Matthew 6:7 (DBY)

Passage

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as those who are of the nations: for they think they shall be heard through their much speaking.

Nearby Context

Matthew 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets so that they should appear to men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Matthew 6:6 But *thou*, when thou prayest, enter into thy chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who sees in secret will render [it] to thee.

Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as those who are of the nations: for they think they shall be heard through their much speaking.

Matthew 6:8 Be not ye therefore like them, for your Father knows of what things ye have need before ye beg [anything] of him.

Matthew 6:9 Thus therefore pray *ye*: Our Father who art in the heavens, let thy name be sanctified,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "pray", "vain", "repetitions", "nations", "think", "shall", "heard", and "through". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "pray" and "vain", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "But thou when thou prayest enter into..." into verse 8's "Be not ye therefore like them for...", so "pray" and "vain" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "pray" and "vain" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.