King James Bible
"Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."
Jesus warns against imitating the Gentiles who use repetitive, empty phrases in prayer (v. 7), believing verbosity impresses their gods. This command distinguishes Christian prayer from pagan practices that treat deity as distant or inattentive. God's omniscience extends to every human need before it's voiced, emphasizing His intimate knowledge and fatherly care. This truth transforms prayer from informing God to communing with Him. Though God already knows our needs, He still invites us to ask—not for His information but for our relationship. Prayer becomes an act of trust and dependence rather than persuasion.