And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard.
Parallel translations
- WEB In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking.
- 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.
- 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.
- NASB “And when you are praying, do not use thoughtless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.
- NLT “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Don't pile up empty, repetitive words thinking length earns God's attention. Prayer is heard for its sincerity, not its quantity of words.
Overview
Jesus warns against the pagan practice of heaping up phrases as if God must be worn down or impressed by sheer volume. Such 'vain repetitions' treat prayer as a mechanical technique rather than a trusting appeal to a loving Father. This corrects a false view of God and prepares for the model prayer that follows, which is marked by simplicity and faith rather than verbosity.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Eccl 5:2–3Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
- Eccl 5:7For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.
- 1 Kgs 18:26–29And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made.
- Matt 6:32For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
- Matt 26:44So He left them and went away once more and prayed a third time, saying the same thing.
- Dan 9:18–19Incline Your ear, O my God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before You because of our righteous acts, but because of Your great compassion.
- Matt 26:42A second time He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass unless I drink it, may Your will be done.”
- 1 Kgs 8:26–54And now, O God of Israel, please confirm what You promised to Your servant, my father David.
- Acts 19:34But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
- Matt 26:39Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”
- Matt 18:17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
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Original language
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