📖 Biblical Definition
The third petition of the Lord's Prayer: "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." The qualifier as it is in heaven is the standard — God's will done on earth with the same completeness as in heaven. Christ later prays the same petition under His own cup: "not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42). The petition surrenders preferred outcomes to divine will.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Third Lord's-Prayer petition: God's will done on earth as in heaven.
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The third petition of the Lord's Prayer (Matt 6:10). Greek genēthētō to thelēma sou — "let your will come to be done." The qualifier hōs en ouranō kai epi gēs — "as in heaven, so on earth" — sets the standard. In heaven God's will is done immediately, fully, joyfully. The petition asks for the same on earth. Christ Himself models it the night before His death in Gethsemane: "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42). The petition surrenders the saint's preferred outcomes to the divine will, which is good even when it crosses our preferences.
📖 Key Scripture
Matthew 6:10 — "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."
Luke 22:42 — "Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."
Acts 21:14 — "And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Often prayed as fatalistic resignation; Christ prayed it as active surrender that still asked for the cup to be removed if possible.
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"Thy will be done" can become passive resignation: whatever happens is fine. Christ's actual praying of the petition in Gethsemane was different: He asked for the cup to be removed AND said "not my will, but thine." Active asking AND active surrender. The two are not in conflict; both are honest prayer.
Recover the model: ask honestly for what you want; surrender genuinely to what He wills. Christ did both at the same hour.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Greek genēthētō to thelēma sou.
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['Greek', 'G2307', 'thelēma', 'will, desire']
['Greek', 'G1096', 'ginomai', 'to come to be']
Usage
"Thy will be done as in heaven."
"Christ's Gethsemane model: ask AND surrender."
"Active surrender, not passive resignation."