Matthew 6:8 (KJV)

Passage

Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

Nearby Context

Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Matthew 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "But when ye pray use not vain..." into verse 9's "After this manner therefore pray ye Our...", so "therefore" and "like" 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 "therefore" and "like" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.