Matthew 25:31-40

Context

The Judgment

25:31 “When¹ the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 25:32 All² the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 25:33 He³ will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 25:34 Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 25:36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 25:37 Then the righteous will answer him,⁴ ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 25:38 When⁵ did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? 25:39 When⁶ did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 25:40 And the king will answer them,⁷ ‘I tell you the truth,⁸ just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters⁹ of mine, you did it for me.’

[25:31] ¹tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[25:32] ²tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[25:33] ³tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[25:37] ⁴tn Grk “answer him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[25:38] ⁵tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[25:39] ⁶tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[25:40] ⁷tn Grk “answering, the king will say to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.

[25:40] ⁸tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[25:40] ⁹tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). In this context Jesus is ultimately speaking of his “followers” (whether men or women, adults or children), but the familial connotation of “brothers and sisters” is also important to retain here.