Translation commentary on Matthew 6:13

This final petition is especially difficult to interpret. The Greek word translated temptation may also mean “trial, persecution.” A number of commentators interpret it in light of the Jewish and early Christian belief that a period of trial and persecution would come upon the faithful immediately before the end of the world. But as one scholar observes, the lack of the definite article before temptation is a strong argument against this particularized interpretation. A more general interpretation of temptation seems best in light of the absence of any specific reference to “the” one great and final period of temptation. See further at 26.41.

The Greek verb translated lead … into by Revised Standard Version and “bring … to” by Good News Translation is a verb which may be used in a wide range of contexts (see Luke 5.18, 19; 11.4; 12.11; Acts 17.20; 1 Tim 6.7; Heb 13.11). There is a dilemma here. According to the Old Testament, God does put people to the test to find out if they will obey him (for example, Gen 22.1-2; Exo 16.4), and according to 1 Corinthians 10.13 it is God who creates both the source of testing and the strength to endure it. But one commentator suggests that the original Aramaic was either causative (“and cause us not to enter”) or permissive (“allow us not to enter”), in which case the question of God’s directing people toward temptation is not really of concern. In either case, the question whether God sends temptation is not really of concern here, if either cause or permission is a valid interpretation.

For a discussion of temptation, see 4.1. As we pointed out there, the sense here can be either “to tempt to do wrong” or “to test or try.” If translators follow the former interpretation and at the same time use the causative or permissive interpretation of lead … into, then the sentence can be “Don’t cause us to enter into temptation” or “Don’t let it happen that we are tempted to do wrong.”

Translations that follow the second interpretation, translating “temptation” as “testing,” will have a rendering much like that of Good News Translation, possibly saying “Don’t put us through the ordeal of testing,” “Don’t cause us to undergo testing,” or “Don’t cause us to be tried too hard.”

Deliver … from (Good News Translation “keep … safe from”) translates a verb which may mean either “rescue from” or “protect against.” A number of translations render “save … from” (New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, An American Translation, Phillips); Barclay has “rescue … from” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “protect … from.” Translators who prefer the first meaning, “rescue from,” will have a rendering such as “save us from” or “take us out of the hands of.” Those who choose the other possible meaning, “protect against,” will have expressions such as “protect us from,” “keep us safe from,” or “do not let us be conquered by.”

Evil translates a noun which may also mean “the evil one” (RSV footnote). New Testament scholars are divided on their judgment. Some are of the opinion that the word is neuter, inasmuch as neither Hebrew nor Aramaic uses “the evil one” to denote Satan. Others, basing their judgment upon 13.19, believe that the phrase may refer to the Evil One, that is, the Devil. In either case, whether evil or the Evil One, the power of evil is here spoken of as a reality. See comments at 5.37, 39.

Many translators prefer to interpret evil as the Devil, and have either “the Evil One” or “the Devil, the Evil One.” But others will keep “evil” as an abstract idea or force, as in “take us out of evil” or “protect us from evil.”

A number of manuscripts, but not the best or most ancient, include a benediction at the close of the Lord’s Prayer, as TC-GNT notes. For English-speaking readers the most familiar of these is that of King James Version: “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” Another ancient source simply has “For yours is the power forever and ever.” Several late manuscripts even have “For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.” One scholar argues for including the doxology because it is impossible to imagine that either Jesus or Matthew would have ended a prayer without a doxology, since Jewish prayers traditionally concluded in this manner. However, it must be borne in mind that the best textual traditions do not include a doxology. It is unlikely that a scribe would have omitted a doxology when copying the text, but it is far more likely that he would add one to the original text. We assume that it was not in the original text, in light of all the evidence. None of the standard modern translations include the doxology.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 6:13

6:13a

And lead us not into temptation: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as temptation is ambiguous. There are two ways to interpret this word:

(1) It means temptation. This refers to being tempted to sin. It means “enticed/encouraged to do what is wrong.” For example:

Don’t allow us to be tempted (God’s Word)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004))

(2) It means testing. This refers to difficulties and persecutions. For example:

do not bring us to hard testing (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with a majority of Bible scholars.

lead us not into temptation: The clause lead us not into temptation means that we should ask God to lead/guide our lives away from situations that expose us to temptation. It is a request that God will protect us from situations where someone or something will persuade us to sin. God himself does not tempt people (James 1:13).

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

lead us away from temptation
-or-
don’t let us yield to temptation (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Don’t allow us to be tempted. (God’s Word)
-or-
Keep us from being tempted (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
cause us to stay far from temptation to do wrong/evil

This clause is passive. In some languages it may be more natural to translate this as an active clause. For example:

Do not allow anyone/anything to tempt us to sin

This clause is the same as in Luke 11:4.

6:13b

but: There is a contrast between 6:13a and 6:13b. The contrast is between “leading us to temptation” and “delivering us from evil.” The Berean Standard Bible and many English versions indicate this contrast with the conjunction but.

Here are some other ways to translate this contrast:

Instead (God’s Word)
-or-
Rather

deliver us: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as deliver refers to saving, rescuing, or protecting someone from harm or danger.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

keep…safe (Good News Translation)
-or-
rescue (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
protect (Contemporary English Version)

the evil one: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the evil one can be interpreted in two ways:

(1) It refers to the evil one. This phrase refers to Satan. For example:

but keep us safe from the Evil One (Good News Translation)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation (2004), NET Bible, God’s Word, Revised English Bible, New Century Version)

(2) It refers to evil in general. For example:

and protect us from evil (Contemporary English Version)

(Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, English Standard Version, King James Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Most commentaries follow this interpretation.

The words “the evil one” also occur in 5:37b. See how you translated it there.

6:13c

There is a textual issue here. The words in 6:13c are not in the earliest Greek manuscripts. As a result, most English versions put this part of the verse only in a footnote, as the Berean Standard Bible does. However, many churches include the words in 6:13c in the version of the Lord’s Prayer that they recite. For this reason, you will probably want to translate these words, even if you put them neither in the text nor in a footnote.

If you do put these words in a footnote, a sample footnote is:

Only some of the later Greek manuscripts include extra words at the end of 6:13, which reads: For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

To show that the words in 6:13c are not part of the normal text, the Berean Standard Bible source line for 6:13c is in double square brackets in the Display.

For: Verse 6:13c expresses praise to God. It is also the closing of the prayer in 6:9b–13b. Furthermore, it is the basis for the requests in the prayer. We can pray that God’s name be hallowed, that his kingdom come, and so forth because authority, power, and glory belong to him.

The Berean Standard Bible introduces this part of the prayer with the word For. Here are some other ways to introduce this part of the prayer:

Because
-or-

⌊I/We pray this⌋ because

In some languages, it will not be necessary to begin 6:13c with a connecting word or phrase.

Yours is the kingdom: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Yours is the kingdom indicate that only God has the right to rule as supreme.

Here is another way to translate this clause:

you ⌊alone⌋ have the authority/right to rule ⌊over all⌋
-or-
authority belongs to you

See how you translated kingdom in 3:2 or 4:17.

and the power: There are implied words in this phrase as shown below:

and ⌊yours is⌋ the power

The entire phrase means “God has all power.” Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

you have all power
-or-
you are all-powerful/almighty
-or-
all power belongs to you

and the glory: Just as in the previous phrase, there are implied words here:

and ⌊yours is⌋ the glory

In this context the word glory refers to the “majesty” or “greatness” of the Lord.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

you are the greatest one
-or-
you are the most majestic one
-or-
all greatness belongs to you

Amen: The word Amen comes from the Greek word amēn, which is a transliteration of a Hebrew word. It means “let it be so,” or “truly.” If the people in your area already use the word Amen, you may want to use it here. Or you may want to translate the meaning:

Let it be so
-or-
Let it happen that way
-or-

⌊May it⌋ truly ⌊be that way⌋

General Comment on 6:13b–c

Since this is the end of the model prayer, it may be natural in some languages to indicate that the prayer has ended. For example:

⌊Pray like that.⌋

-or-

⌊That is how you should pray.⌋

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