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 the ancients were told, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be answerable to the court.’ 22But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Therefore, if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. 25Come 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.

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

• Thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• presentingπροσφέρωprospherō · to bring toG4374
• offeringδῶρονdōron · giftG1435
• at the altarθυσιαστήριονthusiastērion · altarG2379
• and thereκἀκεῖkakei · and thereG2546
• you rememberμιμνήσκωmimnēskō · to rememberG3403
• that your brotherἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• hasἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• somethingτιςtis · oneG5100
• againstκατάkata · according toG2596

Cross-references for Matthew 5:23

• Matthew 8:4And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
• Matthew 23:19You blind men, which is more important, the offering or the altar that sanctifies the offering?
• Deuteronomy 16:16“Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God at the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths; and they are not to appear before the Lord empty-handed.
• 1 Samuel 15:22Samuel said, “Does the Lord have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than a sacrifice, And to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.
• Isaiah 1:10Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Listen to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah!
• Hosea 6:6For I desire loyalty rather than sacrifice, And the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
• Amos 5:21“I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your festive assemblies.
• Genesis 41:9Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I would make mention today of my own offenses.
• Genesis 42:21Then they said to one another, “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; for that reason this distress has happened to us.”
• Genesis 50:15When Joseph’s brothers had seen that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong which we did to him!”
• Leviticus 6:2“When a person sins and acts unfaithfully against the Lord, and disavows the rightful claim of his neighbor regarding a deposit or a security entrusted to him, or regarding robbery, or he has extorted from his neighbor,
• 1 Kings 2:44The king also said to Shimei, “You yourself know all the evil that you acknowledge in your heart, which you did to my father David; therefore the Lord will return your evil on your own head.
• Lamentations 3:20My soul certainly remembers, And is bent over within me.
• Ezekiel 16:63so that you may remember and be ashamed, and not open your mouth again because of your disgrace, when I have forgiven you for all that you have done,” the Lord God declares.
• Luke 19:8But Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I am giving to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone, I am giving back four times as much.”

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