The shorter Lord’s Prayer [Luke11:2–4] in early English versions
West Saxon Gospels, ca. 1000
Faeder ure thu the eart on heofonum, si thin nama gehalgod; to-becume thin rice; gewurthe thin willa on eorthan swa saw on heofonum; urne gedaeghwamlican half syle us to daeg; and forgyf us ure gyltas swa saw we forgyfath urum gyltendum; and ne galaed thu us on costnunge, ac alys us of yfele, sothlice.
Tyndale New Testament, 1525
Oure Father which arte in heve, halowed be thy name. Lett thy kyngdo come. They will be fulfillet, even in erth as it is in heven. Oure dayly bred geve us this daye. And forgeve us oure synnes; For even we forgeve every man that traspaseth us; and ledde us not into temptacio, Butt deliver vs from evyll Amen.
Coverdale Bible, 1535
O oure father which art in heauen, halowed be thy name. Thy kyngdome come. Thy wil be fulfilled upon earth, as it is in heauen. Geue vs this daye oure daylie bred. And forgeue vs oure synnes: for we also forgeue all them that are detters unto vs. And lede vs not in to temptacion, but delyuer vs from euell.
Great Bible, 1539
O oure father which art I heauen, halowed be thy name. Thy kyngdome come. Thy will be fulfylied, eue in erth also as it is in heaue. Oure dayly breed geue vs thys daye. And forgeue vs our synnes: For eue we forgeue euery man that treaspaseth vs. And Leade vs not ito temptacyon. But delyuer vs from euyll.
Geneva Bible, 1560
Our Father, we art in heaue, halowed be thy Name: Thy kingdome come. Let thy will be done eue in earth, as it is in heauen; Our daily bread giue vs for the day. And forgiue vs our sinnes: for euen we forgiue euerie man that is indetted to vs. And lead vs not into temptation, but deliuer vs from euil.
Bishops’ Bible, 1568
O our father which art in heauen, halowed be thy name, thy kyngdome come, thy wyll be fulfylied, euen in earth also, as it is in heauen. Our dayly breade geue vs this day. And forgeue vs our synnes: For euen we forgeue euery man that trespasseth vs. And leade vs not into temptation, but deyuer vs from euyil.
King James Bible, 1611
Our Father which art in heauen, Halowed be thy name, Thy kingdome come, Thy will be done as in heauen, so in earth. Giue vs day by day our dayly bread. And forgiue vs our sinnes: for wee also forgiue euery one that is indebted to vs. And lead vs not into temptation, but deliuer vs from euill.
By David Lyle Jeffrey
[Christian History originally published this article in Christian History Issue #100 in 2011]
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