Matthew 5:24

Verse

leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

American Standard Version (1901)

leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Bible in Basic English

While your offering is still before the altar, first go and make peace with your brother, then come and make your offering.

Douay-Rheims 1899

Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother: and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift.

Free Bible Version

leave your offering on the altar and go and make peace with him first, and afterwards come back and make your offering.

Geneva Bible 1599

Leaue there thine offring before the altar, and goe thy way: first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

King James (Authorized) Version

Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

One Unity Resource Bible

leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Translation for Translators

leave your gift by the altar, and first go to the person you have offended. Tell that person that you are sorry for what you have done, and ask that person to forgive you. Then go back and offer your gift to God.

Unlocked Literal Bible

leave your gift there in front of the altar, and go on your way. First be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Noah Webster Bible

Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

World English Bible

leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Young's Literal Translation

leave there thy gift before the altar, and go — first be reconciled to thy brother, and then having come bring thy gift.

Context

Anger and Reconciliation

²³So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,²⁴leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Sermons

The "Go" of Reconciliation

Oswald Chambers

Summary

In this verse, Jesus instructs that before offering a gift at the altar, one should reconcile with anyone they have an unresolved conflict with. This highlights the importance of seeking reconciliation and peace with others as a priority over religious rituals. It emphasizes the value of harmonious relationships and forgiveness in the eyes of God, showing that interpersonal reconciliation is a crucial aspect of true worship. By addressing conflicts and restoring relationships, believers demonstrate obedience to God's commandments and reflect His love and grace in their interactions with others.

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother--The meaning evidently is--not, "dismiss from thine own breast all ill feeling, "but" get thy brother to dismiss from his mind all grudge against thee." and then come and offer thy gift--"The picture," says THOLUCK," is drawn from life. It transports us to the moment when the Israelite, having brought his sacrifice to the court of the Israelites, awaited the instant when the priest would approach to receive it at his hands. He waits with his gift at the rails which separate the place where he stands from the court of the priests, into which his offering will presently be taken, there to be slain by the priest, and by him presented upon the altar of sacrifice." It is at this solemn moment, when about to cast himself upon divine mercy, and seek in his offering a seal of divine forgiveness, that the offerer is supposed, all at once, to remember that some brother has a just cause of complaint against him through breach of this commandment in one or other of the ways just indicated. What then? Is he to say, As soon as I have offered this gift I will go straight to my brother, and make it up with him? Nay; but before another step is taken--even before the offering is presented--this reconciliation is to be sought, though the gift have to be left unoffered before the altar. The converse of the truth here taught is very strikingly expressed in Mar 11:25-26 : "And when ye stand praying (in the very act), forgive, if ye have aught (of just complaint) against any; that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive you," &c. Hence the beautiful practice of the early Church, to see that all differences amongst brethren and sisters in Christ were made up, in the spirit of love, before going to the Holy Communion; and the Church of England has a rubrical direction to this effect in her Communion service. Certainly, if this be the highest act of worship on earth, such reconciliation though obligatory on all other occasions of worship--must be peculiarly so then.

John Gill Bible Commentary

Leave there thy gift before the altar,.... This might easily be done, and the business soon dispatched, at some seasons; particularly, at their public feasts, as the passover, pentecost, and feast of tabernacles, when all the Israelites were together: and go thy way; make what haste thou canst, first be reconciled to thy brother: use all means to reconcile him; acknowledge the offence; ask his pardon; assure him that thou wishest well to him, and not ill; and then come and offer thy gift, by putting it on the altar, before which it was left. This shows, that acts of love and friendship are preferable to sacrifices; and that sacrifices offered up in wrath, and whilst unreconciled to others, are unacceptable to God, and of no avail: and so much the Jews themselves seem to acknowledge; when they say (e): "that transgressions, which are between a man and God, the day of atonement expiates; the transgressions which are between a man and his neighbour, the day of atonement does not expiate, , "until he hath reconciled his neighbour."'' Which is enlarged upon, and explained by Maimonides (f), after this manner: "the day of atonement does not expiate any transgressions, but those that are between a man and God, as when one eats anything that is forbidden, and lies with anything that is forbidden, or the like; but transgressions which are between a man and his neighbour, as he that hurts his neighbour, or curses his neighbour, or steals from him, and the like, are never forgiven, until he has given his neighbour what he owed him, and has "reconciled" him; yea, though he has returned to him the money he owed him, he ought to "reconcile" him, and desire him to forgive him; yea, even though "he has only provoked him by words", (which is the very case in the text before us,) , "he ought to reconcile him", and to meet him until he forgives him: if his neighbour will not forgive, he must bring with him three of his friends, and meet him, and entreat him; and if he will not be reconciled by them, he must bring them a second, and a third time.'' So that he was to use all means to obtain a reconciliation. (e) Misn. Yoma, c. 8. sect. 9. (f) Hilchot Teshuba, c. 2. sect. 9. Vid. T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 87. 1.

Matthew 5:24

Anger and Reconciliation

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

American Standard Version (1901)

leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Bible in Basic English

While your offering is still before the altar, first go and make peace with your brother, then come and make your offering.

Douay-Rheims 1899

Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother: and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift.

Free Bible Version

leave your offering on the altar and go and make peace with him first, and afterwards come back and make your offering.

Geneva Bible 1599

Leaue there thine offring before the altar, and goe thy way: first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

King James (Authorized) Version

Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

One Unity Resource Bible

leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Translation for Translators

Unlocked Literal Bible

leave your gift there in front of the altar, and go on your way. First be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Noah Webster Bible

Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

World English Bible

leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Young's Literal Translation

leave there thy gift before the altar, and go — first be reconciled to thy brother, and then having come bring thy gift.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Matthew 5:24

Verse

Context

Anger and Reconciliation

Sermons

Summary

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Matthew 5:24

Anger and Reconciliation

The "Go" of Reconciliation

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

The "Go" of Reconciliation