Matthew 6:9
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Context
Having taught how to pray sincerely, Jesus gives the model prayer often called the Lord's Prayer. This opening line establishes both intimacy with God as Father and reverence for His holy name.
What Does Matthew 6:9 Mean?
Jesus opens the model prayer by teaching us to address God as "Our Father which art in heaven" and to begin by hallowing -- honoring as holy -- His name. With the words "After this manner therefore pray ye," He offers not merely a prayer to recite but a pattern to shape all our praying. The very first words set the tone for everything that follows.
To call God "Our Father" speaks of relationship and nearness: we come not to a distant ruler but to a loving Father who welcomes us. The word "Our" reminds us that we pray as part of a family, not in isolation. Yet "which art in heaven" preserves reverence -- this Father is exalted, holy, above all. The prayer holds intimacy and awe together in perfect balance. The first request, "Hallowed be thy name," asks that God's name be treated as holy, honored, and set apart. Before bringing any of our own needs, we are taught to put God's honor first. To hallow His name is to long that He be rightly known and revered in all the earth and in our own lives. This opening teaches a profound order for prayer: we begin not with ourselves but with God -- His relationship to us, His exalted place, and His holiness. When prayer starts here, everything else finds its proper proportion.
In the Original Language
The Greek Pater, "Father," conveys familial closeness. "Hallowed" renders hagiazo, to treat as holy or set apart. The aorist imperative hagiastheto is a petition that God's name be revered.
Cross References
“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.”
- Luke 11:2
“And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”
- Isaiah 6:3
“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”
- Psalm 103:1
Application
Begin your prayers as Jesus taught -- approaching God as your Father with both intimacy and reverence, putting His honor before your own requests.