📖 Biblical Definition
"Daily bread," in the Lord’s Prayer, names the day’s sufficient provision — not hoarded, not scarce, but given each day as needed (Matthew 6:11: "Give us this day our daily bread"). The Greek epiousios is rare and exact: bread for today, asked for today. The petition assumes the saint’s daily work as the ordinary means of provision ("if any would not work, neither should he eat", 2 Thessalonians 3:10) and confesses the daily portion as God’s gift even so. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights" (James 1:17). Christian men work hard for their bread and ask the Father for it daily.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
(Composite.) The day's sufficient provision; what the saint asks for in the Lord's Prayer and works for through honest labor.
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Greek epiousios appears only in Mt 6:11 and Lk 11:3 in all of Greek literature; its precise sense is debated but most likely sufficient for the coming day.
The petition presumes labor (the saint who would not work, would not eat — 2 Thess 3:10) and confesses dependence (no work guarantees the harvest). Both are right; both are kept in tension.
📖 Key Scripture
Matthew 6:11 — "Give us this day our daily bread."
Proverbs 30:8 — "Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me."
Exodus 16:4 — "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day."
2 Thessalonians 3:10 — "If any would not work, neither should he eat."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern Christianity often expects either no provision (anxiety) or guaranteed provision (presumption); Scripture teaches the saint to ask each day, work each day, eat each day.
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The manna pattern in Exodus 16 is the original training in daily bread: gather each morning, do not hoard, expect God again tomorrow. The Lord's Prayer turns this into a daily petition: give us this day our daily bread.
Daily bread teaches a particular shape of stewardship: enough labor for today, enough provision for today, enough rest for today. The household that prays this prayer with conviction works diligently and worries less. Both halves are God's business.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Greek epiousios is the rare and exact word.
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Greek epiousios — sufficient for the coming day; appears only in the Lord's Prayer.
Hebrew parallel: the manna of Exodus 16, gathered day by day.
Usage
"Give us this day our daily bread; not next year's."
"Manna trained Israel in daily bread; the prayer trains the church."
"Enough labor for today; enough provision for today; enough rest for today."