Matthew 5:22
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Jesus isn't just expanding the commandment "You shall not murder"; he's revealing how deeply it affects our inner life and words. He presents a clear escalation: simple anger is judged, contemptuous speech is judged by a council, and calling someone a "fool" (implying malice and moral condemnation) incurs the most severe judgment, the fiery destruction represented by Gehenna. This shows that God holds us accountable not just for outward actions, but for the malice brewing in our hearts and spilling out in our words.
Jesus is continuing His Sermon on the Mount, expanding on the Law. Having just addressed murder, He now dives into the anger and harsh words that can lead to it, directly contrasting His teachings with the superficial interpretations of the religious leaders of His day. He escalates from simple anger to contemptuous insults, showing how these outward expressions are rooted in a deeper, internal unrighteousness that God will judge.
Jesus doesn't just talk about murder; He unpacks the roots of violence in our hearts. He shows us how seemingly small expressions of anger can lead to devastating consequences.
In Matthew 5:22, Jesus presents a clear progression of sin, moving from internal anger to verbal abuse, and finally to outright insult. He links these different levels of hostility to escalating consequences:
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Matthew 5:22 is available in the Sola app.
Jesus is revealing that the Law is not just about outward actions, but about the inner disposition and the words that flow from it. Each step escalates the offense.
The 'hell of fire' Jesus mentions isn't just an abstract concept; it's a visceral image drawn from a real, terrifying place in Jerusalem's history.
The term 'hell of fire' (Gehenna) carries significant weight. It refers to the Valley of Hinnom, a place outside Jerusalem that became a symbol of divine judgment and destruction.
The religious leaders of Jesus' day had reduced the Law to a set of outward rules. Jesus calls us to a righteousness that transforms our very core.
Jesus confronts the superficial understanding of the Law held by the scribes and Pharisees. They focused on avoiding the act of murder, but Jesus emphasizes that the Law's true intent reaches into the heart and mind.
Understand the original words
orgizō · Greek Verb
A state of intense emotional displeasure; in the New Testament, it often warns against unbridled or self-righteous wrath that leads to sin.
adelphos · Greek Noun
While referring to a male sibling, it is frequently used in the New Testament to denote a fellow believer or a member of the covenant community.
rhaka · Greek Noun
Derived from an Aramaic term of contempt meaning 'empty-headed' or 'worthless,' it reflects a heart that devalues a person made in God's image.
synedrion · Greek Noun
The supreme religious and civil assembly of the Jewish people in Jerusalem, functioning as a high court.
mōros · Greek Noun
In a biblical sense, this denotes not just a lack of intelligence but a moral and spiritual rebellion against God's wisdom and authority.
geenna · Greek Noun
Derived from the Valley of Hinnom, this term was used by Jesus to describe the place of final, eternal punishment and separation from God.
pyr · Greek Noun
A powerful symbol of God's holiness, presence, or judgment, representing either the purifying work of the Spirit or the destructive power of divine wrath.
Jesus is not introducing a new law but revealing the true, radical intent of God's existing Law. The escalating penalties he describes—judgment, council, and the 'hell of fire' (Gehenna)—reflect a deepening understanding of sin and its consequences, rooted in the historical and symbolic significance of Jewish legal and penal systems.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Jehoiakim of Judah, along with members of the royal family and nobility, is exiled to Babylon. This event marks the beginning of the Babylonian captivity, a period of significant spiritual and national crisis for the Jewish people.
587/586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and deport a large portion of the population. This catastrophic event profoundly shapes Jewish identity and eschatology, leading to questions about God's faithfulness and judgment.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great's Edict
After conquering Babylon, Cyrus the Great issues a decree allowing exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This marks the end of the Babylonian exile and the beginning of the Restoration period.
c. 458 BC
Ezra's Commission and Return
Ezra the scribe leads a second major group of exiles back to Jerusalem. His ministry focuses on religious reform, emphasizing adherence to the Law and separation from foreign influences, highlighting the importance of covenant faithfulness.
c. 445 BC
Nehemiah Rebuilds Jerusalem's Walls
Nehemiah leads the effort to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, facing significant opposition from surrounding peoples. This period underscores the precarious political and social situation of Judea under foreign rule.
c. 150 BC - AD 70
Development of Rabbinic Interpretation
During the Second Temple period and into the early post-Temple era, Jewish scribes and rabbis develop detailed interpretations and applications of the Mosaic Law. This includes discussions on the severity of various offenses and their corresponding punishments, forming the backdrop against which Jesus teaches.
c. AD 28-30— this verse
Jesus Delivers the Sermon on the Mount
Jesus proclaims the foundational principles of his kingdom, directly addressing the interpretation and application of the Law. He intensifies the Law's requirements, shifting the focus from outward actions to the inner disposition of the heart, including anger and hateful speech.
This passage also speaks of the destructive power of the tongue, directly linking it to the concept of 'Gehenna' (hell of fire), echoing Jesus' warning in Matthew 5:22 about the severe consequences of harmful speech.
1 John 3:15This verse equates hating one's brother with murder, aligning with Jesus' teaching that anger and contempt towards a brother are serious offenses that move beyond mere irritation to a violation of God's law.
Romans 12:18Paul's instruction to 'live peaceably with all' provides a practical outworking of Jesus' command, emphasizing the importance of maintaining harmony and avoiding the destructive anger Jesus condemns.
Matthew 12:36-37Jesus states that people will be held accountable for every careless word they speak. This reinforces the severity of Matthew 5:22, showing that even seemingly minor verbal offenses like insults carry significant judgment.
Galatians 5:19-21This passage lists 'hatred, strife, and fits of anger' among the works of the flesh that exclude one from the kingdom of God, highlighting the sinful nature of the emotions and actions Jesus addresses in Matthew 5:22.
vincentMatthew 5:22: "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."
Hell-fire (τήν γέενναν τοῦ πυρός)Rev., more accurately, the hell of fire. The word Gehenna, rendered hell, occurs outside of the Gospels only at James 3:6. It is the Greek representative of the Hebrew Ge-Hinnom, or V…
clarkeMatthew 5:22: "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."
Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause - ὁ οργιζομενος - εικη, who is vainly incensed. "This translation is literal; and the very objectionable phrase, without a cause, is left out, εικη being more properly…
Jesus isn't just expanding the commandment "You shall not murder"; he's revealing how deeply it affects our inner life and words. He presents a clear escalation: simple anger is judged, contemptuous speech is judged by a council, and calling someone a "fool" (implying malice and moral condemnation) incurs the most severe judgment, the fiery destruction represented by Gehenna. This shows that God holds us accountable not just for outward actions, but for the malice brewing in our hearts and spilling out in our words.
Jesus is continuing His Sermon on the Mount, expanding on the Law. Having just addressed murder, He now dives into the anger and harsh words that can lead to it, directly contrasting His teachings with the superficial interpretations of the religious leaders of His day. He escalates from simple anger to contemptuous insults, showing how these outward expressions are rooted in a deeper, internal unrighteousness that God will judge.
Jesus is continuing His Sermon on the Mount, expanding on the Law. Having just addressed murder, He now dives into the anger and harsh words that can lead to it, directly contrasting His teachings with the superficial interpretations of the religious leaders of His day. He escalates from simple anger to contemptuous insults, showing how these outward expressions are rooted in a deeper, internal unrighteousness that God will judge.
"But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire." — Jesus isn't just expanding the commandment "You shall not murder"; he's revealing how deeply it affects our inner life and words. He presents a clear escalation: simple anger is judged, contemptuous…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
