The Lord's Prayer: Meaning, Line by Line

When His disciples asked, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1), Jesus didn't give them a lecture. He gave them a prayer. Christians have prayed it for two thousand years, in every language — but it's meant to be more than words to recite. It's a pattern for how to talk with God. Here's what each line means.

This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

The prayer, line by line

"Our Father in heaven"

Prayer begins with relationship. Jesus invites us to call God "Father" — near enough to love us, "in heaven" so He is great enough to help. And it's "our": we pray as part of a family.

"Hallowed be your name"

"Hallowed" means treated as holy. Before asking for anything, we ask that God be honoured — in our lives and in the world.

"Your kingdom come, your will be done"

We ask for God's rule to come "on earth as it is in heaven" — in our hearts, homes, streets and nations. See what the Kingdom of God is.

"Give us today our daily bread"

God cares about ordinary needs. We ask for what we need today, trusting Him for tomorrow.

"Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors"

We need forgiveness every day — and people who have been forgiven become people who forgive. Jesus underlined this right after the prayer (Matthew 6:14–15).

"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one"

We admit our weakness and ask God to guard us and rescue us from evil. It's a prayer of dependence.

What about "For yours is the kingdom…"?

Many churches end the prayer with "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." This line isn't in the earliest manuscripts of Matthew, which is why many modern Bibles put it in a footnote. It has been prayed by Christians since very early on and echoes Scripture (1 Chronicles 29:11), so it's a fitting way to close — just know why your Bible may print it differently.

How to pray it in your own words

Jesus said, "This is how you should pray" — it's a pattern as well as a prayer. Try praying through it slowly, expanding each line:

Father — thank Him that you're His child.

Hallowed be your name — praise Him for who He is.

Your kingdom come — pray for your city, the people you'll meet today and the nations.

Daily bread — bring today's real needs.

Forgive us… as we forgive — confess, receive forgiveness, and release someone who hurt you.

Deliver us — ask for strength where you're tempted and protection for those you love.

If praying out loud or in your own words feels hard, start with one honest sentence — see how to pray when you don't know what to say.

Questions people ask

Where is the Lord's Prayer in the Bible?

In Matthew 6:9–13, as part of the Sermon on the Mount, and in a shorter form in Luke 11:2–4.

What does hallowed be thy name mean?

May God's name be treated as holy — honoured and revered — in our lives and in the world.

Is the Lord's Prayer meant to be recited word for word?

It can be, and Christians have prayed it together for centuries. Jesus also gave it as a pattern, so you can pray through each line in your own words.

Why do some versions end with 'for thine is the kingdom'?

That closing doxology isn't in the earliest manuscripts of Matthew, so many modern Bibles footnote it. Many churches still pray it as a fitting close that echoes 1 Chronicles 29:11.

What is the difference between debts and trespasses?

Both describe sin. Matthew's Greek word means debts; many traditional versions say trespasses, following other translations and Luke's wording about sins.

Pray it over your city

"Your kingdom come" is a prayer for real streets. Build a prayer walk with prompts for the places around you. Build a prayer walk

Next steps

Build a prayer walk · How to start a prayer group