The Lord's Prayer, Notes

The Lord's Prayer, Notes

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Translation

Πάτερ[1] ἡμῶν[2] ὁ[3] ἐν[4] τοῖς[5] οὐρανοῖς[6],
Our Father in the heavens[7],

Ἁγιασθήτω[8] τὸ[9] ὄνομά[10] σου[11]; Ἐλθέτω[12] ἡ[13] βασιλεία[14] σου¹¹;
Your name was hallowed[15]; Your kingdom came[16];

Γενηθήτω[17] τὸ⁹ θέλημά[18] σου¹¹; ὡς [19] ἐν⁴ οὐρανῷ[20], καὶ[21] ἐπὶ[22] τῆς[23] γῆς[24].
Your will was born[25]; as in heaven, also on the earth[26].

Τὸν[27] ἄρτον[28] ἡμῶν² τὸν²⁷ ἐπιούσιον[29], δὸς[30] ἡμῖν[31] σήμερον[32].
Our bread, the epiousion, You gave us today[33].

Καὶ[34] ἄφες[35] ἡμῖν³¹ τὰ[36] ὀφειλήματα[37] ἡμῶν²;
You forgave us our debts;

          ὡς¹⁹ καὶ²¹, ἡμεῖς[38] ἀφίεμεν[39] τοῖς⁵ ὀφειλέταις[40] ἡμῶν². 
          as also, we forgive our debtors.

Καὶ³⁴ μὴ[41] εἰσενέγκῃς[42] ἡμᾶς[43] εἰς[44] πειρασμόν[45];
You did not lead us into calamity;

          ἀλλὰ[46], ῥῦσαι[47] ἡμᾶς⁴³ ἀπὸ[48] τοῦ[49] πονηροῦ[50].
          nevertheless, You delivered us from the evil.

Ὅτι[51] σοῦ¹¹ ἐστιν[52] ἡ¹³ βασιλεία¹⁴ καὶ[53] ἡ¹³ δύναμις[54]
Because, from You is the kingdom, the power,

          καὶ⁵³ ἡ¹³ δόξα[55] εἰς⁴⁴ τοὺς[56] αἰῶνας[57].  Ἀμήν[58].[59]
          and the Glory, into the ages.  Amen.

Ἐὰν[60] γὰρ[61] ἀφῆτε[62] τοῖς⁵ ἀνθρώποις[63] τὰ³⁶ παραπτῶματα[64] αὐτῶν[65],
For if you forgave men their trespasses,

          ἀφήσει[66] καὶ[67] ὑμῖν[68], ὁ³ Πατὴρ[69] ὑμῶν[70] ὁ³ οὐράνιος[71].
          then He will forgive you, Your heavenly Father[72].

Ἐὰν⁶⁰ δὲ[73] μὴ⁴¹ ἀφῆτε⁶² τοῖς⁵ ἀνθρώποις⁶³ τὰ³⁶ παραπτῶματα⁶⁴ αὐτῶν⁶⁵,[74]
Yet if you forgave not men their trespasses,

          οὐδὲ[75] ὁ³ Πατὴρ⁶⁹ ὑμῶν⁷⁰ ἀφήσει⁶⁶ τὰ³⁶ παραπτώματα⁶⁴ ὑμῶν⁷⁰.
          neither will your Father forgive your trespasses[76].

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[1] Πάτερ, vocative singular masculine noun from Πατὴρ, τέρος, τρός, ὁ: Father.

[2] ἡμῶν, genitive plural personal pronoun from ἐγώ: I, our, ours.

[3] ὁ, nominative singular masculine article from ὁ, ἡ, τό: the, the one, introducing an appositional phrase.

[4] ἐν, preposition of location, place, or position from ἐν: in

[5] τοῖς, dative plural article from ὁ, ἡ, τό: the, in the after ἐν, the preposition is beginning to replace the case ending.

[6] οὐρανοῖς, dative plural masculine noun from οὐρανός, οῦ, ὁ: heavens.

[7] Literally, Father, ours, the one in the heavens.  Optionally, Our heavenly Father.  “Our Father which art in heaven,” is archaic and cumbersome.  This is a standard introductory address, as with a letter or oral petition.

[8] Ἁγιασθήτω, third person singular, aorist passive imperative of ἁγιάζω: to set apart, sanctify, hallow.  I could find no indications of defectiveness or deponency for this verb; the forms ἁγιασάτω (active) and ἁγιασάσθω, ἁγιάσθω, or ἁγιασθῶ (middle) were not readily found.

[9] τὸ, nominative singular neuter article from ὁ, ἡ, τό: the.

[10] ὄνομά, nominative singular neuter noun from ὄνομα, ατος, τό: a name, the proper name, the character or reputation.  The second accent is attracted from the following word.

[11] σου, genitive singular personal pronoun from σύ, σοῦ: you, your, yours.  The accent was lost to the previous word.

[12] Ἐλθέτω, third person singular, aorist active imperative of ἔρχομαι: to come, go, or pass.  A defective and irregular verb: the second aorist root is ἤλυθον, ἦλθον by contraction, which shortens to ἐλθ- in the imperative, ἐλθέτω (active); the forms ἐλθέσθω (middle), ἐλθεθήτω or ἐλθήτω (passive) were not found.

[13] ἡ, nominative singular feminine article from ὁ, ἡ, τό: the.

[14] βασιλεία, nominative singular feminine noun from βασιλεία, ας, ἡ: kingdom.  Please not the common distinction between masculine and feminine, where the masculine is the active agent, while the feminine is the inactive recipient.

[15] Literally, It was set apart, the name, yours.  The passive voice asks the question by whom, and when.

[16] Literally, It came, the kingdom, yours.  The kingdom came because the king arrived, and the kingdom came with him.  This accords with the prophetic visions of Daniel where the historic emperors and empires (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome) are referred to interchangeably.

[17] Γενηθήτω, third person singular, aorist passive imperative of γίνομαι: to exist, be created, be born.  An irregular verb: the second aorist root is ἐγενόμην, which shortens to γεν- in the imperative, γενέσθω (active).  The word derives from the copula, rather than from active verbs of doing, etc.

[18] θέλημά, nominative singular neuter noun from θέλημα, ατος, τό: bent, inclination, resolve, will, wish.  The second accent is attracted from the following word.

[19] ὡς, correlative adverb from ὅς, ἥ, ὅ: as, like.

[20] οὐρανῷ, dative singular masculine noun from οὐρανός, οῦ, ὁ: heaven.

[21] καὶ, cumulative particle (adverbial): also, so also, too.

[22] ἐπὶ, preposition of location, place, or position from ἐπὶ: on, upon.

[23] τῆς, genitive singular feminine article from ὁ, ἡ, τό: the.

[24] γῆς, genitive singular feminine noun from γῆ, γῆς, ἡ: earth, the planet, its surface, land, dry land, a region.

[25] Literally, It was born or created, the will, yours.  Existed, makes no sense in this context.  The passive voice asks the question by whom, and when.

[26] The phrase gathers and applies to all three verbs: was hallowed, came, and was born.

[27] Τὸν, accusative singular masculine article from ὁ, ἡ, τό: the.

[28] ἄρτον, accusative singular masculine noun from ἄρτος, οῦ, ὁ: bread in any form or shape, any life necessity.

[29] ἐπιούσιον, accusative singular masculine noun from ἐπιούσιος, οῦ, ὁ: the lexicons are not particularly helpful at this point.  The root οὐσίος from οὐσία, ας, ἡ: existence, substance, essence; cannot possibly be associated with σήμερον: today.  The obvious historical reference is to the manna from the days of Moses, which is elsewhere known as the bread of angels, or of heaven.  This manna conspicuously prefigures the Christ of God, particularly as expressed in John 6, Who is the living Passover, which we receive in the Communion, Liturgy, Mystery, Un-bloody Sacrifice, or other name you may prefer.  The ἐπιούσιον is clearly Jesus Himself.  If οὐσίος is substance, then ἐπιούσιον or upon substance is somehow, greater, super-existent.  This does not mean that there is a suitable English word for our translation purposes; even though, we know perfectly well, exactly what it means.  Some suggested translations might be angelic, or heavenly bread: which picks up on the idea that Jesus is the manna of God.  In any case, daily, will never suffice.  The word, ἐπιούσιον, most certainly does not mean daily.  We do not need bread for our bellies; we desperately need Jesus for our human spirits, so that our souls will be nourished with the fullness of God.

[30] δὸς, second person singular, aorist active imperative of δίδωμι: give, you gave.  The imperative mood is customary for prayer.  Even though the force of the past tense must not be weighted excessively, it suggests that this is more an expression of gratitude, than of petition.

[31] ἡμῖν, dative plural personal pronoun from ἐγώ: to us.  This is the indirect object.

[32] σήμερον, indeclensionate adverb: today.

[33] The whole point of the petition is the development of Christlikeness within us.  “God became man, so that man could become god.”  Christ repeatedly scolds the disciples for looking at the outward, earthly nature of things.  We are fat enough, but we are starving to death spiritually.

[34] καὶ, continuative conjunction: and, possibly a Hebraism of vav consecutive or vav continuative.  These lead to tedious strung on sentences in English and are left untranslated, because they are unnecessary in English.

[35] ἄφες, second person singular, aorist active imperative of ἀφίημι: excuse, forgive, you forgave.  We render ἄφες literally, in the past tense, but it is possibly characteristic.  Yet, in keeping with the rest of the prayer, it seems to be more of gratitude, than of petition.

[36] τὰ, accusative plural neuter article from ὁ, ἡ, τό: the.

[37] ὀφειλήματα: accusative plural neuter noun from ὀφείλημα, ατος, τό: debt, duty.  The idea of duty, and being excused from performing a duty suggests the specific failure to keep the Decalogue, which is the specific duty of the Israelites and the Jews; a requirement of the Law; actual or potential culpability, fault, or guilt at the Law.

[38] ἡμεῖς, nominative plural personal pronoun from ἐγώ: to us.

[39] ἀφίεμεν, first person plural, present active indicative of ἀφίημι: excuse, forgive.  Alexandrian text has ἀφήκαμεν, first person plural, aorist active indicative of ἀφίημι, which appears to be an attempt to coordinate the tense with ἄφες.  The change of tense may be characteristic and minimal, but it suggests that we must automatically forgive, out of gratitude for what we have been forgiven.  We simply must do what is natural for a forgiven people to do: Matthew 18 and 25.  There is nothing optional about this reaction; an unforgiving person cannot possibly enter the kingdom of God’s forgiveness.  Having received the gift of faith, it is impossible not to respond appropriately.

[40] ὀφειλέταις, dative plural masculine noun from ὀφειλέτης, ου, ὁ: debtors, the ones with whom we have a charge concerning the Decalogue; a requirement of the Law that is due or owed; actual or potential culpability, fault, or guilt at the Law.

[41] μὴ, negation particle (adverbial): not.  Its primary function here is to negate the following verb.

[42] εἰσενέγκῃς, second person singular, aorist active subjunctive of εἰσφέρω: to bring, carry, or lead into.

[43] ἡμᾶς, accusative plural personal pronoun from ἐγώ: us.

[44] εἰς, preposition of direction from εἰς: into, the opposite of an ablative when used with the accusative.

[45] πειρασμόν, accusative singular masculine noun from πειρασμός, οῦ, ὁ: affliction, calamity, proof, temptation, test, trial.

[46] ἀλλὰ, emphatic adversative conjunction: but, however, nevertheless, on the other hand, yet.

[47] ῥῦσαι, second person singular, aorist active imperative of ῥύομαι: to deliver, drag from danger, rescue.

[48] ἀπὸ, preposition of direction from ἀπὸ: from, the ablative.

[49] τοῦ, genitive singular masculine or neuter article from ὁ, ἡ, τό: the.

[50] πονηροῦ, genitive singular masculine adjective from πονηρός, ά, όν: bad, evil, the evil person, system, or thing.  We resist the temptation to translate, “the evil one,” implying that this refers directly to Satan himself.  This certainly includes Satan, but it seems to us that a broader scope is intended: all sorts of evil; the world, the flesh, and the Devil; the whole scope of the evil system, without any exception.

[51] Ὅτι, causal conjunction or particle from the relative pronoun ὅστις, ἥτις, ὅτι: because.

[52] ἐστιν, third person singular, present active indicative of εἰμί: he, she, or it is.

[53] καὶ, coordinating or series conjunction: and.  In keeping with the English custom, only the last καὶ in the series is translated.  The series or Oxford comma is retained.

[54] δύναμις, nominative singular feminine noun from δύναμις, εως, ἡ: might, omnipotence, power, strength; predicate nominative.

[55] δόξα, nominative singular feminine noun from δόξα, ης, ἡ: appearance, glory, Glory, a direct reference to the Shekinah; predicate nominative.

[56] τοὺς, accusative plural article from ὁ, ἡ, τό: the.

[57] αἰῶνας, accusative plural masculine noun from αἰών, ῶνος, ὁ: a significant period of time, an age or era, all of time, eternity.  In service settings this is often strengthened with τῶν αἰώνων, lest there be any doubt that eternity is in mind, and to add poetic flourishes for emphasis.

[58] Ἀμήν, indeclensionate particle of covenantal affirmation: absolutely, truly, we agree, we submit to the covenant stipulations, we will be ruled by this king, amen.

[59] Alexandrian text omits the entire sentence.  This is very possibly a Byzantine liturgical tradition, an added response to the prayer.  However, this tradition exists universally throughout the practice of the Church, and the prayer sounds strange without it.  It is an appropriate antiphon to the prayer.  Since the prayer is covenantal in nature, its only appropriate response is covenant affirmation.

[60] Ἐὰν, conditional conjunction introducing a protasis: if.  This begins a Third Class, Future More Probable conditional sentence.

[61] γὰρ, postpositive explanatory conjunction: for.

[62] ἀφῆτε, second person plural, aorist active subjunctive of ἀφίημι: excuse, forgive.

[63] ἀνθρώποις, dative plural masculine noun from ἄνθρωπος, ου, ὁ, ἡ: to men. This is the indirect object.

[64] παραπτῶματα or παραπτώματα: accusative plural neuter noun from παράπτωμα, ατος, τό: stumbling, fault, offense, transgression; the act or deed of breaking the Law.  It may also imply a lesser degree of seriousness (an accident, a slip) than is implied by ὀφείλημα.  The step of sinners is on slippery ground (Deuteronomy 32:35).  The change in inflection from circumflex to acute is possibly musical, its exact use is lost to us.  It is more likely that the Byzantine culture would reflect correct musical tonalities.  This argument cuts both ways, but it is not a translatable difference.

[65] αὐτῶν, genitive plural reflexive pronoun from αὐτός, ή, ό: their.

[66] ἀφήσει, third person singular, future active indicative of ἀφίημι: excuse, forgive.  Forgiveness is certain if the condition is met.

[67] καὶ, dependent conjunction introducing an apodosis: then.  The location is postpositive, balancing γὰρ (note 69) and δὲ (note 81)

[68] ὑμῖν, dative plural personal pronoun from σύ: to you.  This is the indirect object.

[69] Πατὴρ, nominative singular masculine noun from Πατὴρ, τέρος, τρός, ὁ: Father.

[70] ὑμῶν, genitive plural personal pronoun from σύ: you, your, yours.

[71] οὐράνιος, nominative singular masculine adjective from οὐράνιος, ία, ιον: heavenly.

[72] That this forgiveness is associated with you plural in all three instances, indicates that this must take place in a forgiving community, even though personal obedience is required.  The community of forgiveness is seriously damaged when forgiveness is not a reality.

[73] δὲ, postpositive conjunction introducing continuation or opposition: but, now, yet, conversely, on the other hand.

[74] The phrase, τὰ παραπτῶματα αὐτῶν, is included in both the Byzantine and B.  Its absence in א leaves that which is to be forgiven open and unspecified.  This implies forgive everything, even corrupt and deliberate acts of aggression and violence.

[75] οὐδὲ, adverb, a contraction of οὐ + δέ: neither, nor, and not, not even.  The phrase sequence “for … then … yet … neither” is very emphatic and forceful.

[76] The converse is also true.  Again, it is associated with you plural in all three instances. Failure to forgive on the part of individuals is a cancer or poison that spreads like a flood or like wildfire through the forgiving community, killing all.  Acts 8:23; Romans 3:14; Ephesians 4:31; Hebrews 12:15