Lord's Prayer in Aramaic
No first-century Aramaic text of the Lord's Prayer survives, so any Aramaic version is a later translation or reconstruction. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke record the prayer in Greek, while the Aramaic word Abba, meaning Father, is the one piece the New Testament itself preserves. People search for the prayer in the language Jesus spoke seeking closeness to his original speech.
Jesus most likely spoke Aramaic during his daily life and teaching. When the New Testament writers recorded his words, they wrote in Greek. In Mark 14:36 and Romans 8:15, the text keeps the specific Aramaic word Abba alongside the translation Father, showing that this particular title remained memorable to his followers.
Later Aramaic and Syriac versions exist, and those manuscripts differ from one another in phrasing and vocabulary. Modern English books often transliterate an opening line as Abwoon d'bashmaya, though spellings and translations vary widely and scholars disagree about how closely any reconstruction matches the speech of Jesus.
What Is Known About the Lord's Prayer in Aramaic
The New Testament preserves the Lord's Prayer in the Greek text of Matthew and Luke. Because no first-century Aramaic manuscript of the prayer survives, scholars work from later Aramaic and Syriac translations. Jesus most likely spoke Aramaic, yet any full Aramaic rendering read today is a later translation or reconstruction. The one term preserved directly in the New Testament is the word Abba, which translates as Father. Readers who wish to pray the prayer with historic clarity pray the words recorded in Scripture while acknowledging that later reconstructions differ from one another in vocabulary and transliteration.
The Lord's Prayer in English
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 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.
A Prayer Beginning Abba, Father
Abba, Father, I come before You today speaking the name Your Son used when he called out to You. You invite me to bring every heavy matter directly into Your presence without hiding my weakness or pretending to hold life together on my own. Mark recorded that Jesus called You Abba in his hour of trial, and Paul wrote that the Spirit of adoption allows me to cry out with that same word. Lord, hear my voice as I speak to You today. Guide my thoughts away from confusion and establish my steps upon Your truth. When my surroundings feel unpredictable and my strength runs low, remind me that I am Your child. Teach me to trust Your direction when the road ahead appears uncertain. Keep my heart quiet before Your sovereignty, and grant me patience to wait upon Your timing. I place my fears, my responsibilities, and my family into Your hands, knowing that You care for what concerns me. Amen.
A Prayer on God as Father
Father in heaven, You reign over all creation, yet You permit me to approach You as a child approaches a loving Father. Hallowed be Your holy name across the earth and in my daily actions. When I wake each morning, help me honor Your character in how I speak to my neighbors, how I manage my tasks, and how I treat those who disagree with me. You know every need before I formulate a request, and You understand every sorrow before I express it in speech. Grant me grace to submit my personal plans to Your perfect will. Give me peace when circumstances do not unfold according to my preferences, and lead me to seek Your kingdom above my temporary comforts. Strengthen my mind against selfish ambitions. Let Your light shine through my patience, my kindness, and my conduct at work and at home. You are the source of life, and to You I commit my days. Amen.
A Prayer for Daily Bread and Provision
Lord, grant me this day the daily bread necessary to sustain my body and my spirit. You fed Your people in barren lands, and You provide nourishment for every living creature in its season. Deliver me from anxious thoughts regarding the future, and help me remain present to the blessings You supply this morning. Teach me gratitude for simple meals, for shelter, and for the capacity to labor. When resources feel scarce, calm my mind and preserve me from despair. When abundance arrives, soften my heart to share generously with those who lack food and necessities. Guard me against greed, and keep me mindful of the people in my community who face hunger today. I trust Your care for my material needs, and I thank You for Your enduring provision. Amen.
A Prayer of Forgiveness and Deliverance
Father, forgive my debts, my transgressions, and my shortcomings, as I forgive those who have wronged me. Search my heart and uncover any bitterness, resentment, or lingering grudge that I have harbored against another person. It is easy to demand mercy for myself while withholding grace from someone who caused me pain. Cleanse me of that hypocrisy. Release me from the burden of old grievances, and soften my spirit toward those who have spoken falsely against me or treated me unfairly. Lead me away from temptation today. Shield my eyes from vanity and my tongue from harsh speech. Deliver me from evil in all its forms, and protect my household from spiritual harm. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for all generations. Amen.
A One-Line Prayer of Adoption
Abba, Father, hold my heart in Your care today and guide my steps. Amen.
Scripture to pray
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 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.— Matthew 6:9-13
And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.— Mark 14:36
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.— Romans 8:15
Frequently asked questions
What is the Lord's Prayer in Aramaic?
No first-century Aramaic manuscript of the Lord's Prayer exists today. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke record the prayer in Greek, so any Aramaic rendering available in modern books or recordings is a later translation or modern reconstruction. The New Testament does preserve the single Aramaic word Abba, meaning Father, in Mark 14:36 and Romans 8:15.
Did Jesus speak Aramaic?
Jesus most likely spoke Aramaic as his primary language during his daily life and teaching in first-century Galilee. The authors of the New Testament recorded his sayings and sermons in Greek, which was the widespread literary language across the eastern Mediterranean region at that time.
What does Abba mean?
Abba is an Aramaic word that translates as Father. The New Testament writers kept this specific Aramaic term in passages such as Mark 14:36 and Romans 8:15, pairing it directly with the Greek word for Father to emphasize intimate filial trust in God.
Is the Aramaic Lord's Prayer the original?
No surviving Aramaic text can be identified as the original written form of the prayer. The earliest written records of the prayer appear in the Greek manuscripts of Matthew and Luke. Aramaic and Syriac texts found in historical collections were translated from Greek or produced centuries later.
Why do Aramaic versions of the Lord's Prayer look different from each other?
Aramaic versions look different because translators rely on distinct historical dialects, manuscripts, and reconstruction methods. Later Aramaic and Syriac manuscripts show textual variations among themselves, and modern authors use differing transliteration systems when rendering Semitic sounds into English letters.