# Matthew 25.41-46

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-05 | updated: 2026-06-05 -->

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

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 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> 43. <span class="rl-speech">I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.</span> 44. <span class="rl-speech">Then shall they also answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?</span> 45. <span class="rl-speech">Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of these least, ye did it not unto me.</span> 46. <span class="rl-speech">And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.</span>** (Matthew 25:39-46, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 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> 43. <span class="rl-speech">I was a stranger, and you didn’t take me in; naked, and you didn’t clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’</span> 44. <span class="rl-speech">“Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn’t help you?’</span> 45. <span class="rl-speech">“Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you didn’t do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to me.’</span> 46. <span class="rl-speech">These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”</span>** (Matthew 25:39-46, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 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> 43. <span class="rl-speech">I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.</span> 44. <span class="rl-speech">Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?</span> 45. <span class="rl-speech">Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.</span> 46. <span class="rl-speech">And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.</span>** (Matthew 25:39-46, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 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> 43. <span class="rl-speech">a stranger I was, and ye did not receive me; naked, and ye put not around me; infirm, and in prison, and ye did not look after me.</span> 44. <span class="rl-speech">'Then shall they answer, they also, saying, Lord, when did we see thee hungering, or thirsting, or a stranger, or naked, or infirm, or in prison, and we did not minister to thee?</span> 45. <span class="rl-speech">'Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] not to one of these, the least, ye did [it] not to me.</span> 46. <span class="rl-speech">And these shall go away to punishment age-during, but the righteous to life age-during.'</span>** (Matthew 25:39-46, 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/)
- [Atheism Cannot Justify Compassion](/codex/atheism-cannot-justify-compassion/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [Conditional Immortality from Text-First Method](/codex/conditional-immortality-from-text-first-method/), via [Matthew 25.46](/codex/matthew-25-46/)
- [Harm-Reduction Cannot Ground Morality (Defeater)](/codex/harm-reduction-cannot-ground-morality-defeater/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [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/)
- [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/)
- [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/)
- [Divine Wipeouts and Their Justification](/codex/divine-wipeouts-and-their-justification/)
- [Eschatology](/codex/eschatology/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/), [Matthew 25.46](/codex/matthew-25-46/)
- [God is Impossible Paradox Cluster](/codex/god-is-impossible-paradox-cluster/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [Hell and Eternal Punishment](/codex/hell-and-eternal-punishment/), via [Matthew 25.41](/codex/matthew-25-41/), [Matthew 25.46](/codex/matthew-25-46/)
- [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/)
- [Quick Objection Responses](/codex/quick-objection-responses/), via [Matthew 25.41](/codex/matthew-25-41/)
- [Salvation of the Unevangelized](/codex/salvation-of-the-unevangelized/), via [Matthew 25.31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/)
- [The Devil](/codex/the-devil/), via [Matthew 25.41](/codex/matthew-25-41/)
- [Universalism](/codex/universalism/), via [Matthew 25.46](/codex/matthew-25-46/)
- [Young's Literal Translation](/codex/ylt/), via [Matthew 25.46](/codex/matthew-25-46/)

**People:**

- [David Bentley Hart](/codex/david-bentley-hart/), via [Matthew 25.46](/codex/matthew-25-46/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G0165 - aion](/codex/g0165-aion/), via [Matthew 25.46](/codex/matthew-25-46/)
- [G0166 - aionios](/codex/g0166-aionios/), via [Matthew 25.41](/codex/matthew-25-41/), [Matthew 25.46](/codex/matthew-25-46/)
- [G0622 - apollymi](/codex/g0622-apollymi/), via [Matthew 25.46](/codex/matthew-25-46/)
- [G1067 - geenna](/codex/g1067-geenna/), via [Matthew 25.46](/codex/matthew-25-46/)
- [G1228 - diabolos](/codex/g1228-diabolos/), via [Matthew 25.41](/codex/matthew-25-41/)
- [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/)
- [H5769 - olam](/codex/h5769-olam/), via [Matthew 25.46](/codex/matthew-25-46/)

**Other pages:**

- [Resurrection of the Body](/codex/resurrection-of-the-body/), via [Matthew 25.46](/codex/matthew-25-46/)

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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.