Matthew 5:22

But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Cross-references

In Matthew 5:23, Jesus immediately applies the anger warning to worship — urging reconciliation before offering gifts.

In Matthew 5:24, Jesus commands reconciliation as the priority — directly extending the warning about anger in 5:22.

Matthew 5:28 extends the same antithetical pattern: just as anger is internal murder, lust is internal adultery.

Matthew 5:30 repeats the warning: better to lose a limb than your whole body go into hell — same radical remedy for sin.

Matthew 5:34 continues the series of 'you have heard... but I tell you' — here on oaths, paralleling the structure of 5:22.

Matthew 5:44 is another antithesis in the same Sermon on the Mount, commanding love for enemies — a parallel teaching style.

Matthew 10:28 Related theme

Matthew 10:28 expands the fear to God who destroys both soul and body in hell — reinforcing the serious consequence.

Matthew 18:8 echoes the call to cut off sin to avoid being thrown into eternal fire — same warning.

Matthew 18:9 repeats the warning about the eye causing sin leading to the hell of fire — identical teaching.

Matthew 18:35 Related theme

In Matthew 18:35, unforgiveness brings divine judgment — paralleling the warning that anger leads to hell fire.

Matthew 17:5 Related theme

Matthew 17:5 commands 'listen to him' at the Transfiguration, underscoring the authority behind Jesus' teaching in 5:22.

Matthew 18:21 Related theme

In Matthew 18:21, Peter asks about forgiving a brother who sins — related to the relational harm caused by anger.

John 8:48 Parallel

In John 8:48, Jesus is called a Samaritan and demon-possessed — a double insult reflecting the kind of verbal sin in the main verse.

Daniel 2:13 Parallel

In Daniel 2:12, the king's rage results in a death sentence for innocent advisors, a clear OT instance of anger causing destruction.

Genesis 4:6 Parallel

In Genesis 4:6, God confronts Cain's anger — mirroring Jesus' teaching that anger leads to judgment.

Acts 3:20-23 quotes Deuteronomy 18:18-19, explicitly identifying Jesus as the prophet and warning that rejecting him brings destruction.

Romans 12:10 commands brotherly affection and honor — the positive counterpart to the anger and contempt Jesus condemns in Matthew 5:22.

Ephesians 4:26 Related theme

In Ephesians 4:26, Paul permits anger without sin and urges swift reconciliation — complementing Jesus' warning against unresolved anger.

In Ephesians 4:31, believers are told to put away slander and anger — directly echoing the warning against angry insults in the main verse.

Ephesians 4:32 calls for kindness and forgiveness — the opposite response to the anger and insults warned against here.

Titus 3:2 Parallel

Titus 3:2 commands gentleness and no slander — directly opposing the 'Raca' and 'fool' insults here.

1 Peter 2:23 shows Jesus not retaliating when insulted — the perfect model against the anger condemned here.

1 Peter 3:9 Parallel

1 Peter 3:9 says not to repay insult with insult — a direct counter to the sinful speech warned about here.

1 John 2:9 Parallel

1 John 2:9 directly connects hating a brother with darkness — echoing Jesus’s teaching that anger toward a brother is a grave sin.

1 John 3:14 Contrast

1 John 3:14 states that loving the brothers is evidence of eternal life — the positive side of Jesus’s warning that hatred/anger leads to judgment.

1 John 3:15 Parallel

1 John 3:15 explicitly equates hatred with murder — the same principle Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:22 about anger being as serious as murder.

1 John 4:20 Parallel

1 John 4:20 says hating a brother makes love for God a lie — reinforcing Jesus’s point that anger against a brother is incompatible with God’s kingdom.

Daniel 2:12 Parallel

In Daniel 2:12, Nebuchadnezzar's furious decree to kill all wise men shows how royal wrath can lead to unjust slaughter.

Deuteronomy 18:18 Prophetic fulfillment

Deuteronomy 18:18 promises a prophet like Moses — Jesus fulfills this, speaking God's words with authority in the Sermon.

Deuteronomy 18:19 Prophetic fulfillment

Deuteronomy 18:19 warns that ignoring that prophet brings accountability — directly applied to Jesus' warning of judgment in 5:22.

In 1 Samuel 17:28, Eliab's angry words to David exemplify the brotherly insult Jesus condemns.

In 1 Samuel 18:9, Saul's jealousy of David from that day onward shows anger festering into murderous intent, illustrating Jesus' warning.

In 1 Samuel 20:30-33, Saul's rage at Jonathan culminates in throwing a spear, a vivid OT example of anger leading to violence.

In Genesis 37:8, brothers mock Joseph with sarcastic words — a form of verbal contempt Jesus condemns.

In 1 Samuel 22:12-23, Saul's anger causes him to order the massacre of priests, showing unchecked wrath's deadly consequences.

In Genesis 37:4, brothers hate Joseph and cannot speak peaceably — showing relational brokenness from anger Jesus addresses.

In 2 Samuel 16:7, Shimei curses David with insults — demonstrating the kind of verbal attack Jesus condemns in the main verse.

In 2 Chronicles 16:10, Asa's anger at the prophet Hanani leads him to imprison the seer, showing wrath corrupting justice.

Esther 3:5 Parallel

In Esther 3:5, Haman's anger at Mordecai's refusal to bow drives him to plot genocide, an extreme example of wrath's escalation.

Esther 3:6 Parallel

In Esther 3:6, Haman disdains to harm only Mordecai, seeking to destroy all Jews, showing how anger seeks disproportionate vengeance.

Genesis 4:5 Parallel

In Genesis 4:5, Cain's anger over rejected offering illustrates the destructive anger Jesus warns against.

In 1 Kings 21:4, Ahab's angry sulk over Naboth's vineyard sets the stage for murder, linking anger directly to deadly action.

Psalm 37:8 Parallel

In Psalm 37:8, the psalmist warns that anger leads to evildoing, directly echoing Jesus' teaching that anger itself is sinful.

1 Corinthians 13:5 says love is not irritable — directly opposing the anger Jesus condemns. Strong thematic parallel.

James 1:19 Parallel

James 1:19 commands being slow to anger — directly echoing Jesus' teaching on controlling anger toward others.

In Numbers 20:10, Moses' anger leads him to strike the rock in disobedience — a direct example of anger resulting in judgment, paralleling Jesus' warning.

1 Timothy 2:8 instructs men to pray without anger — reinforcing Jesus' call to reconcile anger before worship.

Colossians 3:8 lists anger, rage, slander — exactly the kind of sinful speech Jesus warns about. Clear ethical parallel.

Deuteronomy 5:17 restates the murder commandment that Jesus references in Matthew 5:21-22, expanding it to include anger.

Exodus 20:13 is the commandment not to murder that Jesus cites in v.21, then expands in v.22 to include anger as its root.

2 Kings 23:10 Historical context

2 Kings 23:10 mentions the Valley of Ben Hinnom (Gehenna), which Jesus refers to as 'fire of hell' in Matthew 5:22 — connecting the imagery of judgment.

In Exodus 32:19, Moses' righteous anger at idolatry contrasts with the sinful anger Jesus condemns in Matthew 5:22.

1 Corinthians 6:10 Related theme

In 1 Corinthians 6:10, slanderers are listed among those who won't inherit God's kingdom — reinforcing the seriousness of verbal sins like those in the main verse.

Numbers 16:15 shows Moses' anger at Korah's rebellion — a case of righteous indignation contrasting with the sinful anger Jesus warns about.

1 John 4:21 Contrast

In 1 John 4:21, the command to love a brother directly opposes the anger condemned here — a contrast between hateful anger and commanded love.

Jude 1:9 Parallel

Jude 1:9 shows Michael not slandering even the devil — a humble example contrasting the insulting here.

1 John 3:10 Parallel

1 John 3:10 says not loving your brother marks you as not God’s child — aligning with Jesus’s view that anger toward a brother is serious.

1 Thessalonians 4:6 warns against wronging a brother, noting the Lord avenges — similar to Jesus's warning that anger against a brother brings judgment.

Ephesians 4:27 Related theme

In Ephesians 4:27, unresolved anger gives the devil an opportunity — echoing Jesus' warning that anger leads to spiritual danger.

In 1 Corinthians 6:6, Paul rebukes believers taking each other to court — another form of brotherly conflict like the anger Jesus warns against.

John 7:20 Parallel

In John 7:20, the crowd says Jesus is demon-possessed — an insult similar to the 'raca' and 'fool' in the main verse.

2 Samuel 6:20 records Michal's scornful insult to David — a narrative example of the kind of angry speech condemned here.

Job 31:30 Parallel

Job 31:30 shows Job avoiding cursing — parallel to Jesus' warning against angry insults. Both address controlling speech in anger.

Proverbs 18:6 warns that a fool's lips bring strife—echoes Jesus' point that insulting words lead to judgment.

Acts 17:18 Parallel

In Acts 17:18, philosophers call Paul a 'babbler' — an insult that parallels the name-calling Jesus warns against in the main verse.

Psalm 7:4 Parallel

Psalm 7:4 declares innocence from repaying evil — parallel to the unjust anger warned against here, both address unjust treatment of others.