Matthew 5:22, Angry Without Cause

//So says this verse in the King James Version of the Bible. If your anger is without cause, you’re treading in dangerous water.

But this may not be what Jesus said. “Without a cause” is an add-on to the scripture, probably by some copyist trying to tone down Jesus’ teachings, at least according to some scholars.

The truth is, some early manuscripts say “without a cause” and some don’t. Most recent translations leave the phrase out, and reference in a footnote that it exists in some early writings.

So, it boils down to what you think Jesus would have said. My gut tells me to play it safe: If you are angry with your brother at all, for any reason, then, according to Jesus’ sermon on the mount, you should recognize that you are not right with God. Leave your offering at the altar and first be reconciled with your brother. Then you may enter the presence of God.