📖 Biblical Definition
"Give us this day our daily bread" is the fourth petition of the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:11; Luke 11:3) — the central physical petition between the prayer for God’s name, kingdom, and will, and the prayers for forgiveness, deliverance, and protection from evil. The Greek adjective epiousios appears almost only here in all Greek literature; it is variously translated "daily," "sufficient," or "for the coming day." The petition is countercultural: it asks for daily provision, not stored security; not anxious accumulation but trusting daily dependence on the Father. The manna pattern of the wilderness still applies: enough for today; gather it again tomorrow; do not hoard against the LORD’s daily supply.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Fourth Lord's-Prayer petition: trusting daily dependence on Father's provision.
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The fourth petition of the Lord's Prayer (Matt 6:11). The Greek adjective epiousios is almost a hapax legomenon (appears virtually only here in all Greek literature). Translation candidates: "daily," "necessary for existence," "sufficient for the day," "for the coming day." Whichever translation, the petition asks for daily provision — not stored security, not anxious accumulation, but daily dependence on the Father. Echoes Israel's wilderness manna: gather only enough for today; tomorrow's portion will come tomorrow. Disrupts both grasping anxiety and presumptive over-accumulation.
📖 Key Scripture
Matthew 6:11 — "Give us this day our daily bread."
Exodus 16:4 — "Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day."
Proverbs 30:8-9 — "Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD?"
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Either spiritualized away ("bread" = spiritual food only) or materialized away (it's just about money); the petition is for actual daily provision in trusting dependence.
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Two opposite reductions: (1) spiritualizing — "daily bread" means only the bread of life or the Word; (2) prosperity-materializing — the petition is a wealth-claim. The petition's actual force is humbler: ask each day for enough food, knowing tomorrow's portion will come tomorrow.
Recover the daily-ness: the petition resists hoarding (don't pile up beyond today's need) and resists worrying (the Father gives daily). Manna-pattern in prayer-form.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Greek epiousios.
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['Greek', 'G1967', 'epiousios', 'daily, sufficient']
['Greek', 'G740', 'artos', 'bread']
Usage
"Give us this day our daily bread."
"Not stored security; daily dependence."
"Manna-pattern in prayer-form."