# Matthew 25.31-40

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 29. <span class="rl-speech">For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away.</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.</span>
>
> **31. <span class="rl-speech">But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory:</span> 32. <span class="rl-speech">and before him shall be gathered all the nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats;</span> 33. <span class="rl-speech">and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.</span> 34. <span class="rl-speech">Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:</span> 35. <span class="rl-speech">for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in;</span> 36. <span class="rl-speech">naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me.</span> 37. <span class="rl-speech">Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink?</span> 38. <span class="rl-speech">And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?</span> 39. <span class="rl-speech">And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?</span> 40. <span class="rl-speech">And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me.</span>**
>
> 41. <span class="rl-speech">Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels:</span> 42. <span class="rl-speech">for I was hungry, and ye did not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink;</span> (Matthew 25:29-42, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 29. <span class="rl-speech">For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away.</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’</span>
>
> **31. <span class="rl-speech">“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.</span> 32. <span class="rl-speech">Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.</span> 33. <span class="rl-speech">He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.</span> 34. <span class="rl-speech">Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;</span> 35. <span class="rl-speech">for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in.</span> 36. <span class="rl-speech">I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.’</span> 37. <span class="rl-speech">“Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink?</span> 38. <span class="rl-speech">When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you?</span> 39. <span class="rl-speech">When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?’</span> 40. <span class="rl-speech">“The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’</span>**
>
> 41. <span class="rl-speech">Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;</span> 42. <span class="rl-speech">for I was hungry, and you didn’t give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink;</span> (Matthew 25:29-42, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 29. <span class="rl-speech">For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.</span>
>
> **31. <span class="rl-speech">When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:</span> 32. <span class="rl-speech">And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:</span> 33. <span class="rl-speech">And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.</span> 34. <span class="rl-speech">Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:</span> 35. <span class="rl-speech">For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:</span> 36. <span class="rl-speech">Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.</span> 37. <span class="rl-speech">Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?</span> 38. <span class="rl-speech">When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?</span> 39. <span class="rl-speech">Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?</span> 40. <span class="rl-speech">And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.</span>**
>
> 41. <span class="rl-speech">Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:</span> 42. <span class="rl-speech">For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:</span> (Matthew 25:29-42, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 29. <span class="rl-speech">for to every one having shall be given, and he shall have overabundance, and from him who is not having, even that which he hath shall be taken from him;</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">and the unprofitable servant cast ye forth to the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth.</span>
>
> **31. <span class="rl-speech">'And whenever the Son of Man may come in his glory, and all the holy messengers with him, then he shall sit upon a throne of his glory;</span> 32. <span class="rl-speech">and gathered together before him shall be all the nations, and he shall separate them from one another, as the shepherd doth separate the sheep from the goats,</span> 33. <span class="rl-speech">and he shall set the sheep indeed on his right hand, and the goats on the left.</span> 34. <span class="rl-speech">'Then shall the king say to those on his right hand, Come ye, the blessed of my Father, inherit the reign that hath been prepared for you from the foundation of the world;</span> 35. <span class="rl-speech">for I did hunger, and ye gave me to eat; I did thirst, and ye gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and ye received me;</span> 36. <span class="rl-speech">naked, and ye put around me; I was infirm, and ye looked after me; in prison I was, and ye came unto me.</span> 37. <span class="rl-speech">'Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see thee hungering, and we nourished? or thirsting, and we gave to drink?</span> 38. <span class="rl-speech">and when did we see thee a stranger, and we received? or naked, and we put around?</span> 39. <span class="rl-speech">and when did we see thee infirm, or in prison, and we came unto thee?</span> 40. <span class="rl-speech">'And the king answering, shall say to them, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] to one of these my brethren, the least, to me ye did [it].</span>**
>
> 41. <span class="rl-speech">Then shall he say also to those on the left hand, Go ye from me, the cursed, to the fire, the age-during, that hath been prepared for the Devil and his messengers;</span> 42. <span class="rl-speech">for I did hunger, and ye gave me not to eat; I did thirst, and ye gave me not to drink;</span> (Matthew 25:29-42, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Argument from Sanctity](/codex/argument-from-sanctity/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [Argument from the Hospitality-Stranger Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-hospitality-stranger-convergence/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/), [Matthew 25.35](/codex/matthew-25-35/), [Matthew 25.40](/codex/matthew-25-40/)
- [Atheism Cannot Justify Compassion](/codex/atheism-cannot-justify-compassion/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/), [Matthew 25.40](/codex/matthew-25-40/)
- [Harm-Reduction Cannot Ground Morality (Defeater)](/codex/harm-reduction-cannot-ground-morality-defeater/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/), [Matthew 25.35](/codex/matthew-25-35/)
- [Inherited Guilt and Visiting Iniquity Objection Defeater](/codex/inherited-guilt-and-visiting-iniquity-objection-defeater/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/), [Matthew 25.32](/codex/matthew-25-32/)
- [OT vs NT God Objection Defeater](/codex/ot-vs-nt-god-objection-defeater/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [Paul Invented Christianity Objection Defeater](/codex/paul-invented-christianity-objection-defeater/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [Quran Confirms Jesus is God Argument](/codex/quran-confirms-jesus-is-god-argument/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)

**Concepts:**

- [Atheism](/codex/atheism/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [Biblical Dignity](/codex/biblical-dignity/), via [Matthew 25.40](/codex/matthew-25-40/)
- [Christ is God](/codex/christ-is-god/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [Christianity](/codex/christianity/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [Christology](/codex/christology/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [Christs Deity](/codex/christs-deity/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [Eschatology](/codex/eschatology/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [God is Impossible Paradox Cluster](/codex/god-is-impossible-paradox-cluster/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [Hell as Eternal Torment Objection](/codex/hell-as-eternal-torment-objection/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Matthew 25](/codex/matthew-25/)
- [Lesson 2.4, Christology in One Lesson](/codex/lesson-2-4-christology-in-one-lesson/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [OT vs NT God Objection](/codex/ot-vs-nt-god-objection/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [Salvation of the Unevangelized](/codex/salvation-of-the-unevangelized/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [Vannini Canonization Miracle (2019)](/codex/vannini-canonization-miracle-2019/), via [Matthew 25.36](/codex/matthew-25-36/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G1391 - doxa](/codex/g1391-doxa/), via [Matthew 25.31](/codex/matthew-25-31/)
- [G2920 - krisis](/codex/g2920-krisis/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [G3952 - parousia](/codex/g3952-parousia/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [G932 - basileia](/codex/g932-basileia/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/), [Matthew 25.34](/codex/matthew-25-34/)

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_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.