1. Matthew 5:22 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What does “Raca” mean?

Matthew 5:22 (ESV)

22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brotherwill be liable to judgment; whoever insultshis brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hellof fire.

Raca is a word that comes from the Aramaic term reqa. It was a derogatory expression meaning empty-headed. 1 If you called someone Raca you were insinuating that they are stupid and inferior to you. As such, it is an offensive name used to show contempt for another person.