Matthew 5 23

Matthew 5:23 kjv

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Matthew 5:23 nkjv

Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,

Matthew 5:23 niv

"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,

Matthew 5:23 esv

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

Matthew 5:23 nlt

"So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you,

Matthew 5 verses

Matthew 5 23 Meaning

Matthew 5:23 underscores that authentic worship of God is intrinsically linked to reconciliation with one's fellow human beings. Jesus teaches that if, during an act of religious devotion such as presenting a sacrifice at the Temple altar, an individual recalls a grievance held against them by a "brother," the worship must be immediately interrupted. The instruction is to prioritize resolving the relational conflict before resuming and completing the act of worship. This verse emphasizes God's supreme value for transformed hearts and right relationships over mere ritualistic adherence.

Matthew 5 23 Context

Matthew 5:23 is part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, specifically within His reinterpretation of the Mosaic Law, demonstrating a "greater righteousness" (Matt 5:20) that transcends mere external adherence. It immediately follows Jesus' teaching on anger (Matt 5:21-22), where He elevates the commandment against murder to include anger and insulting one's brother, warning of judgment for a wrathful heart. This verse links the inner spiritual state with practical conduct toward others, establishing a radical departure from the common understanding of religious observance. For the Jewish audience, who meticulously practiced Temple sacrifices as commanded by the Law, Jesus' teaching was groundbreaking, prioritizing human relationships even over a sacred act of worship at the holy altar. This directly challenged the prevalent belief that meticulous ritual performance alone guaranteed righteousness before God.

Matthew 5 23 Word analysis

• Therefore (οὖν, oun): This particle functions as a logical connector, meaning "so then" or "consequently." It links the previous discourse on the danger of harboring anger or insulting one's brother (Matt 5:21-22) to the practical command regarding worship and reconciliation. It signifies that what follows is a direct consequence or application of the truth just revealed about the heart's condition before God.
• if thou bring (ἐὰν προσφέρῃς, ean prospherēs): A conditional phrase indicating a hypothetical, but very real and common, scenario. "Προσφέρῃς" means "to bring," "to offer," or "to present." It specifically refers to the act of bringing an offering or sacrifice to God, an act deeply ingrained in the religious life of the original Jewish audience.
• thy gift (τὸ δῶρόν σου, to dōron sou): Literally "your gift." In the context of the Temple, this refers to a specific sacrifice or offering mandated by the Law, whether a burnt offering, a sin offering, a grain offering, or another contribution. It signifies a tangible expression of one's devotion, atonement, or thanksgiving to God.
• to the altar (ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον, epi to thusiastērion): The central place of sacrifice in the Jerusalem Temple. This location represents the holiest ground for an act of direct worship to God. It highlights the deeply sacred nature of the act that is being interrupted.
• and there rememberest (κἀκεῖ μνησθῇς, kakei mnēsthēs): "And there" indicates the specific, holy location where the realization occurs. "Μνησθῇς" (from mimnēskō) means "you recall," "you remember," or "you are reminded." This is an internal, cognitive awareness that suddenly comes to mind, often implying a prompt from conscience or the Spirit of God. The immediate remembrance is critical—it’s not a vague awareness but a clear recall at a decisive moment.
• that thy brother (ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου, hoti ho adelphos sou): "Brother" (ἀδελφός, adelphos) in this context primarily refers to a fellow Israelite or, in a broader sense within Christian teaching, any fellow human being, particularly within the community of faith. This word emphasizes the horizontal human relationship.
• hath ought against thee (ἔχει τι κατὰ σοῦ, echei ti kata sou): "Has something against you" signifies that the other person holds a grievance, a resentment, a perceived wrong, or an unresolved issue concerning the worshiper. The critical point is that it is the brother who has the issue, not necessarily that the worshiper admits fault. Regardless of perceived innocence, the worshiper is commanded to seek reconciliation because the other person's peace and their mutual relationship with God are affected.

Word-Group Analysis:

• "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar,": This phrase meticulously sets up the scenario, moving from the theoretical teaching on the heart to a practical, pivotal moment of worship. It implies a person earnestly engaged in a devout act prescribed by the Law, seeking to honor God.
• "and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee,": This emphasizes a divine priority check. At the most sacred moment, an internal recollection interrupts the vertical worship. It signifies that God's acceptance of our worship is contingent upon the state of our horizontal relationships, particularly when another holds a grievance. The grievance, whether justified or perceived, is a barrier to full communion with God through worship.

Matthew 5 23 Bonus section

This verse subtly introduces a radical theological concept for its time: God's ultimate desire for the internal condition of His worshippers, characterized by love and reconciliation, rather than a mere focus on external ritual. It resonates with Old Testament prophetic condemnations of empty worship (e.g., Isa 1, Amos 5) but brings it into an immediate, practical injunction. The scenario Jesus describes implies an urgent call to action—not just a vague hope for future reconciliation, but an immediate interruption of a most sacred duty. It signifies that unresolved conflict between believers or even with one's neighbor causes a rupture in the communal fabric that affects individual worship before God. God values the unity and harmony among His children so highly that it impacts His reception of their gifts.

Matthew 5 23 Commentary

Matthew 5:23 delivers a profound message about the nature of true worship. It unequivocally establishes that right relationship with God cannot be compartmentalized from right relationship with others. Jesus declares that genuine piety is not found in isolated religious acts, no matter how sacred, if one's personal relationships are marred by unresolved conflict or grievance. The command to halt a Temple sacrifice—the most significant act of Old Covenant worship—highlights God's radical prioritization of relational reconciliation and heartfelt integrity over outward religious performance.

This teaching asserts that a heart engaged in a dispute, especially when another feels wronged, hinders God's acceptance of worship. It challenges the common ancient and even modern tendency to view religious ritual as an automatic appeasement for sin or a standalone act irrespective of one's ethical conduct and interpersonal dealings. Instead, Jesus elevates the commandment to love one's neighbor as oneself, making it an indispensable precondition for acceptable worship. This is not to diminish the importance of worship, but to define what true worship entails: a life aligned with God's character, reflecting love, justice, and mercy in all interactions. The verse calls for an active, immediate pursuit of peace and reconciliation, emphasizing personal responsibility for the welfare and peace of one's brother, even if one perceives themselves as innocent. It's a call to examine our hearts and mend broken bridges before seeking the divine presence.