An Intercessory Petition
Luke 11:4
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation…


We must not overlook the plural form of this petition. It is not only a personal request, it is an intercessory petition. "Lead us; deliver us." Our thought takes in others besides ourselves; the shelter and deliverance that we implore for ourselves, we ask for all our fellow-men. And surely if we ask the Lord to keep our neighbours out of temptation, we shall be careful how we ourselves do anything to place temptation in their way; we shall do all that we wisely can to make the surroundings of their lives helpful, and not corrupting, to their virtue.

(Washington Gladden, D. D.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

WEB: Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'"




A Forgiving Spirit
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