Orthodox prayers against temptation

St John Cassian heard an old monk of the Egyptian desert go through temptation after temptation, from gluttony and lust to anger and pride, and give this verse as the answer to every one. It is short enough to say the moment the pull begins.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Latin of Cassian’s Conferences, with Gibson’s 1894 translation beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: Edgar C. S. Gibson, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, vol. 11, 1894.

It is said slowly, again and again. Each time, it turns the mind from the tempting thought to the name of Jesus and His mercy.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Greek and the Slavonic, with Robinson’s 1916 wording beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: N. F. Robinson, Monasticism in the Orthodox Churches, 1916.

In the Liturgy of St James the priest says this just before the Our Father. It asks God to drive out every evil and lustful thought, every shameful desire and every temptation of everyday life. Its last line leads straight into the Our Father below it.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Greek (the prayer’s second half) printed by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, with William Macdonald’s 1886 translation beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: William Macdonald, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 7, 1886.

Macdonald’s English agrees with the manuscripts in F. E. Brightman’s Greek of 1896, so it has “unbecoming thought” for “unseemly word” and “a contrite spirit” for “an enlightened soul”, and no “love of money”. The plain English follows the Greek printed today. His “malice” is the word given here as “every grudge”.

Jesus taught His disciples this prayer, and its last request is “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” An early Christian guide called the Didache has believers pray it three times a day.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Greek, with Hapgood’s 1906 translation beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: Isabel F. Hapgood, Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic Church, 1906.

Hapgood says “trespasses”, as the usual English wording does. The Greek says “debts”, and so does the plain English.

In the Liturgy of St James the priest takes up the Our Father’s last request and carries it further, calling on God, Who knows how weak we are. At home you might add it after the Our Father.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Greek, with William Macdonald’s 1886 translation beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: William Macdonald, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 7, 1886.

Where Macdonald has the name “placed upon our humility”, the Greek uses the words of James 2:7 for the name a people is called by, so the plain wording says “by which we are called”.