Pope Francis has said the Roman Catholic Church should adopt a better translation of the phrase “lead us not into temptation” in the “Our Father”, the best known prayer in Christianity.
“That is not a good translation” the pope said in a television interview on Wednesday night.
Pope Francis said the Catholic Church in France had decided to use the phrase “do not let us fall into temptation” as an alternative and indicated that it or something similar should be applied worldwide.
The prayer, also called “The Lord’s Prayer,” is part of Christian liturgical culture and memorized from childhood by hundreds of millions of Catholics.
It is a translation from the Latin vulgate, which was translated from ancient Greek, which was in turn translated from Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus.
Liturgical translations are usually done by local Churches in coordination with the Vatican.
THE LORD'S PRAYER
Roman Catholic Church
Our Father who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil
Protestants also add the following conclusion:
For thine is the kingdom
And the power
And the glory
Forever