Luther's Little Instruction Book: 
The Small Catechism of Martin Luther

Translation by Robert E. Smith From the German text, printed in: 
Triglot Concordia: The Symbolical Books of the Ev. Lutheran Church.
St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, pp. 538-559. 

Note: This version of the Small Catechism is under continuous revision. Please check your source for this file
from time to time to obtain updated versions of this text.

Fort Wayne, Indiana: Project Wittenberg, 2004


Appendix I
How a Father Should Teach His Household 
to Conduct Morning and Evening Devotions. 

Morning Devotions 

As soon as you get out of bed in the morning, you should bless yourself with the sign of the Holy Cross and say: 

May the will of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be done! Amen.
Then, kneeling or standing, say the creed and pray the Lord's Prayer. If you wish, you may then pray this little prayer as well:
My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, that You kept me safe from all evil and danger last night. Save me, I pray, that you will keep me safe today from every evil and sin as well,, so that all I do and the way that I live will please you. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your holy Angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. Amen.
After that, with joy go about your work and perhaps sing a song inspired by the Ten Commandments or your own thoughts. 

Evening Devotions 

When you go to bed in the evening, you should bless yourself with the sign of the Holy Cross and say:
May the will of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be done! Amen. 
Then, kneeling or standing, say the creed and pray the Lord's Prayer. If you wish, then you may pray this little prayer as well: 
My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, that You have protected me, by Your grace. Forgive, I pray, all my sins and the evil I have done. Protect me, by Your grace, tonight. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your holy angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. Amen. 

After this, go to sleep immediately with joy. 


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This text was translated in 1994, revised in 2002 and revised and expanded in 2004 for Project Wittenberg by
Robert E. Smith. It has been placed in the public domain by him. You may freely distribute, copy or print this
text. Please direct any comments or suggestions to Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library at: 

Concordia Theological Seminary 
Email: smithre@mail.ctsfw.edu 
Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 
USA Phone: (260) 452-3149 Fax: (260) 452-2126 
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