Matthew 5:21-26
International Standard Version
Teaching about Anger
21 “You have heard that it was told those who lived long ago, ‘You are not to commit murder,’[a] and, ‘Whoever murders will be subject to punishment.’[b] 22 But I say to you, anyone who is angry with his brother without a cause[c] will be subject to punishment. And whoever says to his brother ‘Raka!’[d] will be subject to the Council.[e] And whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hell[f] fire.
23 “So if you are presenting your gift at the altar and remember there that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and first go and be reconciled to your brother. Then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your opponent while you are on the way to court,[g] or your opponent may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 I tell you[h] with certainty, you will not get out of there until you pay back the last dollar!”[i]
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- Matthew 5:21 Cf. Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17
- Matthew 5:21 Cf. Exod 21:12; Lev 24:17
- Matthew 5:22 Other mss. lack without a cause
- Matthew 5:22 Raka is Aram. for You worthless one
- Matthew 5:22 Or Sanhedrin
- Matthew 5:22 Lit. Gehenna; a Gk. transliteration of the Heb. for Valley of Hinnom
- Matthew 5:25 Lit. while you are with him on the way
- Matthew 5:26 The Gk. pronoun you is sing.
- Matthew 5:26 Lit. quadran; i.e. about 1/64th of a daily wage for a common worker
Matthew 5:21-26
Lexham English Bible
The Sermon on the Mount: Anger Toward Others
21 “You have heard that it was said to the people of old,[a] ‘Do not commit murder,’[b] and ‘whoever commits murder will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry at his brother will be subject to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Stupid fool!’[c] will be subject to the council, and whoever says, ‘Obstinate fool!’[d] will be subject to fiery hell. 23 Therefore if you present your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and first go be reconciled to your brother, and then come and[e] present your gift. 25 Settle the case quickly with your accuser[f] while you are with him on the way, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I say to you, you will never come out of there until you have paid back the last penny!
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- Matthew 5:21 Literally “ancients”
- Matthew 5:21 A quotation from Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17
- Matthew 5:22 Greek “Raca,” a term of verbal abuse involving lack of intelligence
- Matthew 5:22 Perhaps with the idea of obstinate, godless foolishness; some take the word to be a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew word for “rebel” (Deut 21:18, 20)
- Matthew 5:24 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“come”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Matthew 5:25 Literally “be making friends quickly with your accuser”
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