The Stages of English
Examples of the Lord's Prayer:
Old English (c. 1000)
Fæder ure, þu þe eart on heofonum, si þin nama gehalgod; tobecume þin rice gewurþe þin willa, on eorðan swa swa on heofonum. Urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us to dæg, and forgyf us ure gyltas, swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum; and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge, ac alys us of yfele soþlice.
Middle English (c. 1384)
Oure fadir þat art in heuenes, halwid be þi name; þi reume or kyngdom come to be. Be þi wille don in herþe as it is doun in heuene. Yeue to us today oure eche dayes bred, and foryeue to us oure dettis, þat is oure synnys, as we foryeuen to oure dettouris, þat is to men þat han synned in us. And lede us not into temptacion, but delyuere us from euyl.
Early Modern English (1534)
eMonE (Tyndale, 1534): O oure father which arte in heven, halowed be thy name. Let thy kyngdome come, thy wyll be fulfilled as well in erth as it ys in heven. Geve vs this daye oure dayly breede, and forgeve vs oure treaspases, even as we forgeven oure trespacers, and leade vs not into temptacion: but delyver vs from evell.
Early Modern English (King James Version, 1611)
Our father which art in heauen, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heauen. Giue us this day our daily bread, and forgiue us our debts as we forgiue our debters; and lead us not into temptation, but deliuer us from euill.
