Matthew 6:7

Matthew 6:7

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

a. ASV: And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: 'And -- praying -- ye may not use vain repetitions like the nations, for they think that in their much speaking they shall be heard, [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: And when you pray, do not heap up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Peshitta Eastern Text: And when you pray, do not repeat your words like the pagans, for they think that because of much talking they will be heard.  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

e. NLT: “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

1. “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do…”

a. But [Strong: 1161. de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. [when ye] pray [Strong: 4336. proseuchomai pros-yoo'-khom-ahee from 4314 and 2172; to pray to God, i.e. supplicate, worship:--pray (X earnestly, for), make prayer.]

c. [use] not [Strong: 3361. me may a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas 3756 expresses an absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas 3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether:--any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in substantially the same relations.]

d. vain repetitions [Strong: 945. battologeo bat-tol-og-eh'-o from Battos (a proverbial stammerer) and 3056; to stutter, i.e. (by implication) to prate tediously:--use vain repetitions.]

e. as [Strong: 5618. hosper hoce'-per from 5613 and 4007; just as, i.e. exactly like:--(even, like) as.]

f. the [Strong: [Strong: 3588. [hoi] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [hoi] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, Hē, hé  hē, hai, tas.]

g. Heathen [do] [Strong: 1482. ethnikos eth-nee-kos' from 1484; national ("ethnic"), i.e. (specially) a Gentile:--heathen (man).]

2. “...for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”

a. for [Strong: 1063. gar gar a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):--and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.]

b. [they] think [Strong: 1380. dokeo dok-eh'-o a prolonged form of a primary verb, doko dok'-o (used only in an alternate in certain tenses; compare the base of 1166) of the same meaning; to think; by implication, to seem (truthfully or uncertainly):--be accounted, (of own) please(-ure), be of reputation, seem (good), suppose, think, trow.]

c. that [Strong: 3754. hoti hot'-ee neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

d. [they shall be] heard [Strong: 1522. eisakouo ice-ak-oo'-o from 1519 and 191; to listen to:--hear.]

e. for [Strong: 1722. en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

f. their [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

g. [Strong: 3588. [tē] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tē] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, Hē, hé  hē, hai, tas.] 

h. much speaking [Strong: 4180. polulogia pol-oo-log-ee'-ah from a compound of 4183 and 3056; loquacity, i.e. prolixity:--much speaking.]

1). A perfect example of “vain repetitions” is in catholic theology with their system in the rosary. Their repetitions are the following, taken from the website:   http://assumptionbvm.org/portals/assumption/CMAdmin/How_to_Pray_the_Rosary.pdf

are listed on the following pages 1. Apostles Creed 2. one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be (traditionally offered for an increase in faith, hope, and love), 3. The Five Decades: a. Decade 1 – 1st event of a Mystery: one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, a Glory Be b. Decade 1 – 2nd event of a Mystery: one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, a Glory Be c. Decade 1 – 3rd event of a Mystery: one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, a Glory Be d. Decade 1 – 4th event of a Mystery: one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, a Glory Be e. Decade 1 – 5th event of a Mystery: one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, a Glory Be 4. Conclude with the Hail Holy Queen prayer Individual Prayers of the Rosary THE APOSTLE'S CREED I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen. OUR FATHER Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. HAIL MARY Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen. GLORY BE Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Fatima Prayer (optional) O my Jesus, forgive us of our sins. Save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls into heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy. HAIL HOLY QUEEN Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve: to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Leader: Pray for us O Holy Mother of God, All: That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.

2). The Catholic Church has raised Mary to the level of a god though they will not admit it. Mary, as the God inspired Scripture declare was a godly imperfect woman (Luke 1:48), who was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus. Though Jesus was fully God and fully man, Mary is not the Mother of God as the Catholic church teaches in blasphemy.  

3). The prayer, the Hail Mary is made up of the words spoken to Mary by the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:28  “And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” And also part of what her cousin Elisabeth spoke to her under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Luke 1:42 “And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.” The rest is made up by foolish men. In the Rosary the Hail Mary is repeated over 50 times.

a). Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death amen.