Matthew 6:8 (GNV)

Passage

Be ye not like them therefore: for your Father knoweth whereof ye haue neede, before ye aske of him.

Nearby Context

Matthew 6:6 But when thou prayest, enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore, pray vnto thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall rewarde thee openly.

Matthew 6:7 Also when ye pray, vse no vaine repetitions as the Heathen: for they thinke to be heard for their much babbling.

Matthew 6:8 Be ye not like them therefore: for your Father knoweth whereof ye haue neede, before ye aske of him.

Matthew 6:9 After this maner therefore pray ye, Our father which art in heauen, halowed be thy name.

Matthew 6:10 Thy Kingdome come. Thy will be done euen in earth, as it is in heauen.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "like", "therefore", "father", "knoweth", "whereof", "haue", "neede", and "before". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "like" and "therefore", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "Also when ye pray vse no vaine..." into verse 9's "After this maner therefore pray ye Our...", so "like" and "therefore" 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 "like" and "therefore" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.