"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil..."

Have you ever stood at the edge of a decision, knowing full well which path leads to light and which to shadow, yet feeling an almost magnetic pull toward the darkness? Perhaps it was the opportunity to share that piece of gossip that would make you the center of attention, the chance to shade the truth on your tax return, or the temptation to nurture that secret resentment against someone who wronged you.

In these moments, we discover why Jesus taught us to pray daily, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Matthew 6:13). This petition, so brief in its formulation, contains within it the entire drama of human existence—our vulnerability, our need for divine protection, and the very real presence of forces that seek our spiritual destruction.

 

The Wrestling of Translation

Before we can properly understand what we're praying, we must grapple with what these words actually mean. The Greek text presents us with fascinating complexity. The word typically translated as "temptation" is peirasmos, which can mean both "temptation" (an enticement to sin) and "trial" or "test" (a proving of character). James helps us understand that God himself "tempts no one" to sin (James 1:13), yet Scripture also speaks of God testing his people, as he tested Abraham (Genesis 22:1).

Martin Luther, in his Large Catechism, wisely observed that while God "tempts no one to sin," he does allow us to be "attacked, beleaguered, and oppressed" so that we might be "aroused and strengthened in our faith and in prayer." Luther understood this petition as our acknowledgment that without God's protective hand, we would surely fall into the snares that surround us daily.

Equally significant is the phrase's ending. The Greek tou ponerou can be translated either as "evil" (abstract) or "the evil one" (personal). Many ancient manuscripts and church fathers understood this as a direct reference to Satan himself. St. John Chrysostom wrote in his homilies on Matthew, "Here he calls the devil 'the evil one,' commanding us to wage against him a war that knows no truce." (Homily 19 on Matthew). This translation reminds us that we face not merely abstract forces of chaos, but a personal adversary who, as Peter warns, "prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).

 

The Wisdom of Teresa

St. Teresa of Ávila, in her magnificent work The Way of Perfection, provides profound insight into this petition. She understood that the spiritual life is not a gentle stroll through pleasant meadows but often a fierce battle requiring vigilance and divine assistance. Teresa writes, "We must always be on our guard, for we are beset by enemies and cannot lay down our arms." (The Way of Perfection, Chapter 38).

For Teresa, this petition of the Lord's Prayer was not merely about avoiding obvious sins but about recognizing our complete dependence on God's grace in every moment. She particularly emphasized how subtle temptations can be: "The devil sets his snares in a thousand ways, and if we are not very careful, he deceives us under the appearance of good." (The Way of Perfection, Chapter 39).

The person who becomes harsh and judgmental in the name of defending truth, the one who neglects family while claiming to serve God, the individual who nurtures pride while calling it healthy self-esteem—these are the sophisticated temptations Teresa warns against.

Teresa also understood that different souls face different trials. She counseled her sisters that what might be a fierce temptation for one person might be easily dismissed by another. This wisdom reminds us to avoid both pride and despair. The universality of the Lord's Prayer—we all pray "lead us not into temptation"—reminds us that every human being, regardless of their spiritual maturity, remains vulnerable and in need of divine protection.

 

The Testimony of the Fathers

The early church fathers provided rich commentary on this petition. St. Cyprian of Carthage, in his treatise on the Lord's Prayer, wrote: "When we say 'Lead us not into temptation,' we are reminded of our infirmity and weakness, so that none of us may arrogantly assume anything to himself." (De Dominica Oratione, 25). This humility is essential—the moment we believe we can stand on our own is often the moment before our fall.

St. Augustine offered a particularly nuanced understanding, distinguishing between the temptations that come from our own concupiscence and those that come from external sources. In his letter to Proba, he explains that when we pray this petition, we ask not that we face no trials—for trials can strengthen us—but that we not be overcome by them. Augustine saw this prayer as an acknowledgment that while we must engage in spiritual combat, victory comes only through divine grace.

Elsewhere, Augustine puts it this way:

"We are tempted in two ways, either by the enticement of sin, or by the testing of righteousness. The first kind of temptation is to be feared, the second to be desired. But we pray that we may not be brought into the first kind, that is, that we may not be led into such temptation as we are incapable of bearing." (Letter 130, Chapter 11, Section 21).

The Desert Fathers, early Christian monastics who fled to the wilderness, knew the reality of temptation intimately. Abba Anthony the Great taught that "without temptations no one can be saved." (Sayings of the Desert Fathers). This paradoxical wisdom recognizes that temptations, while dangerous, also serve to reveal our weaknesses, humble our pride, and drive us to deeper dependence on God.

 

The Subtle Snares of Modern Life

In our contemporary context, this petition takes on particular urgency. We live in an age of unprecedented temptation—not necessarily because human nature has changed, but because the opportunities for sin have multiplied exponentially.

Consider how the simple act of picking up our phones can lead us into what the spiritual tradition calls the "near occasions of sin." A moment of boredom becomes an hour lost to mindless scrolling, exposing ourselves to envy, lust, anger, and despair. The comparison trap of social media, the rabbit holes of online arguments, the easy availability of pornography, the addictive nature of digital entertainment—these are the peirasmos of our age.

St. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologiae, distinguished between temptations of the flesh and temptations of the spirit (II-II, q. 165). While we often focus on the former, the latter—pride, vainglory, spiritual sloth—can be even more dangerous because they're harder to recognize. The person who spends hours crafting the perfect social media post to appear spiritual may be in greater danger than the one who struggles with more obvious vices.

 

Practical Strategies for Daily Victory

Understanding this petition intellectually is one thing; living it out is another. The tradition offers us practical wisdom for navigating the minefield of daily temptation.

We must, for instance, practice preventive prayer. Don't wait until you're in the midst of temptation to cry out for help; Teresa of Ávila counseled her sisters to begin each day by praying this petition slowly and thoughtfully, creating a spiritual shield before the battles begin.

Secondly, we must know our vulnerabilities. The examination of conscience helps us identify our particular weak points. What situations, emotions, or circumstances typically lead you toward sin? Self-knowledge, combined with humility, allows us to avoid unnecessary occasions of temptation. As Sirach wisely counsels, "Whoever loves danger will perish by it" (Sirach 3:26).

Third, we must cultivate positive practices. St. Philip Neri often said, "A joyful heart is more easily made perfect." When our lives are filled with meaningful work, genuine relationships, and spiritual practices, temptation loses much of its appeal. An empty heart is an invitation to evil; a full heart has little room for it.

Fourth, we need to maintain accountability. The practice of spiritual direction, confession, and honest friendship provides external support for our internal struggles. When we pray "deliver us from evil," we should remember that God often answers this prayer through the community of faith. Pride isolates; humility connects.

Finally, when you fall, get up quickly. St. Francis de Sales taught that discouragement after sin is often more damaging than the sin itself. As he wrote, "The devil labours to make us despair, or at least to be discouraged; therefore when we have committed any fault, we must humble ourselves before God, and then raise ourselves up again by a good and sure confidence in Him." (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 3, Chapter 9). When we fail—and we will fail—the proper response is not despair but renewed trust in God's mercy. The tax collector's prayer, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" (Luke 18:13), is always the shortest route back to grace.

 

Conclusion: The Final Deliverance

The petition "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" is, ultimately, a confession of hope. It acknowledges our fragility but asserts our trust in a powerful God. We pray it not to avoid life's trials, but to avoid the spiritual catastrophe of being overcome by them.

This prayer also looks to the very end of time. When we ask to be delivered "from evil" (or "the evil one"), we are praying for the final, definitive defeat of the Adversary and the full establishment of God's Kingdom. We are asking for the deliverance promised at Christ's Second Coming, when all temptation will cease and every shadow will flee.

Until that day, this petition remains our daily lifeline. It is the spiritual equivalent of calling for a rescue line in a storm, acknowledging that we cannot swim to shore on our own. It is the humble prayer of the redeemed sinner, walking in a dark world but clinging fiercely to the hand of the Father, knowing that the strength to resist the evil one is not ours, but His alone. By praying these words with intention, we are aligning our weakness with His omnipotence, ensuring that when the path grows dark, we will not be lost.