Matthew 5:24 (DRB)

Passage

Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift.

Nearby Context

Matthew 5:22 But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Matthew 5:23 If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee;

Matthew 5:24 Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift.

Matthew 5:25 Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes, whilst thou art in the way with him: lest perhaps the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

Matthew 5:26 Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "leave", "offering", "before", "altar", "first", "reconciled", "brother", and "coming". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "leave" and "offering", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 23's "If therefore thou offer thy gift at..." into verse 25's "Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes...", so "leave" and "offering" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "leave" and "offering" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.