VATICAN – Pope Francis has officially approved a change to the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:13 replacing “Lead us not into temptation”; with — “Do not let us fall into temptation.”
The leader of the Catholic Church says the new version is better because the message in the first translation, from Greek to Latin, then to English was lost context and implies that God leads people into temptation.
US Catholic reported Monday that the Vatican enacted the change on May 22.
The Pope believes the new version is better because the first translation implies that God leads people into temptation, an action that is against his nature as a good and holy God.
The Gloria will change from “Peace on earth to people of good will” to “Peace on Earth to people beloved by God.”
The changes to the Italian Missal were a 16 year undertaking with aims to “contribute to the renewal of the ecclesial community in the wake of the liturgical reform.”
“Bishops and experts worked on improving the text from a theological, pastoral and stylistic point of view, as well as on fine-tuning the presentation of the Missal.”
The upcoming change has received confirmatio from the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, recognition of the decisions made by bishop’s conferences.
In the upcoming months the 3rd Edition of the Messale Romano will be printed and available for use.
“A father doesn’t do that, a father helps you to get up immediately,” Pope Francis said of the line in question. “It’s Satan who leads us into temptation, that’s his department.”
For years, Christians have wrestled with the actual meaning behind, “Lead us not.”
After more than 16 years of study, some biblical researchers say a better translation of the scripture would be: “Abandon us not when in temptation.”
The late theologian Charles Spurgeon explained during a sermon in 1863 that the word “temptation” in Matthew 6:13 actually holds two meanings, both the temptation toward sin and the facing of trials and tribulations.
While, Spurgeon agrees that God does not tempt us, he does argue that God will send us into trials and situations in which temptation toward sin is ever-present.
