Matthew 5 · Verse 24

Matthew 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.
Matthew 5:24, King James Version

Matthew 5:24 in other translations

BSBleave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
WEBleave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
ASVleave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
YLTleave there thy gift before the altar, and go--first be reconciled to thy brother, and then having come bring thy gift.
DARBYleave there thy gift before the altar, and first go, be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
BBEWhile your offering is still before the altar, first go and make peace with your brother, then come and make your offering.
WebsterLeave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

What does Matthew 5:24 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
24. 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 Mr 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.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar - This is as much as to say, "Do not attempt to bring any offering to God while thou art in a spirit of enmity against any person; or hast any difference with thy neighbor, which thou hast not used thy diligence to get adjusted." It is our duty and interest, both to bring our gift, and offer it too; but God will not accept of any act of religious worship from us, while any enmity subsists in our hearts towards any soul of man; or while any subsists in our neighbor's heart towards us, which we have not used the proper means to remove. A religion, the very essence of which is love, cannot suffer at its altars a heart that is revengeful and uncharitable, or which does not use its utmost endeavors to revive love in the heart of another. The original word, δωρον, which we translate gift, is used by the rabbins in Hebrew letters דורון doron, which signifies not only a gift, but a sacrifice offered to God. See several proofs in Schoettgen. Then come and offer thy gift - Then, when either thy brother is reconciled to thee, or thou hast done all in thy power to effect this reconciliation. My own obstinacy and uncharitableness must render me utterly unfit to receive any good from God's hands, or to worship him in an acceptable manner; bat the wickedness of another can be no hinderance to me, when I have endeavored earnestly to get it removed, though without effect.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 5:21-26

The Jewish teachers had taught, that nothing except actual murder was forbidden by the sixth commandment. Thus they explained away its spiritual meaning. Christ showed the full meaning of this commandment; according to which we must be judged hereafter, and therefore ought to be ruled now. All rash anger is heart murder. By our brother, here, we are to understand any person, though ever so much below us, for we are…

Read the full comment on Matthew 5:21-26 →

Matthew 5:24 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἄφεςaphesdo leaveG863
ἐκεῖekeithereG1563
τὸtotheG3588
δῶρόνdōrongiftG1435
σουsouof youG4771
ἔμπροσθενemprosthenbeforeG1715
τοῦtoutheG3588
θυσιαστηρίουthusiastērioualtarG2379
καὶkaiandG2532
ὕπαγε,hupagedo go away,G5217
πρῶτονprōtonfirstG4413
διαλλάγηθιdiallagēthido be reconciledG1259
τῷtōto theG3588
ἀδελφῷadelphōbrotherG80
σου,souof you,G4771
καὶkaiandG2532
τότεtotethenG5119
ἐλθὼνelthōnhaving comeG2064
πρόσφερεprospheredo offerG4374
τὸtotheG3588
δῶρόνdōrongiftG1435
σου.¶souof you.G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 5:24

  • James 5:16

    Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

  • Romans 12:17-18

    Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

  • Matthew 18:15-17

    Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

  • Job 42:8

    Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

  • 1 Peter 3:7-8

    Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

  • Proverbs 25:9

    Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:

  • 1 Corinthians 6:7-8

    Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

  • 1 Timothy 2:8

    I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

  • Matthew 23:23

    Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

  • Mark 9:50

    Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

  • James 3:13-18

    Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. …

  • 1 Corinthians 11:28

    But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
there.
18:15-17; Job 42:8; Pr 25:9; Mr 9:50; Ro 12:17,18; 1Co 6:7,8
1Ti 2:8; Jas 3:13-18; 5:16; 1Pe 3:7,8
and then.
23:23; 1Co 11:28

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 5:23

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

  • Matthew 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.

  • Matthew 5:25

    Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

Read all of Matthew 5

Matthew 5:24 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Deja allí tu presente delante del altar, y vete, vuelve primero en amistad con tu hermano, y entonces ven y ofrece tu presente.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
laisse là ton don devant l’autel, et va d’abord, réconcilie-toi avec ton frère; et alors viens et offre ton don.
German
Elberfelder 1871
so laß daselbst deine Gabe vor dem Altar und geh zuvor hin, versöhne dich mit deinem Bruder; und dann komm und bringe deine Gabe dar.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
relinque ibi munus tuum ante altare, et vade prius reconciliari fratri tuo: et tunc veniens offeres munus tuum.