Our Father 2 in heaven, may your name be honored, 3
4:1 So then, my brothers and sisters, 8 dear friends whom I long to see, my joy and crown, stand in the Lord in this way, my dear friends!
3:2 Beware of the dogs, 12 beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh! 13
1 sn Pray this way. What follows, although traditionally known as the Lord’s prayer, is really the disciples’ prayer. It represents how they are to approach God, by acknowledging his uniqueness and their need for his provision and protection.
2 sn God is addressed in terms of intimacy (Father). The original Semitic term here was probably Abba. The term is a little unusual in a personal prayer, especially as it lacks qualification. It is not the exact equivalent of “daddy” (as is sometimes popularly suggested), but it does suggest a close, familial relationship.
3 tn Grk “hallowed be your name.”
4 map For location see JP4-A1.
5 tn Although the first part of v. 7 is not a complete English sentence, it maintains the “From…to” pattern used in all the Pauline letters to indicate the sender and the recipients. Here, however, there are several intervening verses (vv. 2-6), which makes the first half of v. 7 appear as an isolated sentence fragment.
6 tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”
7 tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”
8 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.
9 tn On εἰ πῶς (ei pws) as “so, somehow” see BDAG 279, s.v. εἰ 6.n.
10 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.
11 tn Grk “But this one thing (I do).”
12 sn Dogs is a figurative reference to false teachers whom Paul regards as just as filthy as dogs.
13 tn Grk “beware of the mutilation.”
14 tn Or “holding out, holding forth.”