God’s Word Translation
Matthew 5:22
22But I can guarantee that whoever is angry with another believer will answer for it in court. Whoever calls another believer an insulting name will answer for it in the highest court. Whoever calls another believer a fool will answer for it in hellfire.
Matthew 5:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
- New International Version (NIV)But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.
Context of Matthew 5:22
20I can guarantee that unless you live a life that has God’s approval and do it more faithfully than the experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 21“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Never murder. Whoever murders will answer for it in court.’ But I can guarantee that whoever is angry with another believer will answer for it in court. Whoever calls another believer an insulting name will answer for it in the highest court. Whoever calls another believer a fool will answer for it in hellfire. 23“So if you are offering your gift at the altar and remember there that another believer has something against you, 24leave your gift at the altar. First go away and make peace with that person. Then come back and offer your gift.
Read all of Matthew 5Matthew 5:22 word by word
ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὀργιζόμενος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει· ὃς δ᾽ ἂν εἴπῃ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ· ῥακά, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῷ συνεδρίῳ· ὃς δ᾽ ἂν εἴπῃ· μωρέ, ἔνοχος ἔσται εἰς τὴν γέενναν τοῦ πυρός.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- Thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- whosoeverπᾶςpas · allG3956
- is angryὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- is angryὀργίζωorgizō · to angerG3710
- withἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- without a causeεἰκῇeikē · in vainG1500
- shall beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- in dangerἔνοχοςenochos · liable forG1777
- of the judgmentκρίσιςkrisis · judgmentG2920
- whosoeverὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- ·ἄνan · ifG302
- shall sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Racaῥακάrhaka · foolG4469
- of the councilσυνέδριονsunedrion · councilG4892
- Thou foolμωρόςmōros · foolishG3474
- ofεἰςeis · towardG1519
- hellγέενναgeenna · hell: GehennaG1067
- fireπῦρpur · fireG4442
Cross-references for Matthew 5:22
- Matthew 5:28But I can guarantee that whoever looks with lust at a woman has already committed adultery in his heart.
- Matthew 3:17Then a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love—my Son with whom I am pleased.”
- Matthew 17:5He was still speaking when a bright cloud overshadowed them. Then a voice came out of the cloud and said, “This is my Son, whom I love and with whom I am pleased. Listen to him!”
- Deuteronomy 18:18So I will send them a prophet, an Israelite like you. I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.
- Acts 3:20Then times will come when the Lord will refresh you. He will send you Jesus, whom he has appointed to be the Christ.
- Acts 7:37This is the same Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will send you a prophet, an Israelite like me.’
- Hebrews 5:9After he had finished his work, he became the source of eternal salvation for everyone who obeys him.
- Hebrews 12:25Be careful that you do not refuse to listen when God speaks. Your ancestors didn’t escape when they refused to listen to God, who warned them on earth. We certainly won’t escape if we turn away from God, who warns us from heaven.
- Genesis 4:5but he didn’t approve of Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry and was disappointed.
- Genesis 37:4Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them. They hated Joseph and couldn’t speak to him on friendly terms.
- 1 Samuel 17:27The soldiers repeated ⌞to David⌟ how the man who kills Goliath would be treated.
- 1 Samuel 18:8Saul became very angry because he considered this saying to be insulting. “To David they credit tens of thousands,” he said, “but to me they credit ⌞only⌟ a few thousand. The only thing left for David is my kingdom.”
- 1 Samuel 20:30Then Saul got angry with Jonathan. “Son of a crooked and rebellious woman!” he called Jonathan. “I know you’ve sided with Jesse’s son. You have no shame. ⌞You act⌟ as if you are your mother’s son but not mine.
- 1 Samuel 22:12Saul said, “Listen here, son of Ahitub!” “Yes, sir?” he responded.
- 1 Kings 21:4Resentful and upset, Ahab went home because of what Naboth from Jezreel had told him. (⌞Naboth had said,⌟ “I will not give you what I inherited from my ancestors.”) So Ahab lay on the couch, turned his face ⌞from everyone⌟, and refused to eat.
- 2 Chronicles 16:10Asa was furious at the seer. He was so angry with Hanani that he put Hanani in prison. Asa also oppressed some of the people at that time in his reign.
Commentaries on Matthew 5:22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause - ̔ - , who is vainly incensed. "This translation is literal; and the very objectionable phrase, without a cause, is left out, being more properly translated by that above." What our Lord seems here to prohibit, is not merely that miserable facility which some have of being angry at every trifle, continually taking offense against their best friends; but that anger which leads a man to commit outrages…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22But I say unto you - Jesus being God as well as man John 1:1, John 1:14, and therefore, being the original giver of the law, had a right to expound it or change it as he pleased. Compare Matthew 12:6, Matthew 12:8. He therefore spoke here and elsewhere as having authority, and not as the scribes. It may be added here that no mere man ever spake as Jesus did, when explaining or enforcing the law. He did it as having a right to do it; and he that has a…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-26Verses 21-26 The Jewish teachers had taught, that nothing except actual murder was forbidden by the sixth commandment. Thus they explained away its spiritual meaning. Christ showed the full meaning of this commandment; according to which we must be judged hereafter, and therefore ought to be ruled now. All rash anger is heart murder. By our brother, here, we are to understand any person, though ever so much below us, for we are all made of one blood…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22Judgment … Sanhedrin … hell: The second and third punishments are more severe than usual in the time of Jesus. This emphasizes the surpassing righteousness of Jesus and his followers (see Matthew 5:20). They did not accept unresolved conflicts or treating other people as unimportant. anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca’: The Aramaic term reqa’ (transliterated as raca) means something like "empty head." This probably means the same thing as cursing…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2222. But I say unto you--Mark the authoritative tone in which--as Himself the Lawgiver and Judge--Christ now gives the true sense, and explains the deep reach, of the commandment. That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca! shall be in danger of the council; but whosoever shall say, Thou fool! shall be in danger of hell-fire--It is unreasonable to deny, as…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 5:22
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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