This verse is short but difficult to interpret. The difficulty can best be demonstrated from the Revised Standard Version rendering (Give us this day our daily bread), which represents a fairly literal rendering of the Greek. The problem concerns the meaning of the word rendered daily. The word appears only in Christian literature (perhaps also once in a non-Christian papyrus), and its origin and meaning have never been explained to the satisfaction of all. Several solutions have been offered and are summarized in the commentaries. One of the standard Greek lexicons presents them in the following order:
(1) “Necessary for existence.” This is the choice of Good News Translation: (“Give us today the food we need”), Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch (“Give us what we need for life today”), and Bible en français courant (“Give us today the necessary food”). Some commentators say that this interpretation makes the petition less than spiritual. But Jesus and his followers took seriously the needs of the body.
(2) “For the current day, for today.” This seems to be the interpretation favored by translations which render “daily” (see New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New English Bible, Revised Standard Version). An American Translation (“Give us today bread for the day”) and Phillips (“Give us each day the bread we need for the day”) also favor this interpretation.
(3) “For the following day.” This would refer to the daily ration of bread, given for the next day; therefore, “Give us today our daily portion.” Moffatt translates “give us to-day our bread for the morrow,” while Barclay renders “Give us today our bread for the coming day.” This interpretation offers several possibilities of meaning. If the prayer is said in the morning, the “coming day” would be the day in progress. If prayed in the evening, the petition would also include the following day. But the future reference would permit an eschatological interpretation as well, in which case the “coming day” could be the coming Messianic banquet. However, in this context such an interpretation is highly unlikely.
(4) “Bread for the future.” This is discussed under (3) above; it is the so-called eschatological interpretation.

There is really no significant difference of meaning between the first two alternatives. Moreover, the third alternative, if taken as a reference to the present day, comes to mean essentially the same as the first two possibilities. The fourth interpretation, though attractive, does not seem to be in focus in the present passage.

Give may be “provide” or “make sure we have.”

Since an eschatological interpretation of daily should be rejected, the translation of this day should not be “in these days” or “in this age.” It means simply “today,” although it can be “each day” or “day by day” in some constructions, depending on how daily is dealt with.

The Greek word for bread is here used with the wider meaning of “food.” In very few cultures would the figure “bread” be understood to mean food in general, and therefore almost all translations say “food” or “things to eat.”

Some have wanted to take bread to mean more than “food,” feeling it represents all our needs, spiritual and physical. They have had translations like “everything we need for true life” or “for our souls (or, spirits) and bodies.” This would be incorrect, as would an interpretation like “everything we need for a living,” which covers all physical needs. It is best here to limit the interpretation of bread to “food,” as we said.

Most translators will follow the examples listed under the first two interpretations: “Give us each day (or, today) the food we need,” “Give us today the food for living,” “Give us what food we need to live each day,” or “Give us the food to satisfy our needs each day,” and so forth.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .