Matthew 5:25

Read in context

Matthew 5:23–27 · Berean Standard Bible

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

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

25 Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.

26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

27 You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’

Greek words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Study Matthew 5:25

Read the commentary on Matthew 5

Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Genesis 32:3

Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

Genesis 32:4

He instructed them, “You are to say to my master Esau, ‘Your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban and have remained there until now.

Genesis 32:5

I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, menservants, and maidservants. I have sent this message to inform my master, so that I may find favor in your sight.’”

Genesis 32:6

When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you—he and four hundred men with him.”

Genesis 32:7

In great fear and distress, Jacob divided his people into two camps, as well as the flocks and herds and camels.

Genesis 32:8

He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one camp, then the other camp can escape.”

Genesis 32:13

Jacob spent the night there, and from what he had brought with him, he selected a gift for his brother Esau:

Genesis 32:14

200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams,

Genesis 32:15

30 milk camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys.

Genesis 32:16

He entrusted them to his servants in separate herds and told them, “Go on ahead of me, and keep some distance between the herds.”

Genesis 32:17

He instructed the one in the lead, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong, where are you going, and whose animals are these before you?’

Genesis 32:18

then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift, sent to my lord Esau. And behold, Jacob is behind us.’”

Genesis 32:19

He also instructed the second, the third, and all those following behind the herds: “When you meet Esau, you are to say the same thing to him.

Genesis 32:20

You are also to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’” For he thought, “I will appease Esau with the gift that is going before me. After that I can face him, and perhaps he will accept me.”

Genesis 32:21

So Jacob’s gifts went on before him, while he spent the night in the camp.

Genesis 32:22

During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

Genesis 33:3

But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

Genesis 33:4

Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.

Genesis 33:5

When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these with you?” Jacob answered, “These are the children God has graciously given your servant.”

Genesis 33:6

Then the maidservants and their children approached and bowed down.

Genesis 33:7

Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down.

Genesis 33:8

“What do you mean by sending this whole company to meet me?” asked Esau. “To find favor in your sight, my lord,” Jacob answered.

Genesis 33:9

“I already have plenty, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what belongs to you.”

Genesis 33:10

But Jacob insisted, “No, please! If I have found favor in your sight, then receive this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing the face of God, since you have received me favorably.

Genesis 33:11

Please accept my gift that was brought to you, because God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” So Jacob pressed him until he accepted.

1 Samuel 25:17

Now consider carefully what you must do, because disaster looms over our master and all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that nobody can speak to him!”

1 Samuel 25:18

Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five butchered sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs. She loaded them on donkeys

1 Samuel 25:19

and said to her young men, “Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

1 Samuel 25:20

As Abigail came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, she saw David and his men coming down toward her, and she met them.

1 Samuel 25:21

Now David had just finished saying, “In vain I have protected all that belonged to this man in the wilderness. Nothing that belongs to him has gone missing, yet he has paid me back evil for good.

1 Samuel 25:22

May God punish David, and ever so severely, if I let one of Nabal’s men survive until morning.”

1 Samuel 25:23

When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey, fell facedown, and bowed before him.

1 Samuel 25:24

She fell at his feet and said, “My lord, may the blame be on me alone, but please let your servant speak to you; hear the words of your servant.

1 Samuel 25:25

My lord should pay no attention to this scoundrel Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means Fool, and folly accompanies him. I, your servant, did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent.

1 Samuel 25:26

Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, the LORD has held you back from coming to bloodshed and avenging yourself with your own hand. May your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be like Nabal.

1 Samuel 25:27

Now let this gift your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow you.

1 Samuel 25:28

Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because he fights the LORD’s battles. May no evil be found in you as long as you live.

1 Samuel 25:29

And should someone pursue you and seek your life, then the life of my lord will be bound securely by the LORD your God in the bundle of the living. But He shall fling away the lives of your enemies like stones from a sling.

1 Samuel 25:30

When the LORD has done for my lord all the good He promised, and when He has appointed you ruler over Israel,

1 Samuel 25:31

then my lord will have no remorse or guilt of conscience over needless bloodshed and revenge. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, may you remember your maidservant.”

1 Samuel 25:32

Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me this day!

1 Samuel 25:33

Blessed is your discernment, and blessed are you, because today you kept me from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand.

1 Samuel 25:34

Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, then surely no male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by morning light.”

1 Samuel 25:35

Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him, and he said to her, “Go home in peace. See, I have heeded your voice and granted your request.”

Proverbs 6:1

My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,

Proverbs 6:2

if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,

Proverbs 6:3

then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor.

Proverbs 6:4

Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.

Proverbs 6:5

Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

Proverbs 25:8

do not bring hastily to court. Otherwise, what will you do in the end when your neighbor puts you to shame?

Luke 12:58

Make every effort to reconcile with your adversary while you are on your way to the magistrate. Otherwise, he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and the officer may throw you into prison.

Luke 12:59

I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the very last penny.”

Luke 14:31

Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men the one coming against him with twenty thousand?

Luke 14:32

And if he is unable, he will send a delegation while the other king is still far off, to ask for terms of peace.

Job 22:21

Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.

Psalms 32:6

Therefore let all the godly pray to You while You may be found. Surely when great waters rise, they will not come near.

Isaiah 55:6

Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.

Isaiah 55:7

Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

Luke 13:24

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.

Luke 13:25

After the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ But he will reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’

2 Corinthians 6:2

For He says: “In the time of favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!

Hebrews 3:7

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear His voice,

Hebrews 3:13

But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Hebrews 12:17

For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could find no ground for repentance, though he sought the blessing with tears.

1 Kings 22:26

And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son,

1 Kings 22:27

and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’”