The Seventh Petition: “But Deliver Us From the Evil One”

St. Cyprian of Carthage. After all the rest, we come to the end of the prayer with a conclusion that briefly expresses all our supplications and petitions. At the end we say: “but deliver us from the evil one”—meaning thereby every evil that the enemy devises against us in this world, against which we will have a sure and strong defense if God delivers us from it and, in answer to our asking and praying, grants us His help. And after the words “deliver us from the evil one,” there is nothing more to ask for: we ask for God’s protection against the evil one, and having received such protection, we are already safe and defended against all the schemes of the devil and the world. Indeed, what has the world to fear for one whose defender in this world is God?

St. Gregory of Nyssa. Rising up, let us say to God: lead us not “into trial,” that is, into the calamity of the present life, “but deliver us from the evil one,” who has gained power in this world—from whom may we also be delivered by the grace of Christ the Lord.

St. John Chrysostom. By “the evil one” here Christ means the devil, commanding us to wage unceasing war against him, and showing that he is evil not by nature. Evil depends not on nature but on free will. And that the devil in particular is called the evil one is due to the extraordinary abundance of evil found in him, and because, without having been wronged by us in any way, he wages unceasing war against us. Therefore the Savior did not say: “deliver us” from the evil ones, but from “the evil one”—and by this very wording teaches us never to be angry with our neighbors for the offenses that we sometimes suffer from them, but to direct all our enmity against the devil, as the cause of all evils.

St. John Cassian. Finally there follows: “but deliver us from the evil one”—that is, do not allow us to be tempted by the devil beyond our strength, but “with the temptation also provide the way of escape, so that we may be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13).

Bl. Augustine. “But deliver us from the evil one” may belong to the same preceding petition, as though in both the same thing were being asked. This is why the word “but” is placed there—to show that the whole phrase: “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”—expresses one and the same thought. How so? In this way: by delivering us from the evil one, the Lord does not lead us into temptation; and by not leading us into temptation, He delivers us from the evil one.

But, beloved, in this life there is one terrible temptation—a temptation in which that very thing is endangered and put to trial through which we can obtain forgiveness if we fall in other temptations. This temptation is terrible because it takes away from us that through which we can be healed of the wounds caused by other temptations. I see that you do not understand me. But listen and you will understand. — Suppose that someone has been overcome by some temptation: for even a good wrestler receives wounds. For example, covetousness has overcome someone (though he is a good wrestler), and he has done something to satisfy self-interest. But the passion has passed, the sin has been recognized—and he prays: “forgive.” If he himself forgives others, he is immediately forgiven. Or, someone looked at a woman, admitted desire into himself, and took pleasure in it. But he came to his senses in time and restrained the desire. The sin was not completed; but by the very fact that fleshly pleasure was admitted, something sinful was done, which places him under the necessity of praying: “forgive.” And here too, if he himself forgives others, he is immediately forgiven. And so it is with all other temptations. As long as someone forgives others, whatever temptation he may stumble in—if in repentance he turns to God and cries out: “forgive”—he will immediately be forgiven. But if he does not forgive others, even the smallest transgression will not be forgiven him. And this is the terrible and ruinous temptation I am speaking of—when the evil one, the source of evil, succeeds in sowing in our heart a malice that knows no forgiveness and demands vengeance. And it is from this above all that we must pray to be delivered, when we say: “deliver us from the evil one.” For through this you are deprived of the means by which you might have received forgiveness for all other sins. By whatever feelings, desires, and deeds you may have sinned—in all of them you would have received forgiveness if you yourself had forgiven. But here the evil one inflames you to vengeance, and takes from you not only the possibility of receiving forgiveness, but even the boldness to say in prayer: “as we also forgive those who are in debt to us.” And when you have lost that, everything remains against you, nothing is forgiven.

Watch then, my brothers; watch, my children; watch, children of God; watch, I implore you. Struggle with your heart and within your heart against the evil one, with all your strength. When you see that anger has risen up in you and that malice is consuming your heart, pray against it to God, that He may make you conquerors of this temptation and deliver you from the evil one working within you. Leave aside external enemies; engage in battle with the internal ones and pray. The Lord is near, and His help is ready. Cry out and He will deliver you.

After we have said: “and lead us not into temptation,” there follows: “but deliver us from the evil one.” Whoever desires to be delivered from the evil one thereby testifies that he is encompassed by evil. This is why the Apostle says: “making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16). But “does anyone desire life and love long days, that he may see good?” — When for every person bearing flesh the days of this life are evil, who is there who does not desire this? And if you desire it, then do what follows: “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (Ps. 33:13–15). Do this; and you will put an end to evil days, and it will be fulfilled in you: “deliver us from the evil one.”

We must pray not only that we not be led into temptation toward evil—which we ask in the sixth petition—but also that we be delivered from that into which we have already been led. And when this is obtained, then nothing dangerous remains for us and there is nothing more to fear from any temptation. This, however, cannot be expected in this life, in which we remain burdened with passions, from the moment that the serpent’s deceit cast us into it. Yet we must hope that this will come to pass one day. And this is the object of hoping for what we do not see, as the Apostle says: “hope that is seen is not hope” (Rom. 8:24). But in regard to wisdom—as accessible even in this life to the servants of God—one must not despair. It consists in fleeing with the utmost care from what, as we have learned from Divine Revelation, must be fled, and with ardent love desiring what, as we have likewise learned from Divine Revelation, must be desired. In this way, when at the moment of death itself we lay down the whole burden of mortality, we will be accounted worthy to enter into all-encompassing, inviolable blessedness—the first-fruits of which are laid down even in this life, kindling an all-earnest desire to attain it, in its fullness, one day and there.

Bl. Theophylact. “But deliver us from the evil one.” For he brings upon us both involuntary and voluntary temptations. Therefore, when you involuntarily suffer temptation from a person, do not consider that person to be the author of your temptation, but the evil one. For it is he who incites that person to rage against you and to act violently.

He did not say: deliver us from evil people—for it is not they who do us harm, but the evil one who stirs them up to this and does harm to us and to them. Therefore it is not people but evil spirits that we must hate and denounce.

Symeon of Thessalonica. “But deliver us from the evil one.” For he is Your enemy and ours—untameable, sleepless, burning with malice. We are powerless to withstand him, for he is of a more subtle nature than we, wicked and knowing no sleep, devising and weaving countless schemes against us. And if You, the Creator and Lord of all—and of this devil and his companions, as well as of the Angels and of us—if You do not snatch us away, then who is able to deliver himself from him? We have no strength to contend with the one who is incorporeal and, moreover, malicious, envious, and devising all manner of evil.

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. According to the teaching of St. Chrysostom, by “the evil one” here is understood the devil. “The evil one,” he says, “here refers to the devil, commanding us to wage unceasing war against him.” He is so called by pre-eminence, on account of his great malice, since he wages unceasing war against us and strives to bring upon us every calamity, both bodily and spiritual, as the Apostle says: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). By this we pray the Heavenly Father that He Himself protect us from him, for we ourselves cannot preserve ourselves from him. And finally, that at the hour of our death—when he especially exerts himself against the faithful—He would preserve us from him, and after our blessed end would receive our souls into the heavenly Fatherland, and having delivered us from him and from all the evils he stirs up, would grant us eternal blessedness, which He has promised to those who believe in His name. By this word: “deliver us from the evil one,” our Savior arouses us to prayer and teaches us to seek deliverance from him through prayer. “By mentioning the enemy,” says St. John Chrysostom, “He prepares us for the struggle and cuts off our laziness.” By praying “lead us not”—and not me—“into temptation, but deliver us”—and not me—“from the evil one,” we are taught and exhorted to pray for one another and to ask God for help, protection, deliverance, and salvation for one another.

In Scripture it is not 77 but 7×70. — Editors of Azbuka Veri