Matthew 5:21-26
New Living Translation
Teaching about Anger
21 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’[a] 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone,[b] you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot,[c] you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone,[d] you are in danger of the fires of hell.[e]
23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice[f] at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
25 “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.[g]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 5:21 Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17.
- 5:22a Some manuscripts add without cause.
- 5:22b Greek uses an Aramaic term of contempt: If you say to your brother, ‘Raca.’
- 5:22c Greek if you say, ‘You fool.’
- 5:22d Greek Gehenna; also in 5:29, 30.
- 5:23 Greek gift; also in 5:24.
- 5:26 Greek the last kodrantes [i.e., quadrans].
Matthew 5:21-26
New American Standard Bible
Personal Relationships
21 “(A)You have heard that [a]the ancients were told, ‘(B)You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be answerable to (C)the court.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to (D)the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘[b]You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to [c](E)the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the [d](F)fiery hell. 23 Therefore, if you are (G)presenting your [e]offering at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your [f]offering there before the altar and go; first be (H)reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your [g]offering. 25 (I)[h]Come to good terms with your accuser quickly, while you are with him on the way to court, so that your accuser will not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will not be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I say to you, (J)you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last [i]quadrans.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 5:21 Lit it was said to the ancients
- Matthew 5:22 Or You empty-head; Gr Raka (Raca) from Aramaic reqa
- Matthew 5:22 Lit the Sanhedrin; i.e., Jewish High Court
- Matthew 5:22 Lit Gehenna of fire
- Matthew 5:23 Or gift
- Matthew 5:24 Or gift
- Matthew 5:24 Or gift
- Matthew 5:25 I.e., settle the case
- Matthew 5:26 A small Roman copper coin, worth about 1/64 of a laborer’s daily wage
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
