--- title: "The Lord's Prayer: Meaning, Structure, and a Guided Practice" description: "Understand the Lord's Prayer one line at a time, compare common wording, and use its structure for your own prayer today." canonical: "https://prayerguide.co.uk/guides/lords-prayer" language: "en" --- # Pray through the Lord's Prayer slowly Jesus gave the Lord's Prayer as a pattern his followers could use. Its short lines move from God's name and kingdom to daily needs, forgiveness, guidance, and rescue. Begin here Pray one line at a time. Pause after each line and add a sentence from your own life. The familiar words become a framework for honest prayer. [Use the short practice ↓](#practice) ## Pause after each movement 1. Honour God and ask for God's good rule to shape this day. 2. Name today's needs and the needs of your community. 3. Ask for forgiveness and name anyone you need help to forgive. 4. Ask for guidance away from harm and towards what is good. ## The prayer begins with shared words It says “our” Father and asks for “our” daily bread. Even in private prayer, Jesus gives words that connect you with other people. Daily bread includes ordinary needs. Food, work, shelter, health, peace, and justice all belong in this part of the prayer. ## Churches use different endings Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4 preserve closely related forms. Some churches add the doxology beginning “For thine is the kingdom,” while others end after deliverance from evil. These differences should not stop shared prayer. Use the form your community knows and pay attention to its meaning. ## A prayer you can use Our Father in heaven, may your name be honoured. Let your kingdom come and your will be done here. Give us what we need today. Forgive us and teach us to forgive. Guide us away from temptation and deliver us from evil. Amen. ## Bible passages to sit with [**Matthew 6:9-13**Matthew records the best-known form of the prayer.](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206%3A9-13&version=NRSVUE)[**Luke 11:1-4**Luke places the prayer after the disciples ask Jesus to teach them.](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2011%3A1-4&version=NRSVUE) ## Questions people ask Why do versions of the Lord's Prayer use different words? Translations make different choices, and church traditions use forms shaped by Matthew, Luke, and early worship. Is it better to recite the prayer or use my own words? Both are useful. Recite it as given, or use each line as a prompt for your own words. What are the words of the Lord's Prayer? The wording differs slightly between Bible translations and church traditions. This guide explains the prayer from Matthew 6 and gives a form you can use. Where is the Lord's Prayer in the Bible? It appears in Matthew 6:9-13 and in a shorter form in Luke 11:2-4. What does 'daily bread' mean? It asks God for what people need today. This includes food and can also include work, shelter, health, peace, and shared provision. Why do some versions add 'For thine is the kingdom'? This ending is a traditional doxology used by many churches. It appears in later manuscripts and in historic forms of worship, but not in the earliest copies of Matthew. On this page[Pause after each movement](#practice)The prayer begins with shared wordsChurches use different endingsA prayer you can useBible passages Next ## Keep going with prayers to use [**Simple prayers before a meal**Choose a short mealtime prayer for everyday food, children, guests, celebrations, and times when the table feels strained.](https://prayerguide.co.uk/guides/mealtime-prayers) [**Use the Serenity Prayer in a difficult situation**Understand the Serenity Prayer and use its three movements to sort what you must accept, change, or discuss with someone wise.](https://prayerguide.co.uk/guides/serenity-prayer) [**Pray with the words linked to St Francis**Explore the prayer linked to St Francis, its call to become an instrument of peace, and a practical way to live one line today.](https://prayerguide.co.uk/guides/st-francis-prayer)