Matthew 6:7

Matthew 6:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
• New International Version (NIV)And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Context of Matthew 6:7

5And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are : for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Verily I say to you, They have their reward. 6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do : for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8Therefore, be ye not like them: for your Father knoweth what things ye need, before ye ask him. 9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Matthew 6:7 word by word

προσευχόμενοι δὲ μὴ βατταλογήσητε ὥσπερ οἱ ἐθνικοί· δοκοῦσιν γὰρ ὅτι ἐν τῇ πολυλογίᾳ αὐτῶν εἰσακουσθήσονται.Read the interlinear

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• prayπροσεύχομαιproseuchomai · to prayG4336
• useβαττολογέωbattologeō · to babbleG945
• notμήmē · notG3361
• asὥσπερhōsper · just asG5618
• heathenἐθνικόςethnikos · Gentile-likeG1482
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• thinkδοκέωdokeō · to thinkG1380
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• heardεἰσακούωeisakouō · to listen toG1522
• forἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• speakingπολυλογίαpolulogia · wordinessG4180

Cross-references for Matthew 6:7

• 1 Kings 18:26And they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
• Ecclesiastes 5:2Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
• Acts 19:34But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
• Matthew 26:39And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt .
• 1 Kings 8:26And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou didst speak to thy servant David my father.
• Daniel 9:18O my God, incline thy ear, and hear; open thy eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
• Matthew 6:32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
• Matthew 18:17And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church: but if he shall neglect to hear the church, let him be to thee as an heathen and a tax collector.

Commentaries on Matthew 6:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Use not vain repetitions - , Suidas explains this word well: ", much speaking, from one Battus, who made very prolix hymns, in which the same idea frequently recurred." "A frequent repetition of awful and striking words may often be the result of earnestness and fervor. See Daniel 9:3-20; but great length of prayer, which will of course involve much sameness and idle repetition, naturally creates fatigue and carelessness in the worshipper, and seems to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Use not vain repetitions - The original word here is supposed to be derived from the name of a Greek poet, who made long and weary verses, declaring by many forms and endless repetitions the same sentiment. Hence, it means to repeat a thing often; to say the same thing in different words, or to repeat the same words, as though God did not hear at first. An example of this we have in 1 Kings 18:26; “They called on Baal from morning until noon, saying, O…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-8Verses 5-8 It is taken for granted that all who are disciples of Christ pray. You may as soon find a living man that does not breathe, as a living Christian that does not pray. If prayerless, then graceless. The Scribes and Pharisees were guilty of two great faults in prayer, vain-glory and vain repetitions. "Verily they have their reward;" if in so great a matter as is between us and God, when we are at prayer, we can look to so poor a thing as the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-8God cannot be persuaded by repeating words over and over. The Lord’s Prayer is a simple and authoritative model (Matthew 6:9–13), unlike the lengthy prayers of pagans.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions--"Babble not" would be a better rendering, both for the form of the word--which in both languages is intended to imitate the sound--and for the sense, which expresses not so much the repetition of the same words as a senseless multiplication of them; as appears from what follows. as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking--This method of heathen devotion is still…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 6:7

• Commandments
• Gentiles
• Motive
• Pharisees
• Prayer
• Religion
• Vanity

In the dictionaries

• Add
• Appear
• Closet
• Consider
• Corrupt
• Countenance
• Despise
• Fast
• Forgive
• Glory

Commentaries on Matthew 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings