History of the Lord's Prayer in English

The Lord's Prayer has been translated and updated throughout the history of the English language. Here are examples which show the major developments:

Translations of Matthew 6:9b–13[]

The text of the Matthean Lord's Prayer in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible ultimately derives from first Old English translations. Not considering the doxology, only five words of the KJV are later borrowings directly from the Latin Vulgate (these being debts, debtors, temptation, deliver, and amen).^[1] Early English translations such as the Wycliffe and the Old English, however, were themselves translations of the Latin Vulgate.^[2]

AD 995, Old English^[3]

Fæder ūre

þū þē eart on heofonum

Sī þīn nama gehālgod

Tō becume þīn rice

Gewurþe þīn willa

On erðon swā swā on heofonum

Urne gedæghwamlīcan hlāf syle ūs tō dæg

And forgyf ūs ūre gyltas

Swā swā wē forgyfð ūrum gyltendum.

And ne gelæd þū ūs on costnunge

Ac alȳs ūs of yfele.

-

Sōþlice.

AD 1389 Wycliffe^[3]

Oure fadir

That art in hevenes

Halwid be thi name

Thi kingdom come to

Be thi wille don

On erthe as in hevenes

Give to us this day oure bred ovir othir substaunce

And forgiv us oure dettis

As we forgiven oure dettours

And lede us not in to temptacioun

But delyevr us from yvel

-

Amen.

AD 1526 Tyndale^[3]

O oure father which arte in heven,

halowed be thy name;

let thy kingdom come;

thy wyll be fulfilled

as well in erth as hit ys in heven;

geve vs this daye oure dayly breade;

and forgeve vs oure treaspases,

even as we forgeve them which treaspas vs;

leede vs not into temptacion,

but delyvre vs ffrom yvell.

For thyne is the kingdom and the power,^[4]

and the glorye for ever.

Amen.

AD 1611 King James Version^[5]

Our father which art in heauen,

hallowed be thy name

Thy kingdome come.

Thy will be done,

in earth, as it is in heauen.

Giue vs this day our daily bread.

And forgiue vs our debts,

as we forgiue our debters.

And lead vs not into temptation,

but deliuer vs from euill:

For thine is the kingdome, and the power,

and the glory, for euer,

Amen.

Other liturgical sources[]

AD 1549 Anglican BCP^[6]

Our father, whyche art in heaven,

halowed be thy name.

Thy Kyngdome come.

Thy wyll be doen in yearth,

as it is in heaven.

Geve us this daye our dayly breade.

And forgeve us our trespaces,

as wee forgeve them that trespasse agaynst us.

And leade us not into temptacion.

But deliver us from evill.

-

Amen.

AD 1662 Anglican BCP^[7]

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 trespasses,

As we forgive them that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

But deliver us from evil:

[For thine is the kingdom, the power,

and the glory, for ever and ever.]

Amen.

1759 Ordo administrandi sacramenta^[8]

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 them that trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

-

Amen.

AD 1772 Anglican BCP^[9]

Our Father, which art in heaven;

Hallowed by 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 trespasses,

As we forgive them that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

But deliver us from evil:

[For thine is the kingdom, :and the power,

and the glory, for ever and ever.]

Amen.

AD 1928 Anglican BCP^[10]

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 evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power,

and the glory, for ever and ever.

Amen.

AD 1988 ELLC^[11]

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.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

[For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours now and for ever.]

Amen.

Other versions[]

1768 Benjamin Franklin^[12]

Heavenly Father,

May all revere thee,

And become thy dutiful Children and faithful Subjects.

May thy Laws be obeyed on Earth as perfectly as they are in Heaven.

Provide for us this Day as thou has hitherto daily done.

Forgive us our Trespasses, and enable us likewise to forgive those that offend us.

Keep us out of Temptation, and deliver us from Evil.

References[]

^ Cook, Albert S. "The Evolution of the Lord's Prayer in English." p. 61–62
^ Cook, Albert S. "The Evolution of the Lord's Prayer in English." p. 60
^ ^a ^b ^c The Gothic and Anglo-Saxon gospels in parallel columns with the versions of Wycliffe and Tyndale
^ 1534 Tyndale in the English Hexapla
^ King James Bible Online
^ The First Book of Common Prayer
^ The Order of the Administration of the Lord's Supper
^ Richard Challoner, Ordo administrandi sacramenta 1759;
^ The Book of Common Prayer, 1772
^ Forms of Prayer
^ Praying Together Archived 2007-07-02 at the Wayback Machine
^ A New Version of the Lord’s Prayer, [late 1768?], Founders Online, National Archives, last modified June 13, 2018. Original source: The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, vol. 15, January 1 through December 31, 1768, ed. William B. Willcox. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1972, pp. 299–303.

[1] Cook, Albert S. "The Evolution of the Lord's Prayer in English." p. 61–62

[2] Cook, Albert S. "The Evolution of the Lord's Prayer in English." p. 60

[GothAS-3] The Gothic and Anglo-Saxon gospels in parallel columns with the versions of Wycliffe and Tyndale

[4] 1534 Tyndale in the English Hexapla

[5] King James Bible Online

[6] The First Book of Common Prayer

[7] The Order of the Administration of the Lord's Supper

[8] Richard Challoner, Ordo administrandi sacramenta 1759;

[9] The Book of Common Prayer, 1772

[10] Forms of Prayer

[11] Praying Together Archived 2007-07-02 at the Wayback Machine

[Franklin-12] A New Version of the Lord’s Prayer, [late 1768?], Founders Online, National Archives, last modified June 13, 2018. Original source: The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, vol. 15, January 1 through December 31, 1768, ed. William B. Willcox. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1972, pp. 299–303.

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