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 an older generation, ‘Do not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders will be subjected to judgment.’ 22But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says ‘Fool’ will be sent to fiery hell. So then, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother and then come and present your gift. 25Reach agreement quickly with your accuser while on the way to court, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the warden, and you will 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

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 8:4Then Jesus said to him, “See that you do not speak to anyone, but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
• Matthew 23:19You are blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
• Deuteronomy 16:16Three times a year all your males must appear before the Lord your God in the place he chooses for the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Temporary Shelters; and they must not appear before him empty-handed.
• 1 Samuel 15:22Then Samuel said, “Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? Certainly, obedience is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than the fat of rams.
• Isaiah 1:10Listen to the Lord’s word, you leaders of Sodom! Pay attention to our God’s rebuke, people of Gomorrah!
• Hosea 6:6For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice; I delight in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings.
• Amos 5:21“I absolutely despise your festivals! I get no pleasure from your religious assemblies!
• Genesis 41:9Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures.
• Genesis 42:21They said to one other, “Surely we’re being punished because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress has come on us!”
• Genesis 50:15When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge and wants to repay us in full for all the harm we did to him?”
• Leviticus 6:2“When a person sins and commits a trespass against the Lord by deceiving his fellow citizen in regard to something held in trust, or a pledge, or something stolen, or by extorting something from his fellow citizen,
• 1 Kings 2:44Then the king said to Shimei, “You are well aware of the way you mistreated my father David. The Lord will punish you for what you did.
• Lamentations 3:20I continually think about this, and I am depressed.
• Ezekiel 16:63Then you will remember, be ashamed, and remain silent when I make atonement for all you have done, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
• Luke 19:8But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying 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