Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison.
Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent. Mat. 25-26
So you are to make friends with your opponent at law only while you're on the way with him or can you also do it once you've acknowledged that you have an opponent at law? That is also to say that you will only be thrown in prison if you lose, right?
Do you have to be friends or is my bible translation a little off.
In most of the cases you have asked about, if you would only take the time to read the verses leading up to you question verse very carefully, they will explain what you are looking to find out.
Remember, Jesus isn't blindly speaking things off the top of His head, he is explaining things to the people, He is teaching them the Spirit of the Law not the letter as the Pharisees had.
Mat_7:28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
Mat_22:33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.
Mar_1:22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
Mar_11:18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.
Luk_4:32 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.
Now keeping that in mind, re read the verses again, let the Holy Spirit teach you what He is trying to teach you.
Read the complete thoughts as they were spoken to the people, not just a narrative out of a book.
Let the Holy Spirit speak these words to you personally
Mat 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Mat 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.
Mat 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Mat 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Mat 5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Mat 5:26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
