# Be Ready - Tuesday, 2025.12.02 ## Deliver us from the Evil One What does , "deliver us from the evil one"mean? ### Deliver Almost all of the translations say "deliver." What does that mean? The New Living Translation says "rescue." Is that a reasonable paraphrase? Apparently, the Greek word includes the "destination" of deliverance. Literally, it means "to draw / to snatch-up / to rescue to oneself." So, since this is a prayer to God, it could be said that we are asking God to snatch us to Himself. It's not just "get me out of this mess / danger," but it also includes to whom we are being rescued -- God. ### Evil / Evil One Although almost all of the translations translated "deliver" the same, this isn't true for the end of the phrase. The various translations seem to be roughly evenly split between "evil" and "evil one." So, are "evil" and "the evil one" synonymous? I suppose that could be said. However, I think I will withhold a final decision until I do a deeper dive on that question. ### Gary's Paraphrase Many years ago, I paraphrased verse 13 as follows: "Father, please keep me from doing anything stupid and please keep the stupid people away from me." Just to be clear ... that is NOT a good translation of verse 13. However, I am a firm believer we can ask God for anything. He may or may not answer my prayer as He sees fit. I also need to keep in mind the warning in James about asking with wrong motives, {James 1.1-3} ## Disciple's Prayer & Epilogue So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours. {Matthew 6.9-15 (BSB)}