The literal version of the Greek text of Matthew 6:13 reads as follows:
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Matthew 6:13 (NASB)
Three English words (lead, tempt, and deliver) determine the meaning of the verse. The Greek words corresponding to these three words are eisphero, peirasmos, and rhyomai. The following is an explanation of these three words and the meaning of the verse.
The Greek word — Eisphero
Eisenenkes is the aorist active subjunctive form of eisphero. This is a compound word from eis and phero. Eis is usually translated as “toward” and phero means “to bring.” Together, eisphero can be translated as “to take,” “to bring to,” or “to carry.” When we add the word “not,” we end up with a request “not to incorporate.”
The aorist active subjunctive carries the idea that something may happen at some point. Therefore, this is a prayer request asking God not to lead us into temptation. Recently, the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church changed the wording of this verse because he said:
“It’s not a good translation because it speaks of a God who induces temptation,” he told Italian television. “I am the one who falls. It’s not He who pushes me into temptation and then sees how I’ve fallen.
“A father doesn’t do that; a father helps you get back on your feet immediately. It’s Satan who leads us into temptation; that’s his department.”1
Sadly, the Pope ignored the Scripture warning not to change any words (Revelation 22:18-19) and also misunderstood the Greek text. Let’s continue our study and you’ll discover what Jesus was teaching us.
The Greek word — Peirasmos
The Greek word for “temptation” is peirasmos. It actually refers to a “trial” or an “affliction” and a “difficulty.” It becomes a temptation when the trial involves the possibility of sin. This word was used by Jesus in Luke 22:28 to refer to his own trials. In Acts 20:19, the apostle Paul used the word to refer to his many difficult situations. In Galatians, it refers to Paul’s physical ailments. In Hebrews 3:8, he spoke of Israel’s difficulties in the wilderness. In James 1:2, 12; 1 Peter 1:6; 4:12; and Revelation 3:10, it refers to trials and afflictions. The word was also used in eleven verses to refer to situations where someone might sin during a trial. The word does not refer to an attempt to intentionally cause someone to sin! It refers to a trial or an affliction. Therefore, do not lead us into a trial regarding evil.
The Greek word — Rhyomai
The Greek word for “deliver us” is the aorist middle imperative of rhyomai. Rhyomai means “to deliver,” “to rescue,” “to save,” “to protect,” “to snatch,” or “to set free” in general. The aorist middle imperative is actually a command. It’s the idea of God rescuing us!
The Greek word for “evil” is poneros, which has the idea of ”wicked” or “perverse,” referring to evil in general. But in this verse, Jesus added the Greek definite article, so it seems He was referring to the “evil one,” that is, Satan. Jesus encourages us to ask for help, to help rescue us from evil—from all kinds of evil, including all kinds of sin. That includes Satan!
Conclusion:
There’s a “but” in this verse. In Greek, there are two basic words that are translated as “but.” The Greek word used here is alla. It communicates a strong comparison between two thoughts. So, let’s combine them. Here’s the essence of the verse,
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Matthew 6:13 (NASB)
This helps us understand that Jesus wasn’t teaching us to deliberately ask God to motivate us to sin. He was urging us to ask God to keep us from situations in which we might sin. The patriarch Job is an excellent example of a situation in which God allowed a man to suffer. It was possible for Job to sin by complaining or cursing God, but he never did. In this example, God didn’t try to motivate Job to sin. God allowed Satan to test Job. Jesus urged us to ask God to protect us from such trials and, most likely, from the Evil One!
But what should you do when you encounter temptation? In 1 Corinthians 10:13, God tells us that we can have victory over every sin that comes our way! We are not victims!
No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 1 Corintios 10:13 (NASB)
What is the way of escape? The answer is that we must submit to the Holy Spirit. Listen to Galatians 5:16.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Matthew 6:13 (NASB)
Many Christians are unaware of this passage. It is the key to victory over sin. Notice that it says that if we walk in the Spirit, we will not carry out the desires of the flesh. What are the desires of the flesh? The following verses (Galatians 5:18-21) say that the flesh wants to sin. Therefore, if we walk in the Spirit, we will sin less and less, and the fruit of the Spirit will be increasingly evident in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23). The Lord wants to rescue us from evil, give us the desire to flee from sin (1 Corinthians 6:18; 2 Timothy 2:22), and walk in the Spirit! We encourage you to read “God’s Will: Being Filled with the Spirit.”
References:
1. Harriet Sherwood. “Led not into temptation: pope approves change to Lord’s Prayer.” The Guardian. June 6, 2019.
Suggested Links:
God’s Will – Be Filled With The SpiritHow To Be Filled With The Spirit
The Lord’s Prayer