The Lord’s Prayer: A New Zealand Translation

In a recent Lenten reflection session at St. Thomas Episcopal, we talked about prayer, using as our starting point the Lord’s Prayer, which is well-known even in our secular culture.

Noting how reciting the same words over and over can become stale, one person shared how they had been deeply moved when they used an alternate version that can be found in the New Zealand Prayer Book.  https://anglicanprayerbook.nz/167. 

The new translation forced them to focus on the meaning of the original text. Looking up this version, I was also struck by how the non-traditional perspective adds power and universality to the prayer, and I commend it to you.

“Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, 

Source of all that is and that shall be, 

Father and Mother of us all, 
Loving God, in whom is heaven: 

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! 
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world! 
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! 
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth. 

With the bread we need for today, feed us. 
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. 
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. 
From trials too great to endure, spare us. 
From the grip of all that is evil, free us. 

For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, 
now and forever.    Amen.”

This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.