Matthew 5:23

Matthew 5:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
• New International Version (NIV)“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,
• English Standard Version (ESV)So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,

Context of Matthew 5:23

21“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Never murder. Whoever murders will answer for it in court.’ 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. “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. 25“Make peace quickly with your opponent while you are on the way to court with him. Otherwise, he will hand you over to the judge. Then the judge will hand you over to an officer, who will throw you into prison.

Matthew 5:23 word by word

Ἐὰν οὖν προσφέρῃς τὸ δῶρόν σου ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον κἀκεῖ μνησθῇς ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἔχει τι κατὰ σοῦ,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• thou bringπροσφέρωprospherō · to bring toG4374
• thyσύsu · youG4771
• giftὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• giftδῶρονdōron · giftG1435
• toἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the altarθυσιαστήριονthusiastērion · altarG2379
• and thereκἀκεῖkakei · and thereG2546
• rememberestμιμνήσκωmimnēskō · to rememberG3403
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• brotherἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• oughtτιςtis · oneG5100
• againstκατάkata · according toG2596

Cross-references for Matthew 5:23

• Matthew 8:4Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone about this! Instead, show yourself to the priest. Then offer the sacrifice Moses commanded as proof to people that you are clean.”
• Matthew 23:19You blind men! What is more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy?
• Deuteronomy 16:16Three times a year all your men must come into the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Booths. But no one may come into the presence of the Lord without an offering.
• 1 Samuel 15:22Then Samuel said, “Is the Lord as delighted with burnt offerings and sacrifices as he would be with your obedience? To follow instructions is better than to sacrifice. To obey is better than sacrificing the fat of rams.
• Isaiah 1:10Listen to the Lord’s word, you rulers of Sodom! Pay attention to the teachings from our God, you people of Gomorrah!
• Hosea 6:6I want your loyalty, not your sacrifices. I want you to know me, not to give me burnt offerings.
• Amos 5:21I hate your festivals; I despise them. I’m not pleased with your religious assemblies.
• Genesis 41:9Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, “I remember a promise I failed to keep.
• Genesis 42:21They said to each other, “We’re surely being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw how troubled he was when he pleaded with us for mercy, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in trouble now.”
• Genesis 50:15Joseph’s brothers realized what their father’s death could mean. So they thought, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us? What if he decides to pay us back for all the evil we did to him?”
• Leviticus 6:2“If any of you sin against the Lord by failing to do your duty, if you lie to your neighbor about something you were supposed to take care of or if you lie about something stolen or seized from your neighbor, you are sinning and will be guilty.
• 1 Kings 2:44Shimei, you know in your heart all the evil that you did to my father David. The Lord is going to pay you back for the evil you have done.
• Lamentations 3:20My soul continues to remember ⌞these things⌟ and is so discouraged.
• Ezekiel 16:63You will remember and be ashamed. You will never again open your mouth because of your disgrace when I forgive you for everything you did, declares the Almighty Lord.’ ”
• Luke 19:8⌞Later, at dinner,⌟ Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Lord, I’ll give half of my property to the poor. I’ll pay four times as much as I owe to those I have cheated in any way.”

Commentaries on Matthew 5:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Therefore if thou bring thy gift - Evil must be nipped in the bud. An unkind thought of another may be the foundation of that which leads to actual murder. A Christian, properly speaking, cannot be an enemy to any man; nor is he to consider any man his enemy, without the fullest evidence: for surmises to the prejudice of another can never rest in the bosom of him who has the love of God in his heart, for to him all men are brethren. He sees all men as…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar … - The Pharisees were intent only on the external act in worship. They looked not at all to the internal state of the mind. If a man conformed to the external rites of religion, however much envy, and malice, and secret hatred he might have, they thought he was doing well. Our Saviour taught a different doctrine. It was of more consequence to have the heart right than to perform the outward act. If…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. 23-26Jesus provides two examples of making peace in communities and society.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. Therefore--to apply the foregoing, and show its paramount importance. if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught--of just complaint "against thee."Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 5:23

• Charitableness
• Commandments
• Fraternity
• Instruction
• Judaism
• Justice
• Law
• Reconciliation
• Religion
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Agree
• Brother
• Communication
• Despitefully
• Enemy
• Fornication
• Forswear
• Gift
• Hunger
• Inherit

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