‘Jeopardy!’ Contestants Miss $200 Lord’s Prayer Clue, Shocking Atheists and Christians

All three “Jeopardy!” contestants who competed on Tuesday, June 16, failed to give the answer to a clue on the Lord’s Prayer, surprising atheists and Christians and leading some ministry leaders to decry the decline of Christianity in American culture.

“Matthew 6:9 says, ‘Our Father which art in heaven’ this ‘be thy name,” said the clue, read by host Mayim Bialik. Bialik is known for starring in the television series “The Big Bang Theory” and has shared “Jeopardy!” hosting duties with Ken Jennings since 2022.

None of the contestants knew the answer (“hallowed”) to the $200 clue. Trevin Wax, Vice President of Research and Resource Development at the North American Mission Board, called the incident “a sign of a secularizing society and the decline of common Christian knowledge.” 

Not one contestant on Jeopardy last night knew the answer to this…..

Are you waking up yet? pic.twitter.com/bBIhVntHwd

— Mimi Joeckel (@cantcancelmimi) June 14, 2023

‘Jeopardy!’ Clue Provokes Reactions From Fans

The clues in the first round of “Jeopardy!” are generally considered easier than those in the second, “Double Jeopardy!,” round. Questions in the first and second rounds are also ranked from easiest to hardest. In the first round, the easiest clues are worth $200, and the most difficult are worth $1,000. 

Cluse in “Double Jeopardy! are worth between $400 and $2,000, while in “Final Jeopardy!,” the third round, contestants make wagers based on their earnings. The fact that the Lord’s Prayer clue was worth $200, therefore, was a sign that the show’s writers saw it as an easy one. 

The broader context for the Lord’s Prayer clue is Matthew 6:9-13, which says:

This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

While the wording of this passage does vary across Bible translations, a number of the most widely used translations, including the NIV, KJV, ESV and NASB, contain the word “hallowed.” Many fans expressed surprise that none of the contestants knew the answer to what is arguably the most well-known prayer in Christianity. “Dangit. Even my atheist friend knew this,” said one. “Goodness.” 

“I’m an atheist and even I knew the answer to that lord’s prayer question,” said another. One user commented, “My 4 year old niece got the answer on this Question on Jeopardy!” 

https://t.co/TqIYw2JBlW pic.twitter.com/4VCgEfcBxu

— president joe vibin (@TylerHuckabee) June 16, 2023