Should “for thine is the kingdom…” be included in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:13)?

Answer

Matthew 6:9–13 contains what is commonly known as The Lord’s Prayer. In this passage, Jesus instructs His disciples on how to pray «After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. », (Matthew 6:9). However, a discerning reader will observe that the conclusion varies in different translations, raising the question of whether “for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever” should be part of the Lord’s Prayer. The King James Version includes this ending, whereas the English Standard Version (ESV) and New International Version (NIV) do not. The New American Standard Bible (NASB) incorporates the statement in brackets with an editorial note indicating that the oldest manuscript omits these words.

Should “for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever” be part of the Lord’s Prayer «And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. », (Matthew 6:13)? Luke’s gospel may suggest otherwise, as it presents a slightly condensed version of the prayer (Luke 11:2-4) and omits the “kingdom . . . power . . . glory” declaration. While Luke’s account does not confirm what Matthew wrote, it does reveal what Luke deemed essential to include.

The phrase “for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever,” within the Lord’s Prayer «And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. », (Matthew 6:13) is a topic of discussion.

The phrase “for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever” in (Matthew 6:13) is not found in early Greek manuscripts such as Sinaiticus (א) and Vaticanus (B), both from the 4th century; Bezae (D) from the 5th century; and Dublinensis (Z) from the 6th century. The absence of this phrase in these early Greek manuscripts provides significant evidence that these words were not originally part of Matthew’s Gospel. Furthermore, the fact that early theologians like Tertullian (2nd—3rd centuries), Origen (3rd century), Cyprian (3rd century), Ambrose (4th century), and Augustine (4th—5th centuries) did not include it in their writings also supports the idea that “for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever” was not part of the original Lord’s Prayer.

On the other hand, there are early references to this phrase, including in the very early (2nd-century) Didache [minus he basileia (“the kingdom”)] (Kirsopp Lake, The Apostolic Fathers, Volume I, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1919, p. 320). Although absent from the earliest Greek Bible manuscripts, it appears in the majority of later Greek manuscripts and in an increasing number of theological writings over time.

The question of whether “for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever” was originally part of the Lord’s Prayer is not easily answered, as there is evidence supporting both perspectives. While the earliest Greek Bible manuscripts suggest excluding the phrase, its prevalence in later manuscripts indicates that it should not be dismissed lightly. Considering these points, it appears that the addition to Matthew 6:13 may have been an editorial doxological addition initially in the Didache (an extrabiblical document) and later refined to include the kingdom.

The doxology “for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever” likely served as a hymnic addition to enhance a worshipful reading of the passage. While the statement is undoubtedly true—God’s kingdom, power, and glory are eternal—

It was likely not originally in Matthew’s Gospel (especially when considering the earliest Greek manuscripts, as the NASB does, for instance).