⭐WEB · Matthew 6:9
What does Matthew 6:9 mean?
"Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy."
— Matthew 6:9 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking.
Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.
Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
Explanation
Matthew 6:9 opens what we call the Lord's Prayer, Jesus' model for how his followers should approach God in prayer. In plain language, the verse says that prayer should begin by addressing God as a loving Father who dwells in heaven, and by expressing the desire that his name be honored, revered, and treated as sacred. It is both an address and a request: we call on God intimately as "Father," yet immediately acknowledge his transcendence and holiness.
This verse comes from the Sermon on the Mount, a lengthy teaching Jesus gave to his disciples and the crowds gathered around him, recorded by Matthew for an audience of Jewish Christians. Just before this verse, Jesus has criticized the hypocritical, showy prayers of some religious leaders who prayed loudly in public to be seen by others. In contrast, Jesus instructs his followers to pray simply and sincerely, and this prayer serves as the pattern. The disciples would have been familiar with Jewish prayers that honored God's name and kingdom, so Jesus is drawing on that tradition while giving it a distinctly personal, relational tone by emphasizing God as "Father."
Theologically, this opening line holds together two truths that must not be separated: God's nearness and God's holiness. By calling God "Father," Jesus teaches that believers have been brought into a close, trusting relationship with God, not as distant subjects but as beloved children. This reflects the intimacy made possible through Jesus himself, who uniquely called God "Father" and invited his disciples to
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