THE PARABLE OF THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS
Key verse: 40
NIV
The Sheep and the Goats
31 “When the Son of Man comes(A) in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.(B) 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate(C) the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.(D) 33 He 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; take your inheritance, the kingdom(E) prepared for you since the creation of the world.(F) 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,(G) 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me,(H) I was sick and you looked after me,(I) I was in prison and you came to visit me.’(J)
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’(K)
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me,(L) you who are cursed, into the eternal fire(M) prepared for the devil and his angels.(N) 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 invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’(O)
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.(P)”(Q)
Cross references
- Matthew 25:31 : S Lk 17:30
- Matthew 25:31 : Mt 19:28
- Matthew 25:32 : Mal 3:18
- Matthew 25:32 : Eze 34:17, 20
- Matthew 25:34 : S Mt 3:2; 5:3, 10, 19; 19:14; S Ac 20:32; 1Co 15:50; Gal 5:21; Jas 2:5
- Matthew 25:34 : Heb 4:3; 9:26; Rev 13:8; 17:8
- Matthew 25:35 : Job 31:32; Heb 13:2
- Matthew 25:36 : Isa 58:7; Eze 18:7; Jas 2:15, 16
- Matthew 25:36 : Jas 1:27
- Matthew 25:36 : 2Ti 1:16
- Matthew 25:40 : S Mt 10:40, 42; Heb 13:2
- Matthew 25:41 : S Mt 7:23
- Matthew 25:41 : Isa 66:24; Mt 3:12; S 5:22; Mk 9:43, 48; Lk 3:17; Jude 7
- Matthew 25:41 : 2Pe 2:4
- Matthew 25:45 : Pr 14:31; 17:5
- Matthew 25:46 : Mt 19:29; Jn 3:15, 16, 36; 17:2, 3; Ro 2:7; Gal 6:8; 1Jn 1:2; 5:11, 13, 20
- Matthew 25:46 : Da 12:2; Jn 5:29; Ac 24:15; Ro 2:7, 8; Gal 6:8
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
The Final Judgment
31 (A)“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, (B)then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him (C)will be gathered (D)all the nations, and (E)he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates (F)the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then (G)the King will say to (H)those on his right, ‘Come, you (I)who are blessed by my Father, (J)inherit (K)the kingdom (L)prepared for you (M)from the foundation of the world. 35 For (N)I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you (O)gave me drink, (P)I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 (Q)I was naked and you clothed me, (R)I was sick and you (S)visited me, (T)I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And (U)the King will answer them, (V)‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these (W)my brothers,[a] you did it to me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, (X)‘Depart from me, you (Y)cursed, into (Z)the eternal fire prepared for (AA)the devil and his angels. 42 For (AB)I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, (AC)you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away (AD)into eternal punishment, but the righteous (AE)into (AF)eternal life.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 25:40 Or brothers and sisters
Cross references
- Matthew 25:31 : See ch. 16:27, 28
- Matthew 25:31 : ch. 19:28
- Matthew 25:32 : [ch. 24:31]
- Matthew 25:32 : Joel 3:12; [ch. 24:14; 28:19]
- Matthew 25:32 : ch. 13:49
- Matthew 25:32 : Ezek. 34:17
- Matthew 25:34 : ver. 40; Luke 19:38; Rev. 17:14; 19:16; [Isa. 6:5]
- Matthew 25:34 : 1 Kgs. 2:19; Ps. 45:9; 110:1
- Matthew 25:34 : [Ps. 37:22; Isa. 65:23; Eph. 1:3]
- Matthew 25:34 : ch. 19:29; Rev. 21:7
- Matthew 25:34 : Luke 12:32; 22:29
- Matthew 25:34 : ch. 20:23; [1 Cor. 2:9; Heb. 11:16]
- Matthew 25:34 : See ch. 13:35
- Matthew 25:35 : Isa. 58:7; Ezek. 18:7, 16; [James 2:15, 16]
- Matthew 25:35 : ch. 10:42
- Matthew 25:35 : Job 31:32; Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:1, 2; 3 John 5
- Matthew 25:36 : [See ver. 35 above]; Isa. 58:7; Ezek. 18:7, 16; [James 2:15, 16]
- Matthew 25:36 : [Luke 10:33, 34]
- Matthew 25:36 : James 1:27
- Matthew 25:36 : 2 Tim. 1:16; [Heb. 10:34; 13:3]
- Matthew 25:40 : ver. 34
- Matthew 25:40 : See ch. 10:40, 42
- Matthew 25:40 : ch. 28:10; John 20:17; Rom. 8:29; Heb. 2:11; [ch. 12:50]
- Matthew 25:41 : ch. 7:23
- Matthew 25:41 : [Heb. 6:8]
- Matthew 25:41 : ch. 13:40, 42; 18:8; Mark 9:43, 48; Jude 7; [Luke 16:24]; See 2 Thess. 1:8
- Matthew 25:41 : 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6; Rev. 12:7
- Matthew 25:42 : Job 22:7
- Matthew 25:45 : [Luke 10:16; Acts 9:5; 1 Cor. 8:12]
- Matthew 25:46 : Dan. 12:2; [John 5:29; Acts 24:15]
- Matthew 25:46 : Dan. 12:2; [John 5:29; Acts 24:15]
- Matthew 25:46 : Rom. 2:7; 5:21; 6:23
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. The Son of Man will come (31-33)
Jesus came the first time to die as our Savior. He will come in glory the second time to judge the earth.
2. The sheep on his right hand (34-40)
Who are the blessed sheep who will have an inheritance in his kingdom? They are those who live with the mind of Jesus--as brothers and friends to the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the prisoners, the lonely. Those who serve the needy with Jesus' heart, for Jesus' sake, have an inheritance in Jesus' kingdom.
3. The goats on his left hand (41-46)
Some people don't believe in hell. But Jesus teaches that those who live in this suffering world without Jesus in their hearts are destined for eternal punishment in the fire prepared for the devil and his angels. We can only have the mind and heart of Jesus when we confess our sins and receive him as our Savior and Lord.
Prayer: Lord, help me live as your sheep, and grow until I can be a shepherd of your flock.
One Word: Have the mind of Christ
