Matthew 5:22 (KJV)

What does Matthew 5:22 mean?

Matthew 5:22 presents anger without a cause and contemptuous speech toward a brother as serious matters for which a person may face judgment. Jesus moves beyond the act of killing to address hostility expressed in anger and insults.

Jesus speaks to his listeners in the Sermon on the Mount. After referring to the command against killing in verse 21, he describes three situations with increasingly severe consequences: judgment, the council, and hell fire.

The Greek behind Matthew 5:22

• “Raca” — ῥακά (rhaka): This is a term of contempt, often understood as an insult like “empty-headed.” The KJV keeps the unfamiliar word rather than translating the insult.
• “council” — συνέδριον (synedrion): The word means a council or assembly. Here it points to a governing body that could hear serious cases.
• “hell” — γέεννα (geenna): The word refers to Gehenna, a name associated with the Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem. In Jesus’ warning, it evokes a place of fiery judgment.

Why Matthew 5:22 matters

• Jesus treats words as more than harmless sounds. The insults “Raca” and “Thou fool” appear alongside warnings of judgment.
• The KJV includes a qualification about anger: “without a cause.” Some early Greek manuscripts include those words, while others omit them; this accounts for a difference readers may notice in other translations.
• The warning addresses relationships within the community. Jesus twice speaks of a person’s “brother,” a term that can refer broadly to a fellow member of the community.