Despite opposition from traditionalists, Pope Francis has officially approved a change to the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:13 that replaces “lead us not into temptation” with “do not let us fall into temptation.”
The U.S. Catholic reports that the Vatican enacted the change on May 22 following 16 years of research by experts who found a mistake in the current translation “from a theological, pastoral, and stylistic viewpoint.”
Pope Francis first signaled support for amending the “lead us not into temptation” part of the Lord’s Prayer in 2017, arguing that it portrays God in a false light.
“A father does not lead into temptation, a father helps you to get up immediately,” the pope said at the time. “It is not a good translation because it speaks of a God who induces temptation.”
“The one who leads you into temptation is Satan,” he added. “That’s Satan’s role.”
Pope Francis pointed out that other translations had already been changed to modernize the language. “The French have modified the prayer to ‘do not let me fall into temptation,’ because it is me who falls, not the Lord who tempts me to then see how I fall,” he said.
The Lord’s Prayer originates in Matthew 6:9-13. The key verse in question is 13, which, in the NIV translation, reads: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” It is a translation from the Latin Vulgate, which was translated from ancient Greek by Saint Jerome in the late fourth century.
Full story at The Christian Post.
Sorry, Francis, you are without authority to make this change. Didn’t Mary pray the Rosary with the children at Fatima? Was our Holy Mother mistaken?
Fraternal correction—The change only relates to the Italian liturgical tradition. The Holy Father acted in concert with the Italian Bishops Confetence. As Primate of Italy, in addition to being the Bishop of Rome, the Holy Father, acting in this capacity, has the authority. See below for full story, which also stayes that there are no plans to tamper with tje English translation:
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/holy-see-confirms-changes-to-italian-liturgical-translation-of-our-father-gloria-63355
I looked at the article Lou. You are correct. Looks like many did not bother to explore further. Probably the full set of facts, background and circumstances would have been an inconvenience for those with an agenda.
Sorry, “Lou Varini,” but the Pope lacks any authority to contradict Scripture or Catholic Tradition. And, no, other country’s “traditions” cannot trump the Church. The notion of giving “options” to each bishop or country “office” of bishops is entirely a make-believe from Vatican II. Noting much is going to stop Francis, or his cronies, from blathering on about shared power and diversity and the like. A real pope, however, would never tolerate such changes. You see, Francis does not like the Catholic Church, but something else that he wants to make up and call it “Catholic.” It is not. Stay away from such foolishness, and protest what the Pope does. Keep your money away, too.
Christopher,
Check out the citation first. No need to be obstinate.
The creation of one’s own reality, despite all facts to the contrary is indicative of a “delusion.”.
Point well made, Lou.
People only read headlines and use them as a basis to undermine Pope Francis because of his other, very controversial statements and positions, which have rightfully invited legitimate criticism.
In this particular situation, there does not appear any overreaching or acting beyond the scope of his authority.
Thank you for posting this link. It is much more detailed than the article linked at the end of the story.
Christopher,
Before being conclusory, it might be better to defer to lay experts like Jimmy Akin, a well-known and well-respected lay Catholic apologist amd theologian, here to get the whole story:
https://m.ncregister.com/59000/b
Your conclusion, on the other hand, lacks support to maintain your assertion. It sort of shows contempt by you, prior to fully investigatigating the basis for your conclusion.
Your lecture, “Eagle Tom,” is unavailing. Many Catholic commentators see self-taught Mr. Akin as compromised by his pre-disposition to supporting the Novus Ordo religious establishment created out of Vatican II and greatly advanced by Francis. You need to do more research. Check out the “debate” between Akin and Louie Verrecchio (“AKA Catholic”) regarding the “Open Letter” accusing Francis of Heresy. While “respectful” it is clear that one follows Akin if one likes the sort of hand-holding, Man-centric Novus Ordo Mass, versus the TLM. In fact, no one country can simply decide to “go its own way” on the liturgy, or central pray, and the like. But, under Francis, you can if you are liberal.
Christopher,
If you are basing your conclusion on the Fatima apparition, it is a very weak premise.
First, Fatima is considered by the Church to be a “private revalation” to the childten. As a private revalation, the Church only conceded that it is “worthy of belief” and unlike dogma, the Catholic Fatihful are not obliged to believe in the apparition.
Second, wouldn’t it be logical that the Rosary recited by the children was in Portuguese?
The Pope will now have to change the “Our Father” in millions of Catholic books and related materials! In this modern era– there have been too many changes to fundamental items of our worship and religious practice, as Catholics. Too disruptive, too unnecessary. No doubt, many will stumble over this new phrase, in church– until they get used to it- Including me!
If only we could have a pontiff in the vein of St. Pope Pius X. There was a strong, courageous vicar who only cared about pleasing the Lord.
The Lords prayer has been wrong for all these years ?
Quick someone tell Jesus he taught the apostles the wrong prayer.
this pope is not the founder or owner of the Church. I will not change the way I pray as taught by Jesus Himself
I like the change I just do not want to change the actual words that Our Lord Jesus Christ taught his Apostles which we are his Apostles too.
My deepest admiration and respect to Pope Francisco. I understand that thru the years there has been changes done by man. Pope Francisco words make sense to me because God would never leads us into temptations.
Jesus was led by Holy Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. So, yes God does test us by allowing the devil to tempt us. If Jesus was tempted, which He was, why should we not be?
So Jesus taught His Father’s prayer incorrectly to His Apostles? Jesus translated His Father’s words incorrectly?
Obviously, Pope Francis thinks he is above God.
then the name of the prayer itself
needs to be changed from the
Lord’s Prayer to “PF’s Prayer”
A translation from Latin Vulgate, from Greek, which came from the Arameic. No wonder shades of meaning change, especially since spoken language evolves over time. A few centuries from now a translation from now will be difficult to understand to then current listners
Looks like the Holy Father”s investment in Catholic book publishers and printes will pay-off handsomly, with new editions of Missals, Lectonaries, and all other sorts of printed material containing the Our Father prayer as passed-down by Jesus Himself, through two millenia of Sacred Tradition.
I would like to know if “lead us not into temptation” is literally word for word translation in other languages other than English.
Yes, the Latin is “et ne nos inducas in tentationem.”
And do not us induce into temptation.
This will be promptly ignored, as it should be.
I was taught in the first grade that God does not “lead us into temptation”. I understood this at age 6.
What is his problem with it?
“Et ne nos inducas in tentationem”
whatever THAT means in latin,
it does NOT mean
“do not let us fall into temptation.”
Saint Jerome probably did not know much about religion. S\
Jesus didn’t speak Latin, at least it’s not recorded anywhere that he did.
Latin was the vernacular language of Rome.
At the time of the Crucifixion, ancient Judea was a Roman province, and the Roman governor wss Pontious Pilate.
When Jesus was being interrogated by Pontious Pilate, the Gospel account only tells that the conversation was between the two of them. No Roman would would stoop to speaking the native Aramiac language of the conquered. Therefore. it stands to reason that Jesus spoke Latin.
In a Spanish bible, “Y no nos dejes caer en la tentación.” The English translation is “And do not let us fall into temptation.”
1569 the first bible in Spanish,the reina-Valera bible was published. Non no’s induces in tentationem was rendered from the Greek as ‘no nos metas en tentacion’—do not put us into temptation. Their Greek did not fail them
For all who differ with the Holy Father’s decision, there is a simple solution, without enmity or contention. All that needs to be done when we, in our private prayer lives or in communal prayer (like the Mass), need to do is to recite it in Latin:
“Pater noster, qui es in caelis: sanctificetur Nomen Tuum; adveniat Regnum Tuum; fiat voluntas Tua, sicut in caelo, et in terra. Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie; et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; et ne nos inducas in tentationem; sed libera nos a Malo. Amen.”
Since the Scriptures containing the Lord’s Prayer were written in Koine Greek, we can also recite it in that language too. If I knew how to memorize it, by listening, in the original Aramaic, I would do so.
Regardless of the translation details, I think God hears all our prayers. Since God is omniscient, God certainly knows what is in our heart or soul.
There is ,or intended to be, a comma after ‘lead us’. “Lead us, not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”.
I personally like the new wording. My big problem is that so many people have so little faith that Pope Francis does the right thing. I no longer trust him in important matters and I don’t have the linguistic knowledge to judge that he evaluated this issue properly – so frustrating.
The other problem is that the change will add discordance when saying the Our Father in an ecumenical setting with other Christians. One more thing to divide us, even if only symbolically.
A quick review of the history of the “Lord’s Prayer” will tell us that the prayer has been changed many times by the Catholic Church and the Protestant churches. The current most popular version was dictated by the King of England. It is thought that the original Aramaic version was nearly a word-for-word adaptation of the Kadish. Since almost any word in Aramaic can have a different meaning, depending on how it is said and its context, we can assume that we are now living with the latest of hundreds of changes.
Bob One. The Duoay-Rheims, which is not nor has it ever been Protestant clearly states “lead us not into temptation” in both Matthew 6:13 and Luke 11:4. St. Jerome and those others had more access to (closer to) the originals than we are.
I would assume, also that King James did not “dictate” the Lord’s Prayer to his scholars,but that they “dictated” it to him. That should be why he had scholars interpreting it in the first place.
Anne TE, in the New American Bible (Catholic) Luke 11 reads ” and do not subject us to the final test.” Matthew 6 reads “and do not subject us to the final test.” This is the bible from which the daily reading s are taken. The Catechism uses the traditional version as does the Roman Missal. The point, however, is that there are different accepted versions of almost everything.
Bob One, I am well aware of that since I have several different versions of the Catholic Bible and have read many of the Protestant ones. I just think this is much ado about nothing, as the different versions pretty much say the same thing.
My point about the Duoay-Rheims was that the most popular version –“lead us not into temptation”– was not a Protestant invention by any means.
Please read my two posts far below.
Before everyone gets bent out of shape, the Holy Father, in concert with the Italian Bishops Conference, limited the changes to the Italian translations of the Roman Missal.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/holy-see-confirms-changes-to-italian-liturgical-translation-of-our-father-gloria-63355
Since the Holy Father is also the Primate of Italy, he has every discretion to act.
I understand what the Pope is trying to get at regarding The Lord’s Prayer. However, isn’t he just so tone deaf doing this at all, considering we Catholics are still reeling from the profound moral failures of our clergy, our bishops, if not the Pope himself? He piddles in banality, i.e., the “gossiping hairdressers”, and admonishes conservative Catholics that they are “safeguarding the ashes of the past”, and then chimes in about the border wall being evil. I think we Catholics don’t need any more upheavals and attacks on our faith, thank you.
I never had a problem with the prayer as the Bible clearly states that the Holy Spirit led Christ into the desert to be tempted (tested) by Satan. He also allowed Job to be tested (tempted) by the devil.
Josee Allyn’s comma in the English translation seems to solve it all for me, just add it easily oneself to all the prayers books, missal, etc. and spare all the expense of having to make new editions. Why “strain at gnats,” or “make mountains out of molehills,” as far as I am concerned.
To be clearer, I am sure it was explained to me in my younger years, as it was to Frank Johnson, that “do not lead us into temptation” was the same as or similar to “do not allow us to be tempted” in light of the whole context of the Bible.
There are many among the laity here, who act out of impulse and who have neither the training nor authority to influence outcomes. Before making an admonishment, the person doing the admonishing should be in the best position to do it. Second, there should be a good possibility that the one being admonished will heed the warning:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/cdl-burke-bp-schneider-issue-declaration-of-truths-to-correct-rampant-doctrinal-confusion-in-church
While the laity have a right to correct, they may not be in the best position to do it.
Actually, I think the Pope’s rationale for the change makes a lot of sense theologically. God the Father would not lead us into temptation just as any father would not lead his children into sin.
God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) places temptations around us every day. Since the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are One, and, wherever on Person of the Trinity is, the other two Person must also be, the following must also be true:
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. (Matt 4-1)
We should remember that Jesus Himself was both God and Man. In His Humanity, Jesus was also subjected to temptation.
In high school, we were required to learn– and memorize!– a lot of Church Latin, in our Latin classes. We had to individually recite liturgical poems and prayers, like the “Pater Noster.”. The meaning behind a word or phrase, in a foreign language, can be difficult to translate. We always were taught respect for the Church, and respect for great secular — as well as religious — literature. You were supposed to accept excellent standard teachings, interpretations, and translations– never get “picky””– never “make up your own!”