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This article will examine the Greek-to-English translation of the “lead us not into temptation” portion of the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:13; Luke 11:4), whether this portion of the prayer is better stated by saying “do not let us fall into temptation,” or if there is a better translation that can be used.

In 2017, Catholic Pope Francis said that he believed the wording of the Lord’s Prayer, “lead us not into temptation,” should be altered. Francis said, “It’s not a good translation because it speaks of a God who induces temptation. I am the one who falls. It’s not Him pushing me into temptation to then see how I have fallen. A Father doesn’t do that; a father helps you get up immediately. It’s Satan who leads us into temptation – that’s his department.”[i]

In 2019, “do not lead us into temptation” was altered to “do not let us fall into temptation” and the change was approved by the general assembly of the Episcopal Conference of Italy.[ii]

The Catholic Church and her popes, on the surface, should not be trusted as a spiritual source of truth. The Catholic Church, aka “Mystery Babylon” (Revelation 17), has instituted many changes to God’s unchangeable word, most notably changing the Seventh Day Sabbath to Sunday Sabbath and altering the Ten Commandments by abolishing the Second Commandment and splitting the Tenth Commandment into the Ninth and Tenth Commandments. Catholic popes, past and present, have intended to change or have upheld the intended changes to many of God’s appointed times and laws (Daniel 7:25).

The phrase of the Lord’s Prayer in question is, “And lead us not into temptation” (KJV: Matthew 6:13; Luke 11:4).

Does God lead us into temptation, in so much that we should pray that He does not lead us into temptation?

No. God does not lead us into temptation, but He allows us to be tempted.

MATTHEW 18:7 (ESV):
“Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!”

LUKE 17:1 (ESV):
And He said to His disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!”

1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 (NKJV):
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Why is it necessary for temptations to come? It is necessary, in this age, in order for God to test us, and for us to choose to love God, obey Him, and overcome sin.

When Adam and Eve were living in the Garden of Eden, YHWH (the Lord) God allowed them to be tempted by the serpent (Satan). YHWH (the Lord) God duly warned Adam and Eve, but did not prevent them from falling into temptation (Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-24).

God is not going to prevent temptation or stop us from falling into it, if we choose to. It is a believer who must overcome temptations to sin.

PHILIPPIANS 2:12 (NKJV):
Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

REVELATION 21:7 (NKJV) [WITH INTERPRETATION]:
He who overcomes [TEMPTATION AND SIN] shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

Believers are not left on their own to overcome sin. Through prayer, fasting, and faith in Yeshua (Jesus) we can be strengthened to conquer sin.

PHILIPPIANS 2:13 (NIV):
For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13 (NKJV):
I can do all things through Messiah (Christ) who strengthens me.

The Greek-to-English direct word-for-word translation of “And lead us not into temptation,” is as follows: “And not lead us into temptation.” And not lead us into temptation, though a direct translation, is grammatically incorrect in English.

Part of the problem with the translation, “And lead us not into temptation,” is that it is a negative sentence construction that adds a negation to the verb. In this case, the verb is “lead” and the negation is “not.” “Lead us not…”

Though negative sentence construction is not considered grammatically incorrect, it is an archaic old-English style of speaking. In times past, The Daisy Oracle would be said, “He loves me, he loves me not.” Today, using modern English, a woman would say, “He loves me, he doesn’t love me.”

The wording of “lead us not into temptation,” being changed by the Catholic Church to “do not let us fall into temptation” is likewise not an accurate modern English translation. Changing “lead us not” to “do not let us fall” is not merely a grammatical change, but is a changing of actual words of Scripture to non-synonymous words.

God allows human beings to be tempted and fall into temptation. Even Yeshua (Jesus) was tempted by Satan, but did not fall (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13).

How should “lead us not into temptation” be translated into modern English? “Lead us away from temptation” is an accurate translation.

Is praying to be led away from temptation proper?

Yes. The very next stanza in the Lord’s Prayer is to “deliver us from the evil one.” Some translations use “deliver us from evil.” God is not going to repent for us and deliver us from evil if we choose to sin, as it is the responsibility of a person, with the help of God, to overcome sin. God will deliver us from the evil one, Satan.

PROVERBS 3:6 (NKJV):
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

MATTHEW 26:41; MARK 13:48 (NKJV):
“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”

LUKE 22:40,46 (NKJV):
“Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” …
“Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”

God does not direct our paths into temptation, but temptation will come and we can ask Him to lead us away from temptation, when it does come, in this age. God will allow us to fall into temptation, if we so choose to, because God has given us free will. We can pray that God directs our paths and leads us away from temptation.

[i] Sherwood, Harriet, “Lead us not into mistranslation: pope wants Lord’s Prayer changed,” The Guardian, 8 Dec 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/08/lead-us-not-into-mistranslation-pope-wants-lords-prayer-changed

[ii] Sherwood, Harriet, “Led not into temptation: pope approves change to Lord’s Prayer, The Guardian, 6 Jun 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/06/led-not-into-temptation-pope-approves-change-to-lords-prayer#:~:text=Now%20Pope%20Francis%20has%20risked,let%20us%20fall%20into%20temptation%E2%80%9D.AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION – THE LORD’S PRAYER