Matthew 5:21-26

Anger

21 ¹“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ²‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable ³to judgment. ’

22 But I say to you that ⁴everyone who is angry with his brother^[a] will be liable ⁵to judgment; whoever insults^[b] his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool! ’ will be liable to ⁶the hell^[c] of fire.

23 ⁷So if ⁸you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

25 ⁹Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.

26 Truly, I say to you, ¹⁰you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. ^[d]

Cross References

• 1. 5:21 ver. 33; [ver. 27, 31, 38, 43]
• 2. 5:21 Cited from Ex. 20:13; Deut. 5:17; [ch. 19:18; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20; Rom. 13:9; James 2:11]
• 3. 5:21 [Deut. 16:18]
• 4. 5:22 1 John 3:15
• 5. 5:22 [See ver. 21 above]
• 6. 5:22 ch. 18:9; Mark 9:43; James 3:6; [ver. 29]
• 7. 5:23 [ch. 6:15; Mark 11:25]
• 8. 5:23 ch. 8:4; 23:18
• 9. 5:25 Luke 12:58, 59
• 10. 5:26 [ch. 18:34, 35]

Footnotes

• [a] 5:22 Some manuscripts insert 'without cause'
• [b] 5:22 Greek 'says Raca to' (a term of abuse)
• [c] 5:22 Greek 'Gehenna'; also verses 29, 30
• [d] 5:26 Greek 'kodrantes', Roman copper coin (Latin 'quadrans') worth about 1/64 of a 'denarius' (which was a day’s wage for a laborer)