This final petition is especially difficult to interpret. The Greek word translated temptation may also mean “trial, persecution.” A number of commentators interpret it in light of the Jewish and early Christian belief that a period of trial and persecution would come upon the faithful immediately before the end of the world. But as one scholar observes, the lack of the definite article before temptation is a strong argument against this particularized interpretation. A more general interpretation of temptation seems best in light of the absence of any specific reference to “the” one great and final period of temptation. See further at 26.41.

The Greek verb translated lead … into by Revised Standard Version and “bring … to” by Good News Translation is a verb which may be used in a wide range of contexts (see Luke 5.18, 19; 11.4; 12.11; Acts 17.20; 1 Tim 6.7; Heb 13.11). There is a dilemma here. According to the Old Testament, God does put people to the test to find out if they will obey him (for example, Gen 22.1-2; Exo 16.4), and according to 1 Corinthians 10.13 it is God who creates both the source of testing and the strength to endure it. But one commentator suggests that the original Aramaic was either causative (“and cause us not to enter”) or permissive (“allow us not to enter”), in which case the question of God’s directing people toward temptation is not really of concern. In either case, the question whether God sends temptation is not really of concern here, if either cause or permission is a valid interpretation.

For a discussion of temptation, see 4.1. As we pointed out there, the sense here can be either “to tempt to do wrong” or “to test or try.” If translators follow the former interpretation and at the same time use the causative or permissive interpretation of lead … into, then the sentence can be “Don’t cause us to enter into temptation” or “Don’t let it happen that we are tempted to do wrong.”

Translations that follow the second interpretation, translating “temptation” as “testing,” will have a rendering much like that of Good News Translation, possibly saying “Don’t put us through the ordeal of testing,” “Don’t cause us to undergo testing,” or “Don’t cause us to be tried too hard.”

Deliver … from (Good News Translation “keep … safe from”) translates a verb which may mean either “rescue from” or “protect against.” A number of translations render “save … from” (New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, An American Translation, Phillips); Barclay has “rescue … from” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “protect … from.” Translators who prefer the first meaning, “rescue from,” will have a rendering such as “save us from” or “take us out of the hands of.” Those who choose the other possible meaning, “protect against,” will have expressions such as “protect us from,” “keep us safe from,” or “do not let us be conquered by.”

Evil translates a noun which may also mean “the evil one” (RSV footnote). New Testament scholars are divided on their judgment. Some are of the opinion that the word is neuter, inasmuch as neither Hebrew nor Aramaic uses “the evil one” to denote Satan. Others, basing their judgment upon 13.19, believe that the phrase may refer to the Evil One, that is, the Devil. In either case, whether evil or the Evil One, the power of evil is here spoken of as a reality. See comments at 5.37, 39.

Many translators prefer to interpret evil as the Devil, and have either “the Evil One” or “the Devil, the Evil One.” But others will keep “evil” as an abstract idea or force, as in “take us out of evil” or “protect us from evil.”

A number of manuscripts, but not the best or most ancient, include a benediction at the close of the Lord’s Prayer, as TC-GNT notes. For English-speaking readers the most familiar of these is that of King James Version: “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” Another ancient source simply has “For yours is the power forever and ever.” Several late manuscripts even have “For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.” One scholar argues for including the doxology because it is impossible to imagine that either Jesus or Matthew would have ended a prayer without a doxology, since Jewish prayers traditionally concluded in this manner. However, it must be borne in mind that the best textual traditions do not include a doxology. It is unlikely that a scribe would have omitted a doxology when copying the text, but it is far more likely that he would add one to the original text. We assume that it was not in the original text, in light of all the evidence. None of the standard modern translations include the doxology.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .