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21 “You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not murder;’Exodus 20:13 and ‘Whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause [a] will be in danger of the judgment. Whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ [b] will be in danger of the council. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.[c]

23 “If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly while you are with him on the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison. 26 Most certainly I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there until you have paid the last penny.[d]

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Footnotes

  1. 5:22 NU omits “without a cause”.
  2. 5:22 “Raca” is an Aramaic insult, related to the word for “empty” and conveying the idea of empty-headedness.
  3. 5:22 or, Hell
  4. 5:26 literally, kodrantes. A kodrantes was a small copper coin worth about 2 lepta (widow’s mites)—not enough to buy very much of anything.

21 Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, [a]Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother [b]shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, [c]Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, [d]Thou fool, shall be in danger [e]of the [f]hell of fire. 23 If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, 24 leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary [g]deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 5:21 Ex. 20:13; Dt. 5:17.
  2. Matthew 5:22 Many ancient authorities insert without cause.
  3. Matthew 5:22 An expression of contempt.
  4. Matthew 5:22 Or, Moreh, a Hebrew expression of condemnation.
  5. Matthew 5:22 Greek unto or into.
  6. Matthew 5:22 Greek Gehenna of fire.
  7. Matthew 5:25 Some ancient authorities omit deliver thee.