- 2056
- 24-08-2018
- Author: Mysekret Team
- 1
“Our Father” is the most popular and widespread Christian prayer. This appeal begins and ends many prayer services and is used for cleansing and calming. According to the Gospel, “Our Father” is the first prayer that Jesus gave to his disciples in response to a request to teach them to cry to the Lord. However, the original version of the prayer book has not been preserved, but translations and interpretations are used all over the world by churches, temples and believers.
How to correctly read the Lord's Prayer
Any appeal to God is a message that should convey a depth of understanding of one’s own feelings. The clergy believe that those “Our Father” prayers that are spoken with the fulfillment of this condition will be heard. The foundations on which the person praying must rely:
- when turning to the Heavenly Father, one must believe that the request is really directed to the Father - the only, omnipotent one, as if all hope remains only on him; the Lord must be perceived as the final authority when addressing;
- when the line “Thy kingdom come” is spoken, it is also important to give the correct message: it is necessary to repent of your sins in order to get into the Kingdom of God, according to the Monk Simeon, the lack of understanding of these lines means a lack of understanding of how to prepare for the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven, which reduces no prayer;
- lying is unacceptable when making an appeal, and often the person asking is deceived or disingenuous, it is important to understand that prayer is not just words, but a broadcast of one’s inner state (faith, love, humility in making a decision, received from a soul turned to God), falsehood when this will not allow you to get the desired result, you will be left with a feeling of emptiness and disbelief, since the miracle did not happen, the release of energy when reading the prayer did not occur;
- Orthodox prayer, according to Metropolitan St. John of Tobolsk, should be selfless; for Catholics, Baptists, and Muslims this rule also applies, and when praying, one must ask the Lord to send down the understanding that love for the Almighty is above all else, and requests should come in second place so that there is work and money, health.
When reading the prayer, it is necessary to internally renounce the worldly, to draw your soul closer to the Divine. According to the Monk Isidore Pelusiot, those who by their actions and thoughts show that they are worthy of being called “Son of God” have the right to pray when they turn to the Most High Father.
“Give us this day our daily bread”
What do the words “daily bread” and “today” mean?
“Essential” means necessary for our existence; “today” means today. So this is a petition for what we most need at this moment, for today. The word “bread” was understood by the holy fathers here in two meanings: bread as food; and bread as the Eucharist.
Saint Simeon of Thessalonica : “Although we ask for heavenly things, we are mortal and, like people, we also ask for bread to support our being, knowing that this too comes from You. By asking only for bread, we do not ask for what is superfluous, but only for what is necessary for us for the present day, since we have been taught not to worry about tomorrow, because You care for us today, and you will care for us tomorrow and always.
But give us this day our other daily bread—the living, heavenly bread, the all-holy body of the living Word. This is our daily bread: because it strengthens and sanctifies the soul and body, and whoever eats it will not have life in himself, but whoever eats it will live forever (John 6:51—54)».
The main idea of the Lord's Prayer. History of Prayer
Previously, various representatives of the Orthodox Church in different countries made attempts to decipher the message given by God. The text was previously divided into separate fragments - phrases, words and phrases, which were analyzed in search of hidden meaning. Considering that the Lord's Prayer is common to all religions, similar attempts to decipher it were made by representatives of the Catholic Church and other faiths. It is more difficult to understand the meaning separately, but it is also important to understand what message is conveyed not only by a single word, but also by the full version of the prayer.
Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) also asked similar questions. With God's help, he managed to find the answer - the main idea of the Lord's Prayer boils down to the need for complete unity with the Almighty. At the same time, one’s own will ceases to exist; the need to fulfill the will of the Lord becomes paramount. Any alienation from it is evidence of damage to faith.
The Lord is the only source of blessings, of all things.
When the need arises to contact him through prayer, the person asking accepts this condition and directs his soul to the Almighty. At the moment, the text being read is a way of communication between a person and the Lord. Requests are addressed to him: “give”, “deliver”, “leave”.
When interpreted, another thought follows from this thought - a new attitude towards the world, which is formed on the basis of the acquired meaning of the words read. Contrary to the usual interpretation of the text of the prayer about earthliness, the need to bring the Kingdom of God to Earth, a new message arises: it is necessary, on the contrary, to rise above everything worldly, to renounce, turning to the Lord.
There is a third message running through the entire text of Our Father; it is less obvious and therefore difficult to discern - this is the salvation of the soul through turning to the Lord. At the same time, forgiveness is mentioned, and it is said about the need to forgive the offenders yourself before the person asking turns to the Almighty.
History and significance
The Lord's Prayer is also called the Lord's Prayer. It is considered the main prayer of Orthodox Christianity.
The text of the prayer is given in the Gospel of Luke and Matthew. In Luke's version it is shorter and more concise. Perhaps this is why the detailed prayer given by Jesus Christ and recorded by Matthew became more popular and was already used in early Christian worship.
In the first century AD, prayer became the central point of worship. Services and the sacrament of communion began with her.
According to the version of the Evangelist Matthew, the text of the prayer was heard during the Sermon on the Mount of Jesus. Luke claimed that Jesus gave it to his apostles when they asked him to teach them how to pray.
The prayer has not been preserved in Jesus’ native language, Aramaic. The only surviving manuscripts that have come down to us are translations into ancient Greek. Moreover, in these translations the text has some differences.
There is an opinion that the original version of the prayer recorded by Luke was brief and very different from the more popular version of the text of Matthew. But during translations, the differences began to gradually disappear, and already in the Middle Ages, almost the same text could be read in the two Gospels.
The main difference is in the final phrase, which Luke does not have:
For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
This short prayer carries a richness and variety of meanings. That is why the most prominent theologians of all times were involved in its interpretation: John Chrysostom, Cyril of Jerusalem, Ephraim the Syrian, Maximus the Confessor, John Cassian and many others.
God is referred to as Father in prayer. This means that we are all equally close to God and equal before him, despite apparent differences. And it is the one who keeps the ten commandments that God gave to humanity through the prophet Moses, leads a pure righteous life, and is worthy of calling the Most High his Father.
Filaret Drozdov, when interpreting, divides the prayer into three main parts: invocation of the Lord, seven petitions and doxology. Each of these parts reminds us that we are connected to God and will always be heard by him.
The text of the prayer “Our Father” in Church Slavonic (with accents).
The modern version of the text has been changed to simplify understanding and improve perception. But the prayer in Church Slavonic is also read today. It is recommended to find out the meaning of some words, this will make it easier to understand the meaning. If you repeat the appeal to God up to 40 times, the state of the soul improves, a feeling of peace appears, and goodness is acquired. It is believed that this protects against troubles and misfortunes.
Our Father, who art in heaven!
Hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors;
and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Amen.
You can download the video for free and listen to the prayer in Church Slavonic. At the same time, it will be possible to remember complex words and pronounce them independently in the future.
“Thy will be done as it is in heaven and on earth”
Doesn’t God carry out His will on earth even without such a request from us?
The will of God is carried out on earth not only by His direct action, but also through us, Christians. If we live according to the commandments of the Gospel, it means we are fulfilling the will of God. If not, then this will will remain unfulfilled in the place where we did not fulfill it. And then - through us - evil enters the world. Therefore, with the words thy will be done, we ask God to protect us from such trouble, and to direct our lives to the fulfillment of His good will.
St. Augustine : “Thy will be done as it is in heaven and on earth. Angels serve You in heaven, so may we also serve You on earth. The angels in heaven do not insult You, and let us not insult You on earth. How they do Your will; let us do the same. “And what are we praying for here, if not to be kind to us?” For the will of God then happens in us when we do it; and this means being kind.”
Download a picture with a prayer to your phone
To always have a text at hand that allows you to contact God, you can install an image with a prayer on your phone’s desktop. There are no restrictions on whether the modern version or the Church Slavonic version will be used. The picture can be downloaded from any online resource or made yourself in a photo editor by superimposing words on the image of the desired format.
Send this prayer to your loved ones
Main thought
You need to talk with the Creator with pure intentions, in simplicity of heart, with the desire to selflessly follow predetermined intentions, not for the sake of rewards or acquiring anything material. It is important to be ready to carry out the will of the Creator.
To better understand what God wants, it is necessary to study the Scriptures, comprehend their essence, and ask to discover their true meaning.
At the same time, treat with love and respect. Remember that the Almighty is gladly ready to accept anyone who sincerely repents of their sins, wants to follow Him, and recognize Him more and more day by day.
Read online text in Russian full version
When the words of appeal to God are at the stage of study, you should keep the source book with notes at hand. It will gradually become easier to read the Lord’s Prayer in Russian; the prayer is easy to remember. But it is recommended to memorize it completely first. Then you can pronounce the shortened version. The clergy believe that it makes no difference how long the appeal to God is pronounced, since the Almighty already knows what the person asking needs.
Send this prayer to your loved ones
Use in everyday life
As stated, this prayer is common among all Christians, and it can be used in absolutely any situation. For example, our ancestors, who were still very close to us, already knew the words of the Lord’s Prayer from early childhood, using it before starting any business. Before eating, sleeping or working. When tempted or sick.
And it works flawlessly, since it was given by the Savior himself as correct for everyone, baptized and unbaptized.
You can read it both in front of the icon of Jesus Christ and anywhere, even if you woke up with an anxious feeling and are lying in bed. No matter what situation you find yourself in, just remember that there is the prayer “Our Father, who art in heaven,” and troubles will recede before its power.
Or you can find abbreviated prayer rules for any occasion, for example, how in the morning rule after sleep you can read a series of prayers with the Trisagion, according to the Our Father. Such short rules are convenient to use if, for example, you are limited in time. You can download a picture with the full version in Old Slavic or Russian and carry it with you all the time.
To understand how to read the Lord’s Prayer correctly, you can download audio recordings of church chants on the Internet or listen to them sing it in church during services.
Print the prayer
For convenience, you can carry a printed version of the text with you. This is a suitable option for children if they have not yet fully learned the prayer. First you need to download the image to your smartphone or personal computer. Then all that remains is to print the file onto paper. To do this, just press one button (“print”).
Send this prayer to your loved ones
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Does God tempt anyone or lead anyone into temptation?
God, of course, does not tempt anyone. But we are not able to overcome temptations without His help. If we, receiving this gracious help, suddenly decide that we can live virtuously without Him, then God takes His grace away from us. But He does this not for the sake of revenge, but so that we can be convinced from bitter experience of our own powerlessness before sin, and again turn to Him for help.
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk : “With this word: “Do not lead us into temptation,” we pray to God that He will preserve us with His grace from the temptation of the world, the flesh and the devil. And although we fall into temptations, we ask that he does not allow us to be overcome by them, but helps us to overcome and conquer them. From this it is clear that without God's help we are powerless and weak. If we ourselves could resist temptation, we would not be commanded to ask for help in this. By this we learn, as soon as we feel a temptation coming upon us, to immediately pray to God and ask Him for help. From this we learn not to rely on ourselves and our own strength, but on God.”
Who is this evil one? Or is it evil? How to correctly understand this word in the context of prayer?
The word wicked is the opposite in meaning to the word straight . Onion (as a weapon), from the beam of the river, the famous Pushkin's bow omorye - all these are words related to the word onion in the sense that they denote a certain curvature, something indirect, twisted. In the Lord's Prayer, the devil is called the evil one, who was originally created as a bright angel, but by his falling away from God he distorted his own nature and distorted its natural movements. Any of his actions also became distorted, that is, crafty, indirect, incorrect.
Saint John Chrysostom : “Christ here calls the devil evil, commanding us to wage irreconcilable warfare against him, and showing that he is not such by nature. Evil does not depend on nature, but on freedom. And the fact that the devil is primarily called evil is due to the extraordinary amount of evil that is found in him, and because he, without being offended by anything from us, wages an irreconcilable war against us. That is why the Savior did not say: deliver us from the evil ones, but from the evil one, and thereby teaches us never to be angry with our neighbors for the insults that we sometimes suffer from them, but to turn all our enmity against the devil, as the culprit of all angry."
On the screensaver there is a fragment spbpda/wwww.flickr.com
Question answer. Interpretation of the Lord's Prayer
If any ambiguities arise when studying the text of the appeal to the Almighty, you can turn to Father Innocent for clarification.
Let’s decipher what it means: “Our Father who art in heaven”
Valeria, 34 years old, Perm: “I wasn’t a church member before, but I believed in God. I recently decided to study the prayer book more deeply, including the main prayer. Now many questions arise. First of all, I’m interested in the first phrase, tell us more about its meaning?”
Why is the Lord's Prayer called the Lord's Prayer?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
It may seem that it received this name because it represents an appeal to the Almighty. In fact, everything is exactly the opposite: the Lord gave these lines through his son Jesus Christ to the apostles, and they were supposed to convey their main meaning to people. Here is hidden the whole essence of the universe, the foundations of life - man’s constant desire for the Lord.
Do we call God Father because He created us all?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
In this case, it is necessary to proceed from word forms. So, if we say “created” the world, it means that we assume that the Lord is the creator. When we call him Father, we must mean a different meaning - an appeal to the Almighty as to our true father. In prayer, every sufferer must turn to God as the ultimate goal of his life, gaining love for the world and people through the Almighty.
Why “Our Father” and not “mine”?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
Everything is very simple: Our Heavenly Father is one for all. He is the creator, and at the same time the source of everything that he himself created in the future. God is Love, which means that he is present in every being, is the Father of everyone on Earth, which makes people sisters, brothers. When we pray the Lord's Prayer, we emphasize oneness with the universe.
Why “in Heaven” if the Church teaches that God is omnipresent?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
If you are interested in the mystery of the Lord’s Prayer, a little-known fact goes like this: when addressing the Almighty they say “in Heaven,” but there is no need to put your own meaning into these words (the separation of God from people, his ascension to heaven). The meaning of the phrase is different: prayer is designed to help people distance themselves from everything earthly; they should strive for the heavenly, in this case, Our Father, who is present in all living things and in the atmosphere as well.
The meaning of the words “Hallowed be thy name”
Varvara, 29 years old, Saratov: “I’m now studying prayers for different occasions, but I partially understand the main “Our Father.” Every time I read it, I focus on the phrase: Hallowed be Thy name.”
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“It may seem that this phrase contains a hidden message about the need to illuminate the name of the Lord. But this is a misconception, since in reality “to be holy” is a synonym for the word “to be glorified.” Do you feel how much the meaning of the phrase changes? So now let's look at it with new knowledge. So, saying, hallowed be Thy name, we proclaim our readiness to follow the commandments of the Most High, thereby we will glorify the Lord.”
What is the phrase: “Thy kingdom come”?
Marina, 32 years old, St. Petersburg: “I would like to fully understand the words of the prayer that I say. This line refers to heaven, right?”
What kingdom are we talking about? Are we asking God to become a world king?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“In this phrase there are simultaneously hidden 2 meanings that follow from one another. So, the first priority is the petition to achieve the kingdom of God in your soul. This is a request addressed to the Lord, and the person praying seeks to abandon worldly fences, to live following the commandments of God, and therefore asks for support and help from the Almighty. The second meaning of the phrase is a consequence of the first. Thus, people who have achieved the kingdom of God in their souls will be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, which awaits all the pious after the Last Judgment.”
“Thy will be done as it is in heaven and on earth”
Galina, 53 years old, Kaluga: “I see this phrase as a request for permission to carry out the will of the Lord, is that so?”
Doesn’t God carry out His will on earth even without such a request from us?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“You can read the full version of the prayer or listen to the audio; it reveals the fuller meaning of this phrase. But I can explain it to you more clearly. You are partly right, only the meaning is slightly different: when a person says a prayer, he does not ask for permission, but seeks support from the Almighty. The one who prays needs the love of the Lord and shows readiness to serve him, to accept the Will of the Almighty (read: follow the commandments). But we all know that a person can give in to temptation and vices, so in this way he expresses his weakness and turns to the source of strength - God.”
“Give us this day our daily bread”
Irina, 39 years old, Pskov: “I can read the Lord’s Prayer in my sleep, even if I wake you up in the middle of the night, I know it perfectly well. Only one phrase is perplexing: if the appeal to God is more sublime, then in this case it all comes down to a request for earthly things—providing food for a person. Is there really a contradiction here?
What do the words “daily bread” and “today” mean?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“There is no contradiction in this phrase. On the contrary, the meaning is comprehensive, affecting different areas of human existence, which are united by one phrase - Daily Bread. In this case, what is really meant is something earthly: a person asks for support, asks to be given everything necessary (material) for existence, but without excesses - only “bread” (the basis of life on Earth). In addition, the person praying also needs spiritual food, and therefore asks for strength to always hear the living Word of the Lord in his heart.”
“And forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors.”
Inessa, 41 years old, Vladivostok: “I vaguely guess that debts in this case are grievances, people’s actions that require forgiveness from the person praying. But I don’t fully understand the phrase, how to connect its beginning and end?”
Does God forgive only those who themselves do not hold a grudge against their offenders?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“To get into the Kingdom of God (see transcript above), you must follow the commandments. Forgiving others and asking the Lord to ask oneself (the one praying) is one of them. This means that it also needs to be done. Debts are sins, grievances, wrong behavior (from the point of view of the Bible, not human morality).”
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Varvara, 30 years old, Irkutsk: “I heard that God tests people in this way: he tempts, but only true believers can avoid temptation. Is it so?"
Does God tempt anyone or lead anyone into temptation?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
Here there is a hidden request for support in difficult times, when a person is at a crossroads, does not know which path to choose (one of the paths is traditionally wrong, strewn with temptations, worldly happiness, but leads away from our Lord). When a person praying asks to be delivered from temptation, he expresses the need for support in such a way that it will allow him to resist temptation and choose the right path.
Who is he - the evil one or the evil one? How should this word be understood in the context of addressing the Almighty?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
At the same time, Jesus Christ put a fairly transparent meaning - he called the devil evil. It is something curvilinear, which is the opposite of straight. The request to deliver from the evil one is a logical continuation of the beginning of the phrase. We see that the person praying asks for help in resisting temptation, the source of which is the devil.
Why do they read the prayer 40 times in a row?
Alina, 33 years old, Ufa: “I want to download an audio and listen to a prayer that is repeated 40 times. I wouldn't be able to repeat it myself. Tell me, does this really help in making your wishes come true?”
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“There is no information on how many times to read the appeal to the Lord. This is a popular belief and does not apply to church canons. But this method is beneficial: it improves memory, disciplines, teaches sacrifice (in this case, abandoning your desires, spending time communicating with the Lord).”
Why do you dream if you read “Our Father” 40 times in a dream?
Marina, 39 years old, Moscow: “I had a strange dream: I was in church, reading a prayer many times (I didn’t count, but I’m sure it was 40). What does it mean?"
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“You should turn to dream books, not to a clergyman. But in any case, prayer does not bode well. If you are wondering why you dream of such an action, then I can assure you that in reality an improvement in your life situation awaits you, or if you trust in God, your worries will leave you.”
Where is the Lord's Prayer found in the Bible?
Ekaterina, 33 years old, Bryansk: “I’m studying the Word of God now. I want to learn the Lord’s Prayer, but I can’t find it in the original source, tell me where to look.”
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“You should turn to Matthew 6:9-13.”
How many times do you need to read the Lord's Prayer to make your wish come true?
Alisa, 33 years old, Tomsk: “I have a cherished desire (not empty, but very important). How to pray to get everything you need?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“Everything you really need, you’ll get it anyway. If you formulate your desires correctly (they will not cause negative consequences), then turn to God quite often and listen to your heart. Even in a dream, a person can subconsciously concentrate on what he wants, then sooner or later it will come to you.”
How to read a prayer for health?
Ekaterina, 43 years old, Voronezh: “We need to raise the child - he gets sick often. How to pray correctly for health, so that you don’t have the strength to see children’s suffering anymore?”
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“They read the prayer up to 40 times. And you can see improvements soon after. But I think that the reason is not the sacred meaning of the number 40, but the aspiration to God.”
How many times should we recite the Lord’s Prayer to have a job and money?
Irina, 43 years old, Omsk: “I’ve been looking for a job for a long time, so far no luck. What prayer will help me?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“Your desire is enough, you need to read the Our Father 9 times. You can listen to a song (church choir) or an audio recording of an appeal to God (mp3). The meaning of this is the same, since changes can only be caused by your message, which comes while reading the lines of the prayer.”
Is there a difference between the Orthodox version of the prayer and the Catholic version?
Irina, 33 years old, Stary Oskol: “I’m not sure I’m pronouncing the text correctly. I read that there are different options: for Catholics, Orthodox. Guide me to the right option."
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“I think you are reading the correct version. This can be understood by the phrase “and do not lead us into temptation.” Catholics have changed their prayer. It is this phrase that now sounds differently: “do not let us succumb to temptation.” It is more understandable to the person praying. But the Orthodox Church believes that there are no contradictions in the original version.”
Interpretation
“Who art in heaven” translated from Church Slavonic means “Who art in heaven.” Some people pronounce words like “hedgehogs in heaven,” but this is wrong.
Over the centuries-old history of Christianity, many interpretations of the prayer appeal have appeared.
Since the birth of Christianity, there have been many versions, and, perhaps, every clergyman considered it his duty to touch upon the topic of prayer at least once in his sermons or religious treatises.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the interpretations of different thinkers, priests and monks often contradict each other.
First of all, this can be explained by the fact that the sacred text contains a multifaceted and subtle meaning, which different people can explain in their own way.
Moreover, often the depth of God's Word is revealed to the same person in a new way at different periods of life. Its entire meaning is revealed only to the Creator Himself, and it is impossible to fully convey the entire essence, but you can try to briefly formulate the main points that should prompt further reflection.
My Lord's Prayer
“Once I dreamed that I began to read the Lord’s Prayer in a dream, and for a long time, with emphasis on the right words, as in the Church Slavonic version, even though I only knew it roughly. I was going through a difficult period in my life at that time, and I took such a dream as a guide to action - I went to Church to be closer to God. I read the Our Father, lit a candle, stayed on my feet for a long time, and was very tired then. I repeated this ritual almost every day. I had no goal of improving my life situation, I was simply in a hopeless situation (a loved one was sick).
Galina, 49 years old, Tula:
Soon after this, we learned about an improvement in our relative's health. Happiness knew no bounds. But I didn’t immediately connect these events. Later, I read in a dream book that prayer in a dream is a sign of imminent relief from hardships. But that’s not the point, I believe that it was turning to the Almighty that allowed me to withstand the tests, and at the same time helped my relative survive.”
“And forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors.”
Does God forgive sins only to those who have forgiven their offenders? Why shouldn't he forgive everyone?
Resentment and revenge are not inherent in God. At any moment, He is ready to accept and forgive everyone who turns to Him. But remission of sins is possible only where a person has renounced sin, seen all its destructive abomination and hated it for the troubles that sin has brought into his life and into the lives of other people. And forgiveness of offenders is a direct commandment of Christ! And if we, knowing this commandment, still do not fulfill it, then we are sinning, and this sin is so pleasant and important for us that we do not want to give it up even for the sake of Christ’s commandment. With such a burden on the soul it is impossible to enter the Kingdom of God. Only it is not God who is to blame, but ourselves.
Saint John Chrysostom : “This absolution initially depends on us, and the judgment pronounced about us lies in our power. So that no one who is unreasonable, being convicted of a great or small crime, has any reason to complain about the court, the Savior makes you, the guilty one, a judge over himself and, as it were, says: what kind of judgment do you pronounce on yourself, I am the same judgment I will say about you; If you forgive your brother, then you will receive the same benefit from Me.”
