Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever.
Amen.
(Anglican Book of Common Prayer, 1662)
The wordtrespassmeans sin. Christians pray that God will forgive them for their sins. They are praying for God to be merciful to them. But the prayer also indicates that people should forgive others when those others commit acts of sin or injustice towards them. The prayer is indicating that all people should be forgiving: all people should bemerciful.
Despite the beauty and gentleness and power of Portia’s eloquent and poetic words, Shylock remains unmoved. He is incapable of showing mercy.