Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

Matthew 5:23

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

KJV

ἐὰν οὖν προσφέρῃς τὸ δῶρόν σου ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον κἀκεῖ μνησθῇς ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἔχει τι κατὰ σοῦ,

Greek NT

Si ergo offers munus tuum ad altare, et ibi recordatus fueris quia frater tuus habet aliquid adversum te :

Vulgate

If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee,

ASV

If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee;

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

15 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

δῶρον
doron
noun · 19×
θυσιαστήριον
thusiasterion
noun · 23×
κατά
kata
preposition · 470×
κἀκεῖ
kakei
adverb · 11×
μιμνήσκω
mimnesko
verb · 23×
οὖν
oun
conjunction · 489×
προσφέρω
prosphero
verb · 49×
σύ
su
pronoun · 1071×
τὶς
tis
indefinite_pronoun · 527×
ἀδελφός
adelphos
noun · 343×
ἐάν
ean
conditional · 333×
ἐπί
epi
preposition · 888×
ἔχω
echo
verb · 707×
ὁ
o
article · 19778×
ὅτι
oti
conjunction · 1299×

Historic Christian voices

11 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§2262In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord recalls the commandment, "You shall not kill,"62 and adds to it the proscription of anger, hatred, and vengeance. Going further, Christ asks his disciples to turn the other cheek, to love their enemies.63 He did not defend himself and told Peter to leave his sword in its sheath.64 Legitimate defense
§2608From the Sermon on the Mount onwards, Jesus insists on conversion of heart: reconciliation with one's brother before presenting an offering on the altar, love of enemies, and prayer for persecutors, prayer to the Father in secret, not heaping up empty phrases, prayerful forgiveness from the depths of the heart, purity of heart, and seeking the Kingdom before all else.64 This fi…
§2792Finally, if we pray the Our Father sincerely, we leave individualism behind, because the love that we receive frees us from it. the "our" at the beginning of the Lord's Prayer, like the "us" of the last four petitions, excludes no one. If we are to say it truthfully, our divisions and oppositions have to be overcome.51
…and 2 more from this source.
Concerning sacrifices and oblations, and those who truly offer them. 1. The oblation of the Church, therefore, which the Lord gave instructions to be offered throughout all the world, is accounted with God a pure sacrifice, and is acceptable to Him; not that He stands in need of a sacrifice from us, but that he who offers is himself glorified in what he does offer, if his gift …
2. They thought that He, thus speaking, did so with a view to the abrogation of the ancient institutions. This suspicion therefore He heals; nor here only does He so, but elsewhere also again. Thus, since they accounted Him no less than an adversary of God, from this sort of reason, namely, His not keeping the sabbath; He, to heal such their suspicion, there also again sets for…
Chapter 27.—Against the Belief of Those Who Think that the Sins Which Have Been Accompanied with Almsgiving Will Do Them No Harm. It remains to reply to those who maintain that those only shall burn in eternal fire who neglect alms-deeds proportioned to their sins, resting this opinion on the words of the Apostle James, “He shall have judgment without mercy that hath showed no …
But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned.

Cross-references

  • 1Cor 11:28 — But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
  • 1Sam 15:22 — And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
  • Hos 6:6 — For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
  • Lev 6:2 — If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his
  • Luke 12:58 — When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the
  • Luke 19:8 — And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
  • Mark 11:25 — And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
  • Mark 11:25 — And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
  • Matt 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 wh
  • Matt 5:24 — Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
  • Matt 8:4 — And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
  • Matt 23:19 — Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
  • Ps 4:5 — Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.
  • Ps 26:6 — I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD: