On Thu, 25 Mar 1999, Eric Boyd wrote:
> ... on an unrelated note, can anybody tell me the bible version in
> which the Lord's prayer contains "and forgive us for our trespasses,
> as we forgive those who trespass against us"? I said that thousands
> of times as a child, and am now unable to find the Bible version from
> which it came! Most versions have "wrong doings" or "debts" in the
> place of "trespasses". It has become something of a minor mystery for
> me.
>From the King James version, verse 6:
5
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they
love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets,
that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their
reward.
6
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast
shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which
seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they
think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye
have need of, before ye ask him.
9
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11
Give us this day our daily bread.
12
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is
the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also
forgive you:
15
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses.
The King James has "debts" in the prayer itself, but "trespasses" in the next passage. Of course, the Lord's Prayer as commonly used is not in the Bible in precisely that form, and its context indicates that Jesus was presenting it as an example of how one might daily pray, an illustration of the kind of personal, direct, common-language prayer he advocated, as opposed to rote ritual precisely like what it has become.
--Eva,
finally bookmarking htt://bible.gospelcom.net, a good site for Bible quote
searches and comparisons