Matthew 6:7 (YLT)

Passage

`And--praying--ye may not use vain repetitions like the nations, for they think that in their much speaking they shall be heard,

Nearby Context

Matthew 6:5 `And when thou mayest pray, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites, because they love in the synagogues, and in the corners of the broad places--standing--to pray, that they may be seen of men; verily I say to you, that they have their reward.

Matthew 6:6 `But thou, when thou mayest pray, go into thy chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who <FI>is<Fi> in secret, and thy Father who is seeing in secret, shall reward thee manifestly.

Matthew 6:7 `And--praying--ye may not use vain repetitions like the nations, for they think that in their much speaking they shall be heard,

Matthew 6:8 be ye not therefore like to them, for your Father doth know those things that ye have need of before your asking him;

Matthew 6:9 thus therefore pray ye: `Our Father who <FI>art<Fi> in the heavens! hallowed be Thy name.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "and--praying--ye", "vain", "repetitions", "like", "nations", "think", "much", and "speaking". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "and--praying--ye" 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 mayest pray go..." into verse 8's "be ye not therefore like to them...", so "and--praying--ye" 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 "and--praying--ye" and "vain" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.