Lord’s Prayer is the most widely said Christian prayer. By tradition, it is one of the three basic statements of Christian faith. The other two are the Apostles’ Creed and the Ten Commandments . The Lord’s Prayer is found in the Christian Bible and is said to have been taught by Jesus Himself. It is also known as the Pater Noster, from the first two words of the prayer, which in Latin mean Our Father.
The Lord’s Prayer appears in two forms in the New Testament —in Matthew 6:9-13 and in Luke 11:2-4. In general, all Christian groups use the longer version found in Matthew. The exact words of the prayer vary among different translations of the New Testament. The prayer begins by praising God and asking for God’s name to be glorified. It requests that God’s kingdom may come and God’s will be done. The prayer then asks for the provision of food, for forgiveness, and for protection against evil. Some versions of the prayer in Matthew also conclude by praising God.
The Lord’s Prayer is used by members of all Christian denominations in both public and private worship. It is also sometimes said by nonreligious groups, such as athletic teams before or after games and organizations at meetings. Many composers have set the prayer to music. American composer Albert H. Malotte wrote one of the best-known versions in 1935.
