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[[de:Vaterunser]] [[eo:Patro Nia]] [[pl:Ojcze Nasz]]

The Lord's Prayer (sometimes known by its first two [[Latin language|Latin]] words as the ''Pater Noster'', or the English equivalent ''Our Father'') is probably the most well-known [[prayer]] in the [[Christian]] religion. The Lord's Prayer is excerpted from [[Gospel of Matthew|Matt.]] 6:9-13 during the [[Sermon on the Mount]]. (A similar prayer is found on [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 11:2-4.)

It is called the "Lord's Prayer" because it was a [[prayer]] given by [[Jesus Christ]] (ie. the "Lord") as response to a request from the Apostles for guidance on how to pray. Most Christian theologians point out that [[Jesus Christ]] would have never used this prayer himself, for it specifically asks for forgiveness of sins, and in most schools of Christian thought, Christ never sinned.

Note also that the prayer refers to the [[Kingdom of God]] which brings some focus on the expectancy held at that time for a Messiah King to appear. 01/27/06 

Although numerous variations exist, this version, from the [[1928]] [[Book of Common Prayer]], is a fairly well known example:
<i>
::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 [[trespass]]es, 
::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. 
</i>

When the Lord's Prayer is recited in the Roman Catholic mass (according to the [[1969]] [[Roman Missal]]), an additional section, recited by the Priest alone, is inserted before the final [[doxology]] ("For thine is the kingdom", etc.):
<i>
::<b>All.</b>
::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. 
::
::<b>Priest.</b>
::Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, 
::and grant us peace in our day. 
::In your mercy keep us free from sin 
::and protect us from all anxiety 
::as we wait in joyful hope 
::for the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. 
::
::<b>All.</b>
::For the kingdom, 
::the power, 
::and the glory are yours 
::now and for ever. 
</i>
Catholics, when reciting the Lord's prayer, omit the doxology, since in the Mass it is separated from the rest of the prayer by the additional section.


When Eastern Orthodox Christians pray the Lord's prayer, the priest says the doxology alone if one is present:
<i>
::<b>All.</b>
::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. 
::
::<b>Priest.</b>
::For the kingdom, 
::the power, 
::and the glory are yours 
::now and for ever. 
::
::<b>All</b>
::Amen.
</i>

If a priest is not present, a different doxology is typically substituted and said by those present, such as ''Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.''

The doxology was probably not present in the original version of the [[prayer]], but rather was added to the Gospels as a result of its use in the liturgy of the early church.

Here is a version of the Pater Noster in Aramaic:
<i>
::Abwoon d'bwashmaya,
::Nethqadash shmakh,
::Teytey malkuthakh.
::Nehwey tzevyanach aykanna d'bwashmaya aph b'arha.
::Hawvlan lachma d'sunqanan yaomana.
::Washboqlan khaubayn (wakhtahayn)
::aykana daph khnan shbwoqan l'khayyabayn.
::Wela tahlan l'nesyuna.
::Ela patzan min bisha. 
::Metol dilakhie malkutha wahayla wateshbukhta l'ahlam almin.
::Amen.
</i>

Gothic bishop [[Ulfilas]] wrote down the "Atta Unsar" or  "Lord's Prayer" in circa 350 AD.
Here is one version :
<i>
::Atta unsar thu in himinam,
::weihnai namo thein,
::quimai thiudinassus theins,
::wairthai wilja theins,
::swe in himina jah ana airthai.
::hlaif unsarana thana sinteinan gib uns himma daga,
::jah aflet uns thatei skulans sijaima,
::swaswe jah weis afletam thaim skulam unsaraim,
::jah ni briggais uns in fraistubnjai,
::ak lausei uns af thamma ubilin;
::unte theina ist thiudangardi
::jah mahts jah wulthus in aiwins.
::Amen.
</i>

'''Older English versions of the Lord's Prayer'''<br>
Dated [[1611]] AD.
<i>
::Our father which art in heauen,
::hallowed be thy name.
::Thy kingdom come.
::Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen.
::Giue us this day our daily bread.
::And forgiue us our debts as we forgiue our debters.
::And lead us not into temptation,
::but deliuer us from euill.
::Amen.
</i>


Dated [[1384]] AD. 
<i>
::Oure fadir <thorn>at art in heuenes halwid be <thorn>i name;
::<thorn>i reume or kyngdom come to be.
::Be <thorn>i wille don in her<thorn>e as it is doun in heuene.
::yeue to us today oure eche dayes bred.
::And foryeue to us oure dettis <thorn>at is oure synnys as we foryeuen to oure dettouris <thorn>at is to men <thorn>at han synned in us. 
::And lede us not into temptacion but delyuere us from euyl.
</i>

Dated circa [[1000]] AD.
<i>
::F�der ure <thorn>u <thorn>e eart on heofonum si <thorn>in nama gehalgod tobecume <thorn>in rice gewur<thorn>e <thorn>in willa on eor<eth>an swa swa on heofonum urne ged�ghwamlican hlaf syle us to d�g and forgyf us ure gyltas swa swa we forgyfa<eth> urum gyltendum and ne gel�d <thorn>u us on costnunge ac alys us of yfele so<thorn>lice.
</i>


See also:
 *[[Amen]]
 *[[Kingdom of God]]
 *[[Kingdom of Heaven]

== External Link ==
*[http://www.christusrex.org/www1/pater/ The Lord's Prayer in over 1000 languages]

====References====
* Adapted from the [[Wikipedia]] article, "Lord's Prayer" http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord%27s_Prayer August 3, 2003