And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
The petition is not against being tempted, God tried Abraham and Christ Himself, but against being drawn or sucked into temptation by our own will. Peter needed this prayer but did not pray it when he pressed into the high priest's palace of his own accord, and was ensnared there.
AI summary
We do not pray against temptations themselves, for they serve needful purposes; we pray that they may not have power over us to destroy us. God tempts by afflicting, withdrawing grace, or loosing Satan, all to humble us, test our faith, and show us our need of Christ. Satan tempts by soliciting to evil and filling us with blasphemous thoughts.
AI summary
This is one petition, not two, the word but ties them together as Augustine saw. We pray this because we know our own weakness and need God's protection to stand against Satan's assaults. Whoever asks God's help against temptation confesses he will keep falling unless God delivers him.
AI summary