Matthew 5:22

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.

Translations

Matthew 5:22 - Amplified Bible

But I say to you that everyone who continues to be liable to {and} unable to escape the hell (Gehenna) of fire.

Matthew 5:22 - American Standard Version

but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire.

Matthew 5:22 - Bible in Basic English

But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be in danger of being judged; and he who says to his brother, Raca, will be in danger from the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, You foolish one, will be in danger of the hell of fire.

Matthew 5:22 - Darby Bible

But *I* say unto you, that every one that is lightly angry with his brother shall be subject to the judgment; but whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be subject to [be called before] the sanhedrim; but whosoever shall say, Fool, shall be subject to the penalty of the hell of fire.

Matthew 5:22 - English Standard Version

But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother of fire.

Matthew 5:22 - King James Version

Matthew 5:22 - La Biblia de las Americas

Pero yo os digo que todo aquel que esté enojado con su hermano (Algunos mss. agregan: sin causa) será culpable ante la corte; y cualquiera que diga: "Raca (I.e., insensato, o, inùtil (en arameo))" a su hermano, será culpable delante de la corte suprema (Lit., del Sanedrìn); y cualquiera que diga: "Idiota", será reo del infierno (Gr., guéenna) de fuego.

Matthew 5:22 - The Message

Matthew 5:22 - New American Standard Bible

~"But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, `(Or {empty-head;} Gr {Raka (Raca)} fr Aram {reqa}) You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before (Lit {the Sanhedrin}) the supreme court; and whoever says, `You fool,' shall be guilty {enough to go} into the (Lit {Gehenna of fire}) fiery hell.

Matthew 5:22 - Nueva Biblia Latinoamericana de Hoy

~"Pero Yo les digo que todo aquél que esté enojado con su hermano (Algunos mss. agregan: sin causa) será culpable ante la corte; y cualquiera que diga: 'Insensato (Inùtil)' a su hermano, será culpable ante la corte suprema (el Sanedrìn); y cualquiera que diga: 'Idiota,' será merecedor del infierno (Gr guéenna) de fuego.

Matthew 5:22 - World English Bible

But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whoever shall say to his brother, `Raca,` shall be in danger of the council; and whoever shall say, `You fool,` shall be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.

Matthew 5:22 - Young's Living Translation

but I -- I say to you, that every one who is angry at his brother without cause, shall be in danger of the judgment, and whoever may say to his brother, Empty fellow! shall be in danger of the sanhedrim, and whoever may say, Rebel! shall be in danger of the gehenna of the fire.

Matthew 5:22 - Additional Comments

Jesus is extending the meaning of the sixth commandment (see vs 21).
What is God's passion? To lift each person up, to fill their cup, to enrich their spirits. He wants us to have the same passion.
Raca is a scornful word which comes from pride. Raca means "Thou empty fellow." By putting another person down, you lift yourself up. This is a sure sign of insecurity and a lack of self worth. See a person who mocks others and you are looking at a person without strength.
See James 3:2-10 where it tells of how difficult it is to tame the tongue.
Give examples of when others are mocked. Do you ever see this in yourself?
Mocking others shows ignorance and simpliticy of mind. Prov 1:22 "How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge."
Any person who has a good understanding of the spiritual depravity of his own heart, will not be able to say, "Raca", to his brother. The sin of calling a brother Raca goes deep; it comes from hateful emotions of the heart. This is compared to murder because it truly can injure the other person.
Has anyone ever mocked you, or said something to you that truly sank in, that really hurt? Did they realize it? Were the joking?
How often do we something similar to others, and don't realize it, how deep our wounds go?
Eph 5:4 tells us we are not to do foolish talking or coarse jesting, but only that which are fitting. It is okay to joke, but not that which wounds.
Calling a brother, Raca, shows a lack of self-knowledge of our own black hearts (our best, "righteousnesses are as filthy rags" Isaiah 64:6). Jesus said in Matt 15:18-19, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies."
Again, going back to James 3:2-10 (vs 10), these things ought not to be.
The Lord does not just look at the outward appearance, but at that which is in the heart. 1 Sam 16:7 says, "...the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
Rom 8:2 says "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." We should be humbled by the sin in our lives, in our mouths, and be thankful that God has set us free from the things we have said. And yet, we need to guard our mouths from further sin.
As we begin to grow in grace, we grow smaller and smaller in ourselves, and cannot call any man empty. As we grow in grace we begin to understand the language of the apostle in Rom 12:10, "Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another."
1 Tim 4:12 tells us "be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." (Matt 15:18) "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man." and (Matt 6:21) "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." This implies if we focus on the right treasures, what comes out of our mouths can only improve.
Consider what you say to others and about others.
Psa 50:20 You sit and speak against your brother; You slander your own mother's son.
Psa 50:21 These things you have done, and I kept silent; You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you, And set them in order before your eyes.
Psa 50:22 "Now consider this, you who forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces, And there be none to deliver:
Psa 50:23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God."
We are to edify, and build up others and esteem them ahead of ourselves. Don't murder... with the tongue.

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