Lord's Prayer

 

We begin our month of centering on the Lord’s Prayer with Matthew’s version.  Here is the way the scholars of the New Revised Standard Version translate Matthew 6:7-14.  I invite you to say this aloud!!

⁷ “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ⁹ “Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. ¹⁰ Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  ¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread. ¹² And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ¹³ And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.  ¹⁴ For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; ¹⁵ but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Push pause right now.  Breathe.  Let those words you just read sink and settle all the way down to your soul.  What stuck out to you as you read this translation?  Was there a phrase you found particularly meaningful in what you just said?  Did you notice and name the differences between this version and what we say typically on a Sunday morning? Was there a new insight that is starting to form within you from praying these words outside of the usually time of Sunday morning?

Now, the same passage from The Message translation.

^7-13 “The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:

Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are. Set the world right; Do what’s best— as above, so below.  Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You’re in charge! You can do anything you want! You’re ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes. ^14-15 “In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.

Again, what did you notice?  What is different between the two versions?  What seems similar?  Try not to evaluate, rate, or rank one as better.  How can you appreciate and affirm the beauty in both translations?  Does this cause you to want to look at other translations?  Go ahead!  Let loose your inner detective on biblegateway.com to read several other translations.

Prayer: May each reading of the Matthew’s version awaken a sense of the One who seeks a life-giving and life-changing relationship with you and all of us in these days.  Amen.