Matthew 6:9 kjv
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Matthew 6:9 nkjv
In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Matthew 6:9 niv
"This, then, is how you should pray: "?'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
Matthew 6:9 esv
Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Matthew 6:9 nlt
Pray like this: Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
Matthew 6 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 34:6 | The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious... | God's revealed character/name |
| Lev 10:3 | Among those who are near me I will be sanctified... | God demands holiness from those who serve Him |
| Ps 8:1 | O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name... | Acknowledging God's majestic name |
| Ps 89:26 | He will call out to Me, 'You are my Father...' | God as a personal Father in relationship |
| Ps 106:47 | Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name... | Giving thanks to God's holy name |
| Is 42:8 | I am the LORD; that is My name; My glory I give to no other... | God's unique and exclusive name/glory |
| Is 63:16 | For You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us... | God as Israel's compassionate Father |
| Is 64:8 | But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay... | God as the divine potter and Father |
| Jer 3:19 | How I would gladly treat you as sons... You shall call Me, My Father... | God desiring a father-son relationship |
| Ezek 36:23 | I will vindicate the holiness of My great name... | God's ultimate desire for His name's holiness |
| Mal 1:6 | 'A son honors his father... If then I am a father, where is My honor?' | God as Father expecting honor and respect |
| Jn 17:6 | "I have manifested Your name to the people..." | Jesus revealing the Father's character |
| Jn 17:26 | "I made known to them Your name, and I will continue to make it known..." | Jesus' mission to reveal the Father's name |
| Rom 8:15 | For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" | Spirit-led adoption into God's family |
| Gal 4:6 | And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" | Intimate address of God as Father by adoption |
| Php 2:9-11 | Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... | The exaltation of Jesus' name linked to God's |
| Heb 12:7 | It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons... | God disciplining His children as a Father |
| 1 Pet 3:15 | but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy... | Sanfying God/Christ in one's heart |
| 1 Ki 8:30 | hear in heaven Your dwelling place... | Heaven as God's dwelling |
| Ps 11:4 | The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD's throne is in heaven... | God's transcendent dwelling place |
| Is 66:1 | Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne..." | God's supreme authority over heaven and earth |
| Rev 15:4 | Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. | Glorifying God's holy name in worship |
Matthew 6 verses
Matthew 6 9 Meaning
Matthew 6:9 opens the Lord's Prayer, given by Jesus as a model for how His disciples should pray. It establishes the foundational relationship with God as our heavenly Father and immediately directs the worshipper's focus to God's inherent holiness and the desire for His character, nature, and reputation to be supremely honored and reverenced by all creation. It teaches to address God intimately yet with profound awe.
Matthew 6 9 Context
This verse is part of Jesus' teaching on prayer within the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7), specifically following His warning against hypocritical, public displays of piety (Mt 6:5-8). Jesus contrasts the verbose, self-serving prayers of the Gentiles and the ostentatious prayers of some Pharisees with a model of genuine, focused, and sincere communion with God. He emphasizes praying privately to a Father who sees in secret. This opening line establishes the correct approach and posture: one of intimate filial trust ("Our Father") combined with profound reverence for God's transcendent majesty and holiness ("in heaven, hallowed be Your name").
Matthew 6 9 Word analysis
- "Our": Signifies a communal and shared relationship with God, establishing a collective identity among believers. It reflects the truth that believers are adopted into one family, brothers and sisters with Christ (Rom 8:14-17). Prayer is not solely individual but connects to the body of Christ.
- "Father": (Greek: Patēr) A deeply intimate yet authoritative address. While God was occasionally called "Father" in the Old Testament, especially in a covenantal or national sense (Is 63:16, 64:8), Jesus uses it consistently and teaches His disciples to do so personally (Jn 20:17). It connotes relationship, care, authority, provision, and discipline. This challenges the impersonal or fearful view of God often held by Gentiles or even some within Judaism. It is akin to "Abba" in its tenderness (Rom 8:15).
- "in heaven": (Greek: en tois ouranois) Denotes God's transcendence, omnipresence, sovereignty, and distinctness from earthly beings or rulers. It highlights His absolute authority and dwelling place, reinforcing His majesty even as His immanence is emphasized through "Father." This contrast ensures intimacy does not diminish reverence.
- "hallowed be": (Greek: hagiasthētō) From hagiazo, meaning "to make holy," "to set apart as sacred," "to consecrate," or "to treat as holy." It is an aorist imperative, functioning as a passive-voice command. This is a petition for God's already inherent holiness to be recognized, revered, honored, and glorified by all creation. It’s not a request for God to become holy, but for His name, His character, and His actions to be acknowledged and upheld as sacred by humanity.
- "Your name": In ancient Near Eastern thought, a "name" was more than just a label; it embodied the person's character, essence, reputation, and authority. "God's name" thus refers to His revealed character, His glory, and everything that He is. To hallow His name means to treat God Himself as sacred, to respect His nature, His commands, and His presence, and to live in a way that brings Him honor and glory. It implies the fulfillment of His divine purpose (Ezek 36:22-23).
- "Our Father in heaven": This phrase establishes the immediate address: intimately personal ("Our Father") yet infinitely transcendent ("in heaven"). It invites prayer marked by both familial trust and reverent awe, setting the foundation for all subsequent petitions.
- "hallowed be Your name": This is the first petition and central to the prayer's focus. It prioritizes God's glory above all else, indicating that the believer's primary desire in prayer should be for God's name, His character, to be honored and acknowledged as holy by all people, in all things (1 Pet 3:15). It’s an acknowledgment of God’s supreme worth.
Matthew 6 9 Bonus section
- The placement of "hallowed be Your name" as the first petition emphasizes that genuine prayer begins with a God-centered perspective, aligning one's heart and desires with God's glory and holiness before any personal needs or requests.
- This verse can be understood as an indirect polemic against both Gentile paganism (where gods were manipulated or addressed with many words) and the legalism of some Jewish practices (where piety was performative). Jesus highlights sincerity, relationship, and God's nature.
- The petition for God's name to be hallowed implicitly includes a commitment from the one praying to actively live in a way that glorifies and honors that Name. It's a prayer and a pledge.
Matthew 6 9 Commentary
Matthew 6:9 serves as the preamble to the Lord's Prayer, meticulously modeling the approach to God in prayer. Jesus shifts prayer from a public spectacle to a private, deeply relational act. By inviting believers to call God "Our Father," Jesus grants unprecedented access and intimacy, transforming God from a distant, fearful deity into a caring parent who delights in relationship with His adopted children (Rom 8:15). Yet, this intimacy is immediately balanced by the address "in heaven," reminding us of His infinite sovereignty, transcendence, and perfect majesty. The first petition, "hallowed be Your name," powerfully redirects prayer from human desires to God's inherent holiness and reputation. It is a heartfelt cry for God's character to be honored and set apart, not just by the one praying, but universally, reflecting God's ultimate purpose to make His glory known among all nations. This line encapsulates reverence, adoration, and submission to God's ultimate worth. Practically, this means our lives should be lived in a manner that brings honor to God's name, recognizing that how we live impacts His reputation in the world.