Matthew 6:10
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Matthew 6:10
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This prayer isn't just a passive wish for God's reign to arrive; it's an active plea for His will to become the operative reality on earth, just as it is perfectly executed by heavenly beings. It’s a call for earth to mirror heaven’s flawless obedience and alignment with God’s desires, not just a hopeful anticipation of future events.
This section of the Lord's Prayer comes immediately after acknowledging God's holy name and before requests for personal needs. Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray, outlining petitions that prioritize God's purposes on earth, mirroring the perfect obedience seen in heaven. The prayer moves from a focus on God's character to the establishment of His reign and the execution of His will throughout creation.
When we pray for God's kingdom to come, are we just wishing for a future event, or is there something more active happening right now?
The prayer 'Your kingdom come' isn't just a passive wish for Jesus' return. It's a powerful plea for God's reign to be actively established and recognized on earth. This means God's authority being submitted to, His rule being felt, and His values shaping our lives and communities. It's about the 'already' and the 'not yet' of God's kingdom: it has broken into our world through Christ, but it is still growing and advancing until its full completion.
We pray for God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. But what does that actually look like, and why is it so different from how things often are?
This petition calls us to pray for a radical alignment of earthly actions with heavenly perfection. In heaven, God's will is met with immediate, enthusiastic, and complete obedience by angels and saints. On earth, we see a mix of obedience and resistance. When we pray 'Your will be done,' we are asking for God's desires – His love, justice, and mercy – to be fully realized by us and through us, mirroring the flawless execution of His will in the heavenly realm. It’s a prayer for transformation, where our own wills are brought into harmony with His.
Understand the original words
basileia · Greek Noun
The sovereign reign and rule of God, encompassing both His present spiritual authority and His future, definitive establishment of His glory over all creation.
thelēma · Greek Noun
God's sovereign desire, purpose, and moral decree for His creation; it is the ultimate standard for human conduct and the unfolding of history.
This prayer was taught during Jesus' earthly ministry, amidst fervent Jewish hopes for a political messianic kingdom. Jesus reframed this hope, teaching his followers to pray for God's sovereign reign and obedience to His will, both spiritually now and ultimately in a renewed creation.
c. 200 BC - 40 BC
Rise of Messianic Expectations
Jewish people eagerly anticipated the coming of a Messiah who would establish God's righteous kingdom on earth, overthrowing oppression.
c. AD 27-30
John the Baptist Preaches
John the Baptist announced that the kingdom of God was near, calling people to repentance and preparing the way for Jesus.
c. AD 28
Jesus Begins Public Ministry
Jesus proclaimed, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.'
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus Teaches the Lord's Prayer
During his Galilean ministry, Jesus taught his disciples this model prayer, including the petition 'Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.'
This passage speaks of God's everlasting kingdom and His rule over all creation, echoing the prayer for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done.
Isaiah 11:1-9This prophetic vision describes a future reign of justice and peace under a descendant of David, which directly relates to the coming of God's kingdom and the fulfillment of His righteous will on earth.
Daniel 2:44This prophecy foretells that God's kingdom will be established and will never be destroyed, ultimately consuming all other kingdoms, which powerfully illustrates the ultimate triumph prayed for in Matthew 6:10.
1 John 2:17This verse starkly contrasts the fleeting nature of the world with the eternal reality of doing God's will, highlighting the spiritual significance of the prayer for God's will to be done.
Revelation 21:1-4This passage describes a new heaven and a new earth where God dwells with His people and there is no more death or suffering, representing the ultimate fulfillment of God's kingdom and will on earth.
barnesMatthew 6:10: "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."
Thy kingdom come - The word "kingdom" here means "reign." Note, Matthew 3:2 . The petition is the expression of a wish that God may "reign" everywhere; that his laws may be obeyed; and especially that the gospel of Christ may be advanced everywhere, until the world shall be filled with his glory. Thy will be done - The will of God is, that people should obey his law, and be holy. The word "will," here, has referenc…
pulpitMatthew 6:10: "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."
Verse 10. - Thy kingdom come. Let there come the full establishment of thy realm. The prayer passes from the personal acceptance in the heart of God's revelation of himself to the consequent result. The clause has a much wider meaning than the development and spread of the Church, or even the personal return of Christ at the second advent. It speaks of that which shall be the issue of both this and that, the final…
This prayer isn't just a passive wish for God's reign to arrive; it's an active plea for His will to become the operative reality on earth, just as it is perfectly executed by heavenly beings. It’s a call for earth to mirror heaven’s flawless obedience and alignment with God’s desires, not just a hopeful anticipation of future events.
This section of the Lord's Prayer comes immediately after acknowledging God's holy name and before requests for personal needs. Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray, outlining petitions that prioritize God's purposes on earth, mirroring the perfect obedience seen in heaven. The prayer moves from a focus on God's character to the establishment of His reign and the execution of His will throughout creation.
This section of the Lord's Prayer comes immediately after acknowledging God's holy name and before requests for personal needs. Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray, outlining petitions that prioritize God's purposes on earth, mirroring the perfect obedience seen in heaven. The prayer moves from a focus on God's character to the establishment of His reign and the execution of His will throughout creation.
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c. AD 33
Jesus Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus' death and resurrection secured the victory over sin and death, inaugurating the spiritual reign of God's kingdom.
c. AD 48-58
Apostolic Preaching of the Kingdom
The apostles, empowered by the Holy Spirit, spread the message of God's kingdom through preaching and miracles, calling people to submit to Christ's reign.
c. AD 70
Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple
This event marked a significant turning point, signifying the judgment on a rejected Israel and the further establishment of the spiritual kingdom not tied to a physical location.
"Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." — This prayer isn't just a passive wish for God's reign to arrive; it's an active plea for His will to become the operative reality on earth, just as it is perfectly executed by heavenly beings. It…