“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13, New American Standard Bible).

The Lord’s Prayer, as Jesus taught it to His disciples and Matthew’s Gospel records it, ends with the petition, “deliver us from evil.” Many Protestant churches conclude it with a doxology, “For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.” Roman Catholics end simply with “Amen.” None of the words that follow “deliver us from evil” appear in Jesus’ version. They are not bad (I usually include the full doxology when I say this prayer). They are just “extras.” We began this prayer with praise, and now we can end it the same way.

Martin Luther, in his Small Catechism, summarized this brief petition as follows:

“We pray in this petition, as the sum of all, that our Father in heaven would deliver us from every evil of body and soul, property and honor, and finally, when our last hour has come, grant us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this vale of tears to Himself in heaven.”

Many Christians think of “deliver us from evil” as a continuation of “lead us not into temptation.” Protection from temptation is part of our deliverance from evil. As we yield to the Holy Spirit, He will help us to recognize temptation and resist or avoid it.

We can also pray this concerning the evil of eternal separation from God in hell after death. As Martin Luther pointed out, deliverance from evil includes “a blessed end” at the end of life as God welcomes us into heaven.

We can also pray for protection from the evils that surround us in this life. The original Greek has a direct article so this verse should more literally say, “But deliver us from the evil.” Diverse commentators have suggested that this could have several meanings.

First, it could mean, “Deliver us from the evil one, Satan.” As he and his demons influence much of the temptation and tribulation around us, we need divine protection from him.

Second, it could mean “the ultimate evil.” Some Bible scholars think that this verse is not talking about the ordinary temptations we face (lust, anger, an extra slice of banana cream pie, etc.), but about the temptation to deny Christ in the face of persecution. In this case, “the evil” would be the sort of severe persecution that could lead a person to renounce their faith to save their earthly life. That explanation would make a lot of sense in a society where Christians face life-threatening persecution, as they did during the first three centuries of the Church’s existence. Christians in many countries today continue to endure that sort of persecution.

Does it refer to such an ultimate evil? If so, Americans would have a hard time honestly saying this prayer. Perhaps there is a third option: Evil as a unified force in our world. In a sense, all genuine evil is the same: It deviates from God’s perfect will for the world and our lives. Some evil seems minor, perhaps little more than an annoying nuisance. Other evil seems devastatingly demonic. In a sense, it is all a matter of degree. Many of us struggle to withstand the evil we encounter in 2024 America. If we cannot endure this sort of evil—traffic jams on our way to work, political debates online leading to anger and arguments, lust-inspiring TV shows, extra slices of banana cream pie, etc.—how will we stand if church attendance and evangelism become felonies or a modern-day dictator sends Christians to concentration camps? Can we withstand evil? Jesus’ prayer reminds us that we can only overcome it with God’s help. So, we pray, “Deliver us from evil.”

All of the evils we face matter to God. No evil is too great for God to handle or too insignificant for Him to care about. May He always answer according to His perfect will and for our greatest good when we pray according to His Word and the teaching of Jesus Christ.

“Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ” (prayed in Roman Catholic and some other churches immediately after the Lord’s Prayer during communion).

What kinds of “evil” come to mind when you say this prayer? How has God delivered you from evil? Share your thoughts in the comments area below.

Copyright © 2024 Michael E. Lynch. All rights reserved.