Matthew 5:21-26 (NLT)

21 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

25 “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.

Matthew 5:21-26 (NLT)

General Context Questions

• Who wrote this? Who is or which groups of people are involved?
• Was this written before, during, or after Jesus’ lifetime?
• Is this a narrative, a parable, a praise, a suggestion, a command, an instruction, or something else?
• Is there anything that stands out to you?
• Did anything confuse you? Were there words or phrases that didn’t make sense?

Specific Questions

• Some translations of the Bible use the word “murder” and others use the word “kill”. What is the difference between these words?
• Which court might you be brought before if you call someone an idiot? Does this still apply in modern society? What does calling someone an idiot indicate about what you think of them?
• What does it mean to “curse someone”? Why does cursing someone carry a more significant consequence than simply calling someone an idiot?
• Is this passage advising that you give in to your opponent's demands rather than go before a judge? What would it look like to “settle your differences quickly”?