The Lord’s Prayer: Pattern, Meaning, and Power

Prayer is one of the most universal acts of worship. Jesus Christ exemplified it throughout His life, repeatedly praying to His Father in Heaven. He prayed at His baptism, before beginning His ministry, and before choosing His Twelve Apostles. He prayed when raising Lazarus from the dead, after feeding the 5,000, and when He was transfigured in the presence of Peter, James, and John.

The Gospels record prayers of gratitude, intercession, and anguish, as well as prayers seeking guidance. The Savior truly modeled how to find direction and comfort in prayer. Christians from all backgrounds can learn both from what He taught about prayer and from how He prayed.

What Is the Lord’s Prayer?

Most biblical scholars view the Lord’s Prayer as a pattern Jesus gave to His disciples, teaching the essentials of communicating with God. His introduction—“After this manner therefore pray ye” (Matthew 6:9)—makes this clear. Luke records that the prayer came in response to the disciples’ request: “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).

Many Christians find peace and feel God’s love through reciting the Lord’s Prayer. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encourages all to use it as a template for personal prayer. President Nelson taught:

Jesus invited His disciples to learn from His words so that their prayers might strengthen their relationship with God and shape their character.

Why Did Jesus Teach the Lord’s Prayer?

While they are seldom cited as part of the Lord’s Prayer, Christ’s teachings leading up to the prayer help us understand why He gave it. Prior to offering the prayer, Jesus condemned the “vain repetitions” of the heathen, who used empty words that they didn’t really mean or who prayed long, loud, and in public to appear more righteous (see Matthew 6:7).

True prayer, He explained, is not for display but for communion with God.

Where Is the Lord’s Prayer in the Bible?

The Lord’s Prayer can be found in both Matthew 6:9–13 and Luke 11:2–4. Here is the text as recorded in Matthew:

A third record appears in the Book of Mormon, when the resurrected Savior taught the same prayer to His disciples in the Americas (see 3 Nephi 13:9–13).

Though phrased differently, all three versions emphasize the same intent and sacred pattern demonstrated by the Savior.

The Lord’s Prayer, Its Principles, and Your Prayers

More than anything, the Lord’s Prayer is a model of humility. It invites disciples to praise God, submit to His will, confess sins, and extend forgiveness. It shifts focus away from the recognition of others and toward the acceptance and love of God.

Jesus taught, “After this manner therefore pray ye,” because He desired that His followers have a sincere, productive prayer life. However, He also knew that as their prayers earnestly conformed to the pattern He established in the Lord’s Prayer, it could help in transforming them into His image (see 2 Corinthians 3:18).

So what does this mean for your prayers?

The Savior taught several principles in this pattern for Christian prayer:

• Our prayers should be addressed to God the Father—the first person of the Godhead.
• We should pray to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ.
• We should praise God and reverence Him in our prayers.
• We should always place God’s will before our own, being submissive to Him. That submissive spirit should be manifested in the things we pray.
• We should acknowledge that all that we have, as well as all the good that we enjoy, comes from God.
• Prayer is a time for confession and petitions for forgiveness for our failings and sins.
• Prayer is a time to make commitments to God—including a commitment to serve and bless others as God has served and blessed us.
• Through our petitions, we can request God’s protection—particularly spiritual protection.
• We should acknowledge God’s power, glory, and definitive supremacy over all things.
• Where possible, we should pray to be seen of God and not of other people.
• We don’t need to “multiply words” or pray long prayers—particularly if we are doing so to be noticed.
• What we pray should be sincere, not vain, hollow, or rote. We should avoid saying things in our prayers that are intended to appear impressive but are not sincere.

The Lord’s Prayer and Modern Application

Through the Restoration of the gospel, Jesus Christ has reaffirmed this pattern of prayer and given additional light. The Book of Mormon confirms and expands on the Bible’s teaching. Modern prophets continue to teach that prayer is essential to building a relationship with God, receiving strength from the Holy Spirit, and becoming more like Jesus Christ.

In this way, the Lord’s Prayer not only links disciples of the New Testament to the Savior—it also links us today to Him through His restored Church.