Matthew 25 · Verse 12

Matthew 25:12

But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Matthew 25:12, King James Version

Matthew 25:12 in other translations

BSB	But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’
WEB	But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
ASV	But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
YLT	and he answering said, Verily I say to you, I have not known you.
DARBY	but he answering said, Verily I say unto you, I do not know you.
BBE	But he made answer and said, Truly I say to you, I have no knowledge of you.
Webster	But he answered and said, Verily I say to you, I know you not.

What does Matthew 25:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

12. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not--The attempt to establish a difference between "I know you not" here, and "I never knew you" in Mt 7:23--as if this were gentler, and so implied a milder fate, reserved for "the foolish" of this parable--is to be resisted, though advocated by such critics as Olshausen, Stier, and Alford. Besides being inconsistent with the general tenor of such language, and particularly the solemn moral of the whole (Mt 25:13), it is a kind of criticism which tampers with some of the most awful warnings regarding the future. If it be asked why unworthy guests were admitted to the marriage of the King's Son, in a former parable, and the foolish virgins are excluded in this one, we may answer, in the admirable words of Gerhard, quoted by Trench, that those festivities are celebrated in this life, in the Church militant; these at the last day, in the Church triumphant; to those, even they are admitted who are not adorned with the wedding garment; but to these, only they to whom it is granted to be arrayed in fine linen clean and white, which is the righteousness of saints (Re 19:8); to those, men are called by the trumpet of the Gospel; to these by the trumpet of the Archangel; to those, who enters may go out from them, or be cast out; who is once introduced to these never goes out, nor is cast out, from them any more: wherefore it is said, "The door is shut."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 12. I know you not. You were not in the company of those who attended me to the marriage feast, and are unknown to me. Applied to professing Christians, having only a profession of religion, but no real piety, it means I know, or acknowledge you not as Christians. I do not approve of you, or delight in you, or admit you to be my friends. The word know is often used in the sense of approving, loving, acknowledging as real friends and followers. See Mt 7:23 Psa 1:6, 2Ti 2:19, 1Thes 5:12.

(g) "I know you not" Hab 1:13

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 12 I know you not - As if he had said, Ye are not of my company - ye were neither with the bride nor the bridegroom: ye slept while the others were in procession. I do not acknowledge you for my disciples - ye are not like him who is love - ye refused to receive his grace - ye sinned it away when ye had it; now you are necessarily excluded from that kingdom where nothing but love and purity can dwell.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 25:1-13

The circumstances of the parable of the ten virgins were taken from the marriage customs among the Jews, and explain the great day of Christ's coming. See the nature of Christianity. As Christians we profess to attend upon Christ, to honour him, also to be waiting for his coming. Sincere Christians are the wise virgins, and hypocrites the foolish ones. Those are the truly wise or foolish that are so in the affairs…

Read the full comment on Matthew 25:1-13 →

Matthew 25:12 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὁho<the>G3588

δὲdeAndG1161

ἀποκριθεὶςapokritheisansweringG611

εἶπεν·eipenhe said;G2036

ἀμὴνamēnAmenG281

λέγωlegōI sayG3004

ὑμῖν·huminto you;G4771

οὐκouknotG3756

οἶδαoidaI do know

ὑμᾶς.humasyou.G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 25:12

1 Corinthians 8:3
But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
John 10:27
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Luke 13:26-30
Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. …
Psalms 5:5
The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
Psalms 1:6
For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
John 9:31
Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
Habakkuk 1:13
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
Galatians 4:9
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

I know.
Ps 1:6; 5:5; Hab 1:13; Lu 13:26-30; Joh 9:31; 10:27; 1Co 8:3; Ga 4:9
2Ti 2:19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Matthew 25:11
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Matthew 25:12
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Matthew 25:13
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Read all of Matthew 25

Matthew 25:12 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Mas respondiendo él, dijo: De cierto os digo, que no os conozco.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Mais lui, répondant, dit: En vérité, je vous dis: je ne vous connais pas.
German Elberfelder 1871	Er aber antwortete und sprach: Wahrlich, ich sage euch, ich kenne euch nicht.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	At ille respondens, ait: Amen dico vobis, nescio vos.