Mat 25:31-46 | NET2full | STEP | “ When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him , then he will sit on his glorious throne .

‏ Matthew 25:31-46

The Judgment

31 “When ^{▼▼tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.} the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All ^{▼▼tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.} the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He ^{▼▼tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.} will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 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. 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, 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.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ^{▼▼tn Grk “answer him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.} ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When ^{▼▼tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.} did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? 39 When ^{▼▼tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.} did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ^{▼▼tn Grk “answering, the king will say to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.} ‘I tell you the truth, ^{▼▼tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”} just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters ^{▼▼tn 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 [adelphoi] 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.} of mine, you did it for me.’

41 “Then he will say ^{▼▼tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.} to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they too will answer, ^{▼▼tn Grk “Then they will answer, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.} ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?’ 45 Then he will answer them, ^{▼▼tn Grk “answer them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.} ‘I tell you the truth, ^{▼▼tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”} just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ 46 And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” ^{▼▼sn Here the ultimate destination of the righteous is eternal life. In several places Matthew uses “life” or “eternal life” in proximity with “the kingdom of heaven” or merely “the kingdom,” suggesting a close relationship between the two concepts (compare Matt 25:34 with v. 46; Matt 19:16, 17, 29 with vv. 23, 24). Matthew consistently portrays “eternal life” as something a person enters in the world to come, whereas the Gospel of John sees “eternal life” as beginning in the present and continuing into the future (cf. John 5:24).}