.

This solemn singing is followed by the presentation of the Holy Gifts - the body and Blood of Christ for the sacrament of communion. At the same time, parishioners kneel before the shrine.

It is also customary to read it before every meal. But modern man has no time all the time. However, Christians should not neglect their prayer duties. Therefore, it is permissible to read a prayer at any convenient moment, both while walking and even while lying in bed, as long as nothing distracts from the prayerful mood.

The main thing is to do this with awareness of the meaning, sincerely, and not just pronounce it mechanically. Literally from the first words addressed to God, believers feel security, humility and peace of mind. This state continues after reading the last prayer words.

Many famous theologians, such as John Chrysostom and Ignatius Brianchaninov, interpreted the “Our Father”. Their works provide extensive, detailed descriptions. Those who are interested in issues of faith should definitely familiarize themselves with them.

Many who have recently crossed the threshold of the temple, and are literally taking their first steps along the steps of the ladder of Orthodoxy, complain about the lack of understanding of prayers in the Old Church Slavonic language.

For such cases there is a translation into modern Russian. This option will be clear to everyone. But as practice shows, over time, incomprehensible words will become clearer, and worship will be perceived as a special art with its own style, its own language and traditions.

In the short text of the Lord's Prayer, all Divine wisdom fits into a few lines. There is a great meaning hidden in her, and everyone finds in her words something very personal: consolation in sorrows, help in endeavors, joy and grace.

Text of the prayer in Russian

Synodal translation of the prayer into modern Russian:

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Russian Bible Society Translation from 2001:

Our Father in Heaven,
Let Your name be glorified,
Let Your kingdom come
Let Your will be fulfilled on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, just as we forgive those who owe us.
Don't put us to the test
but protect us from the Evil One.

“Our Father” in Church Slavonic, Russian, Greek, Latin, English. An explanation of prayer and its use in daily life...

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Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Lord Almighty (Pantocrator). Icon

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“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 our daily bread this day; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors ours; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen" (Matthew 6:9-13).

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In Greek:

Πάτερ ἡμῶν, ὁἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. ἁγιασθήτω τὸὄνομά σου, ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου, γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶἐπὶ γής. Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον. Καὶἄφες ἡμῖν τὰὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν, ὡς καὶἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν. Καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν, ἀλλὰ ρυσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ του πονηρου.

In Latin:

Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie. Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo.

In English (Catholic liturgical version)

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed to be your 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 evil.

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Why did God Himself give a special prayer?

“Only God Himself can allow people to call God Father. He granted this right to people, making them sons of God. And despite the fact that they withdrew from Him and were in extreme anger against Him, He granted oblivion of insults and the sacrament of grace” ( St. Cyril of Jerusalem).

How Christ taught the apostles to pray

The Lord's Prayer is given in the Gospels in two versions, more extensive in the Gospel of Matthew and brief in the Gospel of Luke. The circumstances under which Christ pronounces the text of the prayer are also different. In the Gospel of Matthew, the Lord's Prayer is part of the Sermon on the Mount. Evangelist Luke writes that the apostles turned to the Savior: “Lord! Teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples” (Luke 11:1).

"Our Father" in the home prayer rule

The Lord's Prayer is part of the daily prayer rule and is read both during Morning Prayers and Bedtime Prayers. The full text of the prayers is given in Prayer Books, Canons and other collections of prayers.

For those who are especially busy and cannot devote much time to prayer, Venerable Seraphim of Sarov gave a special rule. "Our Father" is also included in it. In the morning, afternoon and evening you need to read “Our Father” three times, “Virgin Mother of God” three times and “I Believe” once. For those who, due to various circumstances, cannot follow this small rule, Rev. Seraphim advised reading it in any position: during classes, while walking, and even in bed, presenting the basis for this as the words of Scripture: “whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

There is a custom to read “Our Father” before meals along with other prayers (for example, “The eyes of all trust in You, O Lord, and You give them food in due season, You open Your generous hand and fulfill every animal’s good will”).

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Interpretation of Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria on the Lord's Prayer "Our Father..."

“Pray like this: Our Father who art in heaven!” A vow is one thing, prayer is another. A vow is a promise to God, as when someone promises to abstain from wine or anything else; prayer is asking for benefits. Saying “Father” shows you what blessings you have received by becoming the son of God, and with the word “in heaven” he points you to your fatherland and your father’s house. Therefore, if you want to have God as your Father, then look at heaven, not at earth. You do not say: “My Father,” but “Our Father,” because you must consider all the children of one Heavenly Father to be your brothers.

"Hallowed be Thy name" - that is, make us holy, so that Your name may be glorified, for just as God is blasphemed through me, so through me He is sanctified, that is, glorified as Holy.

"Thy kingdom come"- that is, the second coming: for a person with a clear conscience prays for the coming of resurrection and judgment.

"Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." As the angels, he says, carry out Your will in heaven, so grant us to do it on earth.

"Give us this day our daily bread." By “daily” the Lord means that bread that is sufficient for our nature and condition, but He eliminates concern for tomorrow. And the Body of Christ is our daily bread, for whose uncondemned communion we must pray.

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Since we sin even after baptism, we pray that God will forgive us, but forgive us in the same way that we forgive. If we hold a grudge, He will not forgive us. God has me as His example and does to me what I do to others.

"And do not lead us into temptation". We are weak people, so we should not expose ourselves to temptation, but if we fall, we must pray so that temptation does not consume us. Only the one who is consumed and defeated is drawn into the abyss of trial, and not the one who fell and then won.

In Orthodox culture there are many different canons and customs, which for many unbaptized people may seem very unusual. However, the prayer “Our Father” is that same religious address, the words of which are familiar to everyone firsthand.

“Our Father” in Church Slavonic with accents

Our Father, who art in heaven!

Hallowed be Thy name,

may your kingdom come,

Thy will be done

as in heaven and on earth.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our debts,

just as we also leave our debtors;

and do not lead us into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.

The Lord's Prayer in Russian in full

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors;

And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Interpretation of the Lord's Prayer

The origin of “Who art in heaven” has a long, centuries-old history. The Bible mentions that the author of the Lord's Prayer is Jesus Christ himself. It was given to them while he was still alive.

During the existence of the Lord's Prayer, many clergy have expressed and continue to express their opinions about the main meaning that is set out in this prayer. Their interpretations are comparatively different from each other. And first of all, this is due to the fact that the content of this sacred and thoughtful text contains a very subtle, but at the same time important philosophical message, which can be perceived by each person in completely different ways. Moreover, the prayer itself is quite short compared to others. Therefore, anyone can learn it!

The Lord's Prayer is composed in such a way that its entire text has a special structure in which sentences are divided into several semantic parts.

  1. The first part talks about glorifying God. While pronouncing it, people turn to the Almighty with all recognition and respect, thinking that this is the main savior of the entire human race.
  2. The second part involves individual requests and wishes of people directed to God.
  3. A conclusion that concludes the prayer and conversion of the believers.

Having analyzed the entire text of the prayer, an interesting feature is the fact that during the recitation of all its parts, people will have to turn to God with their requests and wishes seven times.

And in order for God to hear requests for help and be able to help, it would do well for each person to study detailed information with a detailed analysis of all three parts of the prayer.

"Our Father"

This phrase makes it clear to the Orthodox that God is the main ruler of the Kingdom of Heaven, to whom the soul must be treated in the same way as one’s own father. That is, with all the warmth and love.

Jesus Christ, when he taught his disciples to pray correctly, spoke about the need to love the Father God.

"Who is in heaven"

In the interpretation of many clergy, the phrase “He who is in heaven” is understood in a figurative sense. So, for example, in his reflections John Chrysostom presented it as a comparative phrase.

Other interpretations say that “He who is in heaven” has a figurative expression, where heaven is the personification of any human soul. In other words, God's power is present in everyone who sincerely believes in it. And since the soul is usually called human consciousness, which does not have a material form, but at the same time it (consciousness) exists, then, accordingly, the entire inner world of the believer in this interpretation appears as a heavenly form, where God’s grace also exists.

"Hallowed be thy name"

It means that people should glorify the name of the Lord God by doing good and noble deeds, without violating all the commandments of the Old Testament. The phrase “Hallowed be thy name” is original and was not replaced when translating the prayer.

"Thy kingdom come"

Biblical legends say that during the life of Jesus Christ, the kingdom of God helped people overcome suffering, cast out evil spirits, including the power of demons, heal the sick body from all kinds of diseases, creating conditions for a wonderful and happy life on earth.

But over time, a huge number of people still turned out to be unable to protect themselves from dirty temptations, discrediting and denigrating their weak-willed souls with artificial temptations. Ultimately, the lack of humility and flawless adherence to one's own natural instinct turned most of society into wild animals. It must be said that these words have not lost their originality to this day.

"Thy will be done"

The point is that there is no need to be afraid of the power of God, since he knows better how the fate of each person should turn out: through work or pain, joy or sadness. No matter how unpleasant our path is filled with circumstances, it is important that with God’s help it always makes sense. These are perhaps the most powerful words.

"Our Bread"

These words are full of mystery and complexity. The opinions of many clergy agreed that the meaning of this phrase is due to the constancy of God. That is, he must protect people not only in the most difficult moments, but also in other cases, always staying with them. It is very important to learn these words by heart.

"And leave us our debts"

You need to learn to forgive the sins of loved ones and strangers. Because only then will all your own vices be forgiven.

"And do not lead us into temptation"

This means that people ask God to create on the path of life those difficulties and obstacles that we are able to overcome. For everything beyond one’s control is capable of breaking the human soul and losing one’s faith, exposing every person to temptation.

"But deliver us from evil"

Everything is clear here. We ask God for help in the fight against evil.

You can print out the Lord's Prayer on paper before going to church.

It is important to note that all the words presented above are presented in modern Russian, which are translations from the ancient church language.

At home, the Lord's Prayer is read in the morning and at night before going to bed. And in the temple you can turn to God at any time.


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