Learn the Lord's Prayer in Aramaic
Dr. Rocco A. Errico is an ordained minister, international lecturer and author, spiritual counselor, and one of the nation’s leading Biblical scholars working from the original Aramaic Peshitta texts. He also holds a special title of Teacher, Prime Exegete, Maplana d’miltha dalaha, among the Federation of St. Thomas Christians of the order of Antioch.
Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic
When Jesus’ young disciples were with him one
day by the Lake of Galilee, they asked him to teach
them to pray. Jesus immediately began to instruct
“this
them in his way of prayer. He told them to pray
way.” The short phrase “this way” means to pray
“something like this”:
An Expanded Translation by Dr. Rocco A. Errico:
“Our Father who is everywhere
Your name is sacred.
Your kingdom is come.
Your will is throughout the earth
Even as it is throughout the universe
You give us our needful bread from day to day,
And you forgive us our offenses
Even as we forgive our offenders.
And you let us not enter into materialism.
But you separate us from error.
Because yours are the kingdom, the power and the song and praise.
From all ages, throughout all ages.”
Learn More about the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic
An excerpt from Dr. Errico’s Book “Setting a Trap for God :The Aramaic Prayer of Jesus”
“God Is an Approachable Parent
In this remarkably simple prayer, Jesus nowhere
mentions the word God. He uses the Aramaic term
abba, “Father,” or, as it appears in the text, awoon,
“our Father.” This gives us a sense of nearness. It is
almost like saying “daddy” or “papa.” Jesus taught
his disciples that God is like a good father who is
benevolent and kind.
As I mentioned earlier, at that time, God was
depicted as some mysterious, awesome, and fear-
some deity who lived far from His creations. God
was so far removed from them that even His pre-
cious name was too holy for them to utter. Others
believed God was coming with swift judgment to
punish wicked people and nations. But Jesus laid all
that aside, for he taught his disciples that when they
approached God, their attitude should be that God
was “Father.” In other words, “our heavenly parent” is approach-
able. We can always come to God.
All Races Are Children of God
“Our universal Father” also means that God is the
Father of all peoples and all races. The Creator is
not just “my” Father, or just “your” Father, but God
is “our Father.” When we say the words “our Father
who is everywhere” we immediately recognize other
peoples’ sonship with the parental presence of God.
It is God’s Spirit that fills the universe, and all things
as well as all people exist through this Presence. This
means that the Chinese, the Russians, the Japanese,
the Arabs, and all races everywhere are sons (children) of God!
God loves all His children! But when we pray, we
frequently pray only for our own good, not caring
about its effect on others. For instance, in warfare,
we often ask and beseech God to bless one side or
the other. God cannot bless either side, for God does
not participate in acts of violence or aggression. The
parental presence of God acts only for the good of
all! When we truly and deeply understand the mean-
ing of “our Father who is everywhere,” we will pray
for not only our good but for universal good. We will
empathize with all nations and act for the good of all.”
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