The Lord's Prayer — Our Father Which Art in Heaven (KJV)

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.

Amen.

— Matthew 6:9–13 (KJV)

About This Prayer

This is the prayer Jesus Himself taught His disciples when they asked Him how to pray, recorded in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6) and again in Luke 11. Christians of every tradition have prayed it daily for two thousand years, making it the most widely spoken prayer in history. In a few short lines it holds everything prayer is for: worship, surrender to God's will, daily dependence, forgiveness given and received, and protection from evil. Some churches say "debts," others "trespasses" — the meaning is the same.

When to Pray This

Pray it any time — morning, mealtime, bedtime, in church, or in a moment when you cannot find your own words. It is also a gentle way to pray with children or with someone near the end of life, since so many people carry it by heart.