01 · Read the passage
Matthew 6:5-15
Scripture · Berean Standard Bible (BSB) · Public domain
5And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
6But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
7And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard.
8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
9So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
10Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our daily bread.
12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’
14For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.
Verified source copy from the Free Use Bible API, retrieved 2026-09-19. Inspect source text.
02 · Understand the context
Read these words in their setting.
Editorial explanation · awaiting human review
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns against practicing righteousness to gain other people’s admiration. His teaching on prayer belongs alongside teaching on giving and fasting. The Father, rather than an audience, is the one being addressed.
Jesus rejects the idea that many words force God to listen. He teaches a prayer that begins with the Father’s name, kingdom, and will, and brings daily provision, forgiveness, and deliverance before Him.
The pattern makes room for both worship and ordinary needs. It does not promise that a particular number of words, a special feeling, or a repeated formula will produce the outcome you want.
Notice in the text
- What does Jesus say the Father knows before you ask?
- Which requests concern God’s purposes, and which concern the needs of daily life?
03 · Consider a faithful response
One step you can take.
Editorial application · consider your circumstances with wise counsel
- Read the prayer slowly. Pause after one line that you can honestly pray today.
- Name one ordinary need in your own words. A short sentence is enough to begin.
- Consider whether there is a wrong you need to confess or a relationship to bring before God. Ask a trusted Christian to pray with you if finding words remains difficult.
A prayer prompt
Father, teach me to pray. May Your name be honored and Your will be done. Give me what I need today, forgive my sin, and lead me in Your ways.
Suggested words for prayer, not a quotation from Scripture.
Bring this into a real conversation.
Read the passage with someone from your church. Invite them to share how they pray when they feel distracted or dry.
Choose a trustworthy person and a safe setting. Nēr supports life in the church; it cannot replace people who know and care for you.