Our Father is the most important prayer for believers and is read morning and evening (at bedtime). It consists of turning to God the Father, penetrating into the most hidden corners of the human soul, detachment from worldly vanity for the time of prayer. Through this prayer, believers appeal to the Almighty Himself.
Our Father is a gift from Jesus Christ to people
period of his earthly life. It is now impossible to find out what the original text sounds like, but there are several editions that can be found in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke.
In its modern form, the prayer sounds like a version from the Apostle Matthew. If we talk about Luke’s version, it is as follows: the disciples turned to Jesus Christ with a request to teach them how to pray to the Lord, and Jesus Christ gave them the gift of the Lord’s Prayer as a kind of standard.
How to correctly read the Lord's Prayer
Any appeal to God is a message that should convey a depth of understanding of one’s own feelings. The clergy believe that those “Our Father” prayers that are spoken with the fulfillment of this condition will be heard. The foundations on which the person praying must rely:
- when turning to the Heavenly Father, one must believe that the request is really directed to the Father - the only, omnipotent one, as if all hope remains only on him; the Lord must be perceived as the final authority when addressing;
- when the line “Thy kingdom come” is spoken, it is also important to give the correct message: it is necessary to repent of your sins in order to get into the Kingdom of God, according to the Monk Simeon, the lack of understanding of these lines means a lack of understanding of how to prepare for the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven, which reduces no prayer;
- lying is unacceptable when making an appeal, and often the person asking is deceived or disingenuous, it is important to understand that prayer is not just words, but a broadcast of one’s inner state (faith, love, humility in making a decision, received from a soul turned to God), falsehood when this will not allow you to get the desired result, you will be left with a feeling of emptiness and disbelief, since the miracle did not happen, the release of energy when reading the prayer did not occur;
- Orthodox prayer, according to Metropolitan St. John of Tobolsk, should be selfless; for Catholics, Baptists, and Muslims this rule also applies, and when praying, one must ask the Lord to send down the understanding that love for the Almighty is above all else, and requests should come in second place so that there is work and money, health.
When reading the prayer, it is necessary to internally renounce the worldly, to draw your soul closer to the Divine. According to the Monk Isidore Pelusiot, those who by their actions and thoughts show that they are worthy of being called “Son of God” have the right to pray when they turn to the Most High Father.
Appeal: Our Father
Jesus Christ made a discovery by offering a hitherto unknown address: Our Father. Not as a detached subject, but as the One who gives only good, without punishing anyone. Before this, in the Old Testament religion they saw in Him:
- Almighty Governor of the universe;
- the All-Wise Logos, leading the forces of nature, phenomena, elements;
- the Terrible and Fair Judge, who has mercy and rewards;
- God who does whatever he wants.
People did not think that it was possible to treat the Almighty as the Father of all: those on the right path and those in error; those who believe in God and those who reject; good and evil. Humanity, both knowing and enmity against Him, are His children, having one root. People enjoy freedom: to honor the Heavenly Father, or to live according to their own understanding.
The following episode can serve as an example of God’s love for everyone. When Moses and his people, having crossed the Black Sea, saw the drowning of Pharaoh’s army, he was incredibly happy. For this, God reproached the righteous man: “Why are you so happy when I am grieving: after all, the lost are also my children!”
Note: God, as a Father, admonishes and saves His children who turn to Him, revealing “illness.” He heals our souls as the best healer, so that they may have eternal life and not death.
The main idea of the Lord's Prayer. History of Prayer
Previously, various representatives of the Orthodox Church in different countries made attempts to decipher the message given by God. The text was previously divided into separate fragments - phrases, words and phrases, which were analyzed in search of hidden meaning. Considering that the Lord's Prayer is common to all religions, similar attempts to decipher it were made by representatives of the Catholic Church and other faiths. It is more difficult to understand the meaning separately, but it is also important to understand what message is conveyed not only by a single word, but also by the full version of the prayer.
Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) also asked similar questions. With God's help, he managed to find the answer - the main idea of the Lord's Prayer boils down to the need for complete unity with the Almighty. At the same time, one’s own will ceases to exist; the need to fulfill the will of the Lord becomes paramount. Any alienation from it is evidence of damage to faith.
The Lord is the only source of blessings, of all things.
When the need arises to contact him through prayer, the person asking accepts this condition and directs his soul to the Almighty. At the moment, the text being read is a way of communication between a person and the Lord. Requests are addressed to him: “give”, “deliver”, “leave”.
When interpreted, another thought follows from this thought - a new attitude towards the world, which is formed on the basis of the acquired meaning of the words read. Contrary to the usual interpretation of the text of the prayer about earthliness, the need to bring the Kingdom of God to Earth, a new message arises: it is necessary, on the contrary, to rise above everything worldly, to renounce, turning to the Lord.
There is a third message running through the entire text of Our Father; it is less obvious and therefore difficult to discern - this is the salvation of the soul through turning to the Lord. At the same time, forgiveness is mentioned, and it is said about the need to forgive the offenders yourself before the person asking turns to the Almighty.
Description and role in Orthodoxy
One of the most famous prayers in the Orthodox faith is the Our Father. It is believed that Jesus Christ himself left it to people. The Savior spoke the Galilean dialect of Aramaic. But the original sacred text has not survived to this day. Therefore, it is impossible to establish whether the prayer service was actually written in this dialect.
The prayer text appeared in the early times of the formation of the Christian faith in the world. The oldest version of this prayer that has survived to this day is written in the ancient Koine Greek dialect. There are several texts of this petition.
In the Gospel, the Lord's Prayer is written in two versions. The extended version is given in the Gospel of Matthew, and the summary is given in the Gospel of Luke.
There is no clear opinion about the circumstances of the prayer service. The prayer in the Gospel of Matthew is given as part of the Sermon on the Mount. Luke says that Christ gave it to his disciples when they asked him to “teach them to pray.”
The version given in Matthew is considered universal. It is this that is most common in the Christian world. This option is reproduced in the Didache, an ancient Christian writing of a catechetical nature, dating from the end of the 1st - beginning of the 2nd century. It also says that prayers must be said three times a day.
Later, other versions of this prayer appeared. The reason for their writing is the author’s desire to emphasize certain points of ambiguous concepts given in the text.
Due to the fact that the Savior himself gave the Holy Scriptures to people, the prayer service is deeply revered by Christians around the world. The prayer reflects the ardent desire of believers to glorify the Lord and the happiness that they will experience with the coming of God's Kingdom to earth.
Regardless of the text, “Our Father” consists of three parts:
- in the first the name of the Lord is glorified;
- in the second part a request is made to God;
- end of prayer.
In the petition, the request is made to the Lord seven times. This prayer service is read in difficult times for a person. With its help, people ask higher powers for health, help in finding work for family well-being, and forgiveness of sins. A petition made from a pure heart will allow a person to resist the temptations of the world.
The prayer service helps you calm down, accept your grievances and forgive your offenders. Like any petition, “Our Father” is able to relieve mental pain, allows you to see the right decision, and sometimes heal. Moreover, healing occurs both of the physical body and of the soul.
Before reading this prayer, you must concentrate. It is best to go to a separate room, if possible. You can pray both in front of the icon of the Lord and without it.
Before you start reading, you need to kneel down and close your eyes. After this, the person needs to cross himself. Next, the beginning of the prayer is said.
It is best to read the text without peeking. The Lord's Prayer is easy to remember. Therefore, almost all believers know this petition by heart. There is no need to rush while reading. All words should be pronounced clearly, with a deep understanding of the spoken words.
If you read a prayer with faith, the Lord will definitely hear it and help the one who asks.
The text of the prayer “Our Father” in Church Slavonic (with accents).
The modern version of the text has been changed to simplify understanding and improve perception. But the prayer in Church Slavonic is also read today. It is recommended to find out the meaning of some words, this will make it easier to understand the meaning. If you repeat the appeal to God up to 40 times, the state of the soul improves, a feeling of peace appears, and goodness is acquired. It is believed that this protects against troubles and misfortunes.
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.
Amen.
You can download the video for free and listen to the prayer in Church Slavonic. At the same time, it will be possible to remember complex words and pronounce them independently in the future.
Download a picture with a prayer to your phone
To always have a text at hand that allows you to contact God, you can install an image with a prayer on your phone’s desktop. There are no restrictions on whether the modern version or the Church Slavonic version will be used. The picture can be downloaded from any online resource or made yourself in a photo editor by superimposing words on the image of the desired format.
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Read online text in Russian full version
When the words of appeal to God are at the stage of study, you should keep the source book with notes at hand. It will gradually become easier to read the Lord’s Prayer in Russian; the prayer is easy to remember. But it is recommended to memorize it completely first. Then you can pronounce the shortened version. The clergy believe that it makes no difference how long the appeal to God is pronounced, since the Almighty already knows what the person asking needs.
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Print the prayer
For convenience, you can carry a printed version of the text with you. This is a suitable option for children if they have not yet fully learned the prayer. First you need to download the image to your smartphone or personal computer. Then all that remains is to print the file onto paper. To do this, just press one button (“print”).
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Question answer. Interpretation of the Lord's Prayer
If any ambiguities arise when studying the text of the appeal to the Almighty, you can turn to Father Innocent for clarification.
Let’s decipher what it means: “Our Father who art in heaven”
Valeria, 34 years old, Perm: “I wasn’t a church member before, but I believed in God. I recently decided to study the prayer book more deeply, including the main prayer. Now many questions arise. First of all, I’m interested in the first phrase, tell us more about its meaning?”
Why is the Lord's Prayer called the Lord's Prayer?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
It may seem that it received this name because it represents an appeal to the Almighty. In fact, everything is exactly the opposite: the Lord gave these lines through his son Jesus Christ to the apostles, and they were supposed to convey their main meaning to people. Here is hidden the whole essence of the universe, the foundations of life - man’s constant desire for the Lord.
Do we call God Father because He created us all?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
In this case, it is necessary to proceed from word forms. So, if we say “created” the world, it means that we assume that the Lord is the creator. When we call him Father, we must mean a different meaning - an appeal to the Almighty as to our true father. In prayer, every sufferer must turn to God as the ultimate goal of his life, gaining love for the world and people through the Almighty.
Why “Our Father” and not “mine”?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
Everything is very simple: Our Heavenly Father is one for all. He is the creator, and at the same time the source of everything that he himself created in the future. God is Love, which means that he is present in every being, is the Father of everyone on Earth, which makes people sisters, brothers. When we pray the Lord's Prayer, we emphasize oneness with the universe.
Why “in Heaven” if the Church teaches that God is omnipresent?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
If you are interested in the mystery of the Lord’s Prayer, a little-known fact goes like this: when addressing the Almighty they say “in Heaven,” but there is no need to put your own meaning into these words (the separation of God from people, his ascension to heaven). The meaning of the phrase is different: prayer is designed to help people distance themselves from everything earthly; they should strive for the heavenly, in this case, Our Father, who is present in all living things and in the atmosphere as well.
The meaning of the words “Hallowed be thy name”
Varvara, 29 years old, Saratov: “I’m now studying prayers for different occasions, but I partially understand the main “Our Father.” Every time I read it, I focus on the phrase: Hallowed be Thy name.”
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“It may seem that this phrase contains a hidden message about the need to illuminate the name of the Lord. But this is a misconception, since in reality “to be holy” is a synonym for the word “to be glorified.” Do you feel how much the meaning of the phrase changes? So now let's look at it with new knowledge. So, saying, hallowed be Thy name, we proclaim our readiness to follow the commandments of the Most High, thereby we will glorify the Lord.”
What is the phrase: “Thy kingdom come”?
Marina, 32 years old, St. Petersburg: “I would like to fully understand the words of the prayer that I say. This line refers to heaven, right?”
What kingdom are we talking about? Are we asking God to become a world king?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“In this phrase there are simultaneously hidden 2 meanings that follow from one another. So, the first priority is the petition to achieve the kingdom of God in your soul. This is a request addressed to the Lord, and the person praying seeks to abandon worldly fences, to live following the commandments of God, and therefore asks for support and help from the Almighty. The second meaning of the phrase is a consequence of the first. Thus, people who have achieved the kingdom of God in their souls will be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, which awaits all the pious after the Last Judgment.”
“Thy will be done as it is in heaven and on earth”
Galina, 53 years old, Kaluga: “I see this phrase as a request for permission to carry out the will of the Lord, is that so?”
Doesn’t God carry out His will on earth even without such a request from us?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“You can read the full version of the prayer or listen to the audio; it reveals the fuller meaning of this phrase. But I can explain it to you more clearly. You are partly right, only the meaning is slightly different: when a person says a prayer, he does not ask for permission, but seeks support from the Almighty. The one who prays needs the love of the Lord and shows readiness to serve him, to accept the Will of the Almighty (read: follow the commandments). But we all know that a person can give in to temptation and vices, so in this way he expresses his weakness and turns to the source of strength - God.”
“Give us this day our daily bread”
Irina, 39 years old, Pskov: “I can read the Lord’s Prayer in my sleep, even if I wake you up in the middle of the night, I know it perfectly well. Only one phrase is perplexing: if the appeal to God is more sublime, then in this case it all comes down to a request for earthly things—providing food for a person. Is there really a contradiction here?
What do the words “daily bread” and “today” mean?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“There is no contradiction in this phrase. On the contrary, the meaning is comprehensive, affecting different areas of human existence, which are united by one phrase - Daily Bread. In this case, what is really meant is something earthly: a person asks for support, asks to be given everything necessary (material) for existence, but without excesses - only “bread” (the basis of life on Earth). In addition, the person praying also needs spiritual food, and therefore asks for strength to always hear the living Word of the Lord in his heart.”
“And forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors.”
Inessa, 41 years old, Vladivostok: “I vaguely guess that debts in this case are grievances, people’s actions that require forgiveness from the person praying. But I don’t fully understand the phrase, how to connect its beginning and end?”
Does God forgive only those who themselves do not hold a grudge against their offenders?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“To get into the Kingdom of God (see transcript above), you must follow the commandments. Forgiving others and asking the Lord to ask oneself (the one praying) is one of them. This means that it also needs to be done. Debts are sins, grievances, wrong behavior (from the point of view of the Bible, not human morality).”
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Varvara, 30 years old, Irkutsk: “I heard that God tests people in this way: he tempts, but only true believers can avoid temptation. Is it so?"
Does God tempt anyone or lead anyone into temptation?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
Here there is a hidden request for support in difficult times, when a person is at a crossroads, does not know which path to choose (one of the paths is traditionally wrong, strewn with temptations, worldly happiness, but leads away from our Lord). When a person praying asks to be delivered from temptation, he expresses the need for support in such a way that it will allow him to resist temptation and choose the right path.
Who is he - the evil one or the evil one? How should this word be understood in the context of addressing the Almighty?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
At the same time, Jesus Christ put a fairly transparent meaning - he called the devil evil. It is something curvilinear, which is the opposite of straight. The request to deliver from the evil one is a logical continuation of the beginning of the phrase. We see that the person praying asks for help in resisting temptation, the source of which is the devil.
Why do they read the prayer 40 times in a row?
Alina, 33 years old, Ufa: “I want to download an audio and listen to a prayer that is repeated 40 times. I wouldn't be able to repeat it myself. Tell me, does this really help in making your wishes come true?”
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“There is no information on how many times to read the appeal to the Lord. This is a popular belief and does not apply to church canons. But this method is beneficial: it improves memory, disciplines, teaches sacrifice (in this case, abandoning your desires, spending time communicating with the Lord).”
Why do you dream if you read “Our Father” 40 times in a dream?
Marina, 39 years old, Moscow: “I had a strange dream: I was in church, reading a prayer many times (I didn’t count, but I’m sure it was 40). What does it mean?"
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“You should turn to dream books, not to a clergyman. But in any case, prayer does not bode well. If you are wondering why you dream of such an action, then I can assure you that in reality an improvement in your life situation awaits you, or if you trust in God, your worries will leave you.”
Where is the Lord's Prayer found in the Bible?
Ekaterina, 33 years old, Bryansk: “I’m studying the Word of God now. I want to learn the Lord’s Prayer, but I can’t find it in the original source, tell me where to look.”
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“You should turn to Matthew 6:9-13.”
How many times do you need to read the Lord's Prayer to make your wish come true?
Alisa, 33 years old, Tomsk: “I have a cherished desire (not empty, but very important). How to pray to get everything you need?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“Everything you really need, you’ll get it anyway. If you formulate your desires correctly (they will not cause negative consequences), then turn to God quite often and listen to your heart. Even in a dream, a person can subconsciously concentrate on what he wants, then sooner or later it will come to you.”
How to read a prayer for health?
Ekaterina, 43 years old, Voronezh: “We need to raise the child - he gets sick often. How to pray correctly for health, so that you don’t have the strength to see children’s suffering anymore?”
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“They read the prayer up to 40 times. And you can see improvements soon after. But I think that the reason is not the sacred meaning of the number 40, but the aspiration to God.”
How many times should we recite the Lord’s Prayer to have a job and money?
Irina, 43 years old, Omsk: “I’ve been looking for a job for a long time, so far no luck. What prayer will help me?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“Your desire is enough, you need to read the Our Father 9 times. You can listen to a song (church choir) or an audio recording of an appeal to God (mp3). The meaning of this is the same, since changes can only be caused by your message, which comes while reading the lines of the prayer.”
Is there a difference between the Orthodox version of the prayer and the Catholic version?
Irina, 33 years old, Stary Oskol: “I’m not sure I’m pronouncing the text correctly. I read that there are different options: for Catholics, Orthodox. Guide me to the right option."
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“I think you are reading the correct version. This can be understood by the phrase “and do not lead us into temptation.” Catholics have changed their prayer. It is this phrase that now sounds differently: “do not let us succumb to temptation.” It is more understandable to the person praying. But the Orthodox Church believes that there are no contradictions in the original version.”
Decoding the text of the prayer
Every line has meaning. Many people memorize words to the point of automatism, not understanding what they are actually asking from God. However, an attentive Christian cannot help but notice the amazing consonance that runs like a thin thread through the entire text. Indeed, prayer reflects everything a person needs in everyday life. See the full transcript of the sacred text below.
Our Father
The Father is the Father who created the first people, Adam and Eve, and also gave them a covenant to be fruitful and multiply. Thus, we all descend from a single ancestor.
This means that the Father of Adam and Eve is our Father.
Who is in heaven
In the Christian understanding, heaven is not clouds floating above our heads, but a kind of parallel world, which is also called subtle. This world lives not according to physical laws, but according to spiritual ones. In fact, angels, seraphim and cherubim, and even demons are incorporeal entities. It is impossible to see them with physical vision; they exist on the subtle energy plane.
When Jesus Christ speaks of heaven, he means precisely this spiritual world.
Hallowed be your name
The name of God is holy in itself, but Christ does not say “holy is Thy name,” but “hallowed.” This means that a person must treat the name of God accordingly. With this line, the worshiper shows respect to the Lord, recognizing His holiness. To understand this fact, it is enough to look at human relationships. A man, turning to a woman, compliments her, and then talks about his request. A subordinate, addressing his superior, calls him by name and patronymic, showing respect.
To the Lord, on whom we are completely dependent, we must address ourselves accordingly.
Thy kingdom come
Every Christian believes in the Second Coming of Christ and the Last Judgment. This is one of the unshakable dogmas of the Russian Orthodox Church. During these events, all the righteous will find eternal bliss, and sinners will be thrown into fiery Gehenna. But most importantly, Satan and all his minions will go there. The power of evil will end. This is the event that every believer longs for.
The second meaning of this phrase is peace in the hearts and souls of people. Christ, to the question of how to get into the Kingdom of God, answered with these words: “The Kingdom of God is within you.” That is, by fulfilling the will of the Lord, the commandments, living according to spiritual laws, we will find love and peace in our hearts. And vice versa, great sinners create a personal hell for themselves during their lifetime.
Believers, asking for the coming of the Kingdom of God, first of all call love into their souls.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven
In the subtle world, everything obeys the will of the Lord; angels cannot disobey. People have free will, so they can choose between good and evil. It is the human soul that is the battlefield between angels and demons. The Lord created people in His image and likeness, giving them the ability to become saints, getting as close to Him as possible. But people, not without the devil’s machinations, fell slaves to sin. Believers who want to become worthy of the image of God ask for His help in these words.
The second meaning of this phrase is caring. Only the Lord knows what is best for a person. For example, why shouldn't a single man win a couple of million in the lottery? He could update his wardrobe, buy an apartment to start a family, or organize his own production. Why is he unlucky?
Because Lord knows that a man will want to celebrate his win, get drunk in a restaurant and fight with another bully. In a brawl, the newly-made millionaire will deal a fatal blow to his opponent and go to prison. And the murdered man will have little children left orphans. Therefore, it is better for our hero not to buy lottery tickets, but to go to church, where he will meet a wonderful girl, start a family with her and give birth to a son, who will grow up and invent a cure for cancer.
Believers ask the Lord to arrange their lives in accordance with His will, because only He knows what will lead a person to salvation.
Give us our daily bread today
In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ called on people not to worry about daily necessities and gave an example: “Why are you worrying about clothes? Look at the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you that Solomon in all his glory did not dress like any of them.”
The Lord gives man everything he needs. This does not mean that today a loaf of bread will fall on your head and fish will appear in the refrigerator. But, having entrusted the Lord with the care of daily needs, we can be sure that He will not abandon His children. Christians must first of all seek the truth of God and fulfill the commandments, the rest will follow.
This does not mean that you can lie on the couch and wait for God to send an angel with a package. An example of this is monasteries. Monks always worked, cultivated the land, raised animals and did other work. And always with prayer on your lips. The Lord says: work, pray, and I will multiply the fruits of your labors.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors
The Savior often spoke in parables, adapting complex concepts to the human mind. One of these parables is about a slave who was heavily in debt to his master. A man came to the owner and cried, asking him to forgive a debt that he could not pay. The master, having compassion, forgave the slave. He came home cheerful. And a comrade came to him who owed a debt to the slave, but 100 times less than the amount that the master forgave the slave. The comrade cried, asking the slave to forgive him the debt, but the hard-hearted slave was adamant. The gentleman found out about this and became terribly angry. How could a slave who was forgiven a million not forgive a friend 10 thousand?
The parable speaks of people who do not forgive each other for minor offenses, but go to the temple, where the Lord is ready to forgive much greater sins. In this line of the prayer, believers seem to ask for justice: we have forgiven our debtors, forgive us too, Lord.
And do not lead us into temptation
Every person's life has its own troubles. No one could live without grief. And in this line of prayer, believers ask the Lord to help them withstand with dignity everything that befalls them. A person goes towards his goal, like an athlete towards victory. And now, there is one step left to the coveted Olympic medal, but it is taken incorrectly and the man breaks his leg. It’s a shame, it’s a pity, I want to do rash things. A person is filled with anger and cannot reconcile himself. And he doesn’t realize that during the competition he would have broken his neck, not his leg. And the Lord saved his life, taking away his cherished victory. How great is the temptation in such moments: people look for someone to blame and find someone to blame, bringing down all their anger on him.
But only a few people are capable of reconciling themselves and taking failure for granted. It is about such situations that the line is written.
But deliver us from evil
Since man was given free will, the enemy strives to win him over to his side. People do not notice how demons tempt people to sin. Thoughts, desires, fear - all this is from the evil one. They are the ones who push people to commit crimes. There is hardly a person who has not heard a deceitful whisper in the soul, after which heavy thoughts creep into the head in a muddy stream. Jealousy, suspicion, anger, the desire to taste the forbidden fruit - this is familiar to everyone. God gave every person an Angel who protects us from evil. It is enough to turn to him to dispel the devil's machinations.
But we make the choice ourselves; the angel cannot decide for us whether to hit us or not, to steal or abstain, to insult or remain silent. Therefore, believers ask the Lord for protection from evil spirits. And God helps everyone who turns to him with faith.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
The usual doxology, the glorification of the Holy Trinity, with which many prayer texts end. By pronouncing these words, a person recognizes the Lord as the main figure in his life and the entire universe.
Amen
This word in Hebrew sounds like “amen” - that's right. By ending the prayer with this word, the believer once again confirms the truth of everything he said.
My Lord's Prayer
“Once I dreamed that I began to read the Lord’s Prayer in a dream, and for a long time, with emphasis on the right words, as in the Church Slavonic version, even though I only knew it roughly. I was going through a difficult period in my life at that time, and I took such a dream as a guide to action - I went to Church to be closer to God. I read the Our Father, lit a candle, stayed on my feet for a long time, and was very tired then. I repeated this ritual almost every day. I had no goal of improving my life situation, I was simply in a hopeless situation (a loved one was sick).
Galina, 49 years old, Tula:
Soon after this, we learned about an improvement in our relative's health. Happiness knew no bounds. But I didn’t immediately connect these events. Later, I read in a dream book that prayer in a dream is a sign of imminent relief from hardships. But that’s not the point, I believe that it was turning to the Almighty that allowed me to withstand the tests, and at the same time helped my relative survive.”
The history of the appearance of the prayer “Our Father”
The history of the origin of the Lord's Prayer is described in the Gospel of Luke and Matthew. The apostles describe these events in different ways. Evangelist Luke talks about how Jesus Christ offered prayers to Heavenly Father in a secluded place. Upon the Teacher’s return, the apostles asked Him to teach them to pray correctly. Jesus gave them the text of the prayer. However, Luke's records do not match the Gospel of Matthew, who included the text as part of the Sermon on the Mount.
Jesus Christ at the foot of the mountain spoke about God, moral and spiritual laws. More than 5 thousand people gathered for the sermon, not counting women and children. People were surprised by the power that came from the Messiah. He spoke not as a Pharisee, but as one in power. The Sermon on the Mount went on for a long time and people wanted to eat. Then Christ showed a miracle: 5 thousand people were fed with five loaves of bread and two fish. After the meal, the apostles collected several large baskets of leftovers.
Theologians have been arguing for years about the difference between the texts of Luke and Matthew. The first prayer is shorter and received under completely different circumstances. The Church explains this fact by saying that the Gospels are a kind of chronicle. The description of events depends on the author. Perhaps Matthew did not describe the prayer separately, but combined it with other important words of Christ. One way or another, “Our Father” is the only prayer given to people by God himself, without intermediaries.
