Please Support the Bible Translation Work of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

$5.00

The Reading Culture of Early Christianity

WH NU omit doxology at end of prayer (see various forms below)
א B D Z 0170 f1

Variant 1 add αμην (“amen”)
17 vgcl

Variant 2 add “because yours is the power forever.”
itk syrp

Variant 3 add “because yours is the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
copsa (Didache omits αμην)

Variant 4 add “because yours is the kingdom and the glory forever. Amen.”
syrc

Variant 5/TR add οτι σου εστιν η βασιλεια και η δυναμις και η δοξα εις τους αιωνας. αμην. “because yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
L W Δ Θ 0233 f13 33 Maj syr

Variant 6 add οτι σου εστιν η βασιλεια του πατρος και του υιου και του αγιου πνευματος εις τους αιωνας. αμην. “because yours is the kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.”
157 (1253)

In examining the textual tradition of Matthew 6:13, we delve into the diverse manuscript evidence concerning the doxology of the Lord’s Prayer. This analysis, anchored in the documentary method and a preference for the Alexandrian manuscript tradition, aims to discern the original form of this revered text. Through a thorough examination of the variants and their historical and liturgical contexts, we endeavor to determine the most authentic reading.

Manuscript Evidence and Variants

The textual tradition of Matthew 6:13 presents a spectrum of variations, primarily concerning the doxology’s inclusion at the prayer’s conclusion. The earliest and most reliable manuscripts, such as Codex Sinaiticus (א), Codex Vaticanus (B), Codex Bezae (D), Codex Freerianus (W), and Papyrus 0170, do not include any form of the doxology, suggesting that the original text concluded with a petition for deliverance from evil. This early witness aligns with the documentary method’s emphasis on the primacy of the oldest and most geographically diverse manuscripts in determining the text’s original form.

Variants of the doxology range from a simple “amen” to a more elaborate Trinitarian doxology. These expansions reflect a continuum from minimal to more complex additions, likely influenced by liturgical practices and theological reflections within early Christian communities. The progression from a simple affirmation to an extended praise (including attributes of God’s kingdom, power, and glory) indicates a gradual incorporation of liturgical elements into the text.

Liturgical Influence and Historical Context

The longer forms of the doxology, particularly those found in later manuscripts and traditions (such as the Textus Receptus and the King James Version), likely originated from early Christian liturgical practices. The Didache, an early Christian document, presents a version of the Lord’s Prayer that includes a doxology, underscoring the liturgical use of this prayer in early Christian worship. This connection suggests that the extended doxologies were later additions, influenced by the prayer’s use in communal and liturgical settings, rather than part of the original Gospel text.

Westcott and Hort’s observation that the doxology originated in Syrian liturgy and was subsequently adopted into Greek and Syriac texts of the New Testament supports the hypothesis that the extended doxology reflects the influence of early Christian worship practices rather than the original text penned by the Evangelist.

Conclusion: Affirming the Original Reading

Considering the manuscript evidence, the historical and liturgical context, and the methodological principles guiding this analysis, we conclude that the original text of Matthew 6:13 likely concluded with the petition for deliverance from evil, without any doxology. The variations and expansions observed in later manuscripts represent subsequent additions, influenced by the prayer’s incorporation into early Christian liturgical traditions.

The absence of the doxology in the earliest and most reliable manuscripts underscores the importance of documentary evidence in determining the original text. Moreover, the diverse and expanding nature of the doxological additions speaks to the dynamic interaction between scripture and liturgy in the early Christian tradition. While these liturgical expansions enrich the prayer’s use in communal worship, they are likely not part of the original Gospel of Matthew as written by the Evangelist.

In affirming the original reading, we recognize the Lord’s Prayer not only as a foundational element of Christian spirituality but also as a text that has evolved in its liturgical expression. This analysis highlights the significance of both documentary evidence and the understanding of early Christian practices in discerning the text’s authentic form, offering insights into the living tradition of scriptural interpretation and liturgical adaptation.

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is the CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored more than 220 books and is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).