Matthew 25 · Verse 41

Matthew 25:41

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:
Matthew 25:41, King James Version

Matthew 25:41 in other translations

BSBThen He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
WEBThen 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;
ASVThen 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:
YLTThen 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;
DARBYThen shall he say also to those on the left, Go from me, cursed, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
BBEThen will he say to those on the left, Go from me, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire which is ready for the Evil One and his angels:
WebsterThen will he say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

What does Matthew 25:41 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 41. On the left hand. The wicked.

Ye cursed. That is, ye who are devoted to destruction, whose characters deserve everlasting punishment, and who are about to enter into it. To curse, is the opposite of to bless. It implies a negation of all the blessings of heaven, and a positive infliction of eternal sufferings.

Everlasting fire. Fire, here, is used to denote punishment. The image is employed to express extreme suffering, as a death by burning is one of the most horrible that call be conceived. The image was taken probably from the fires burning in the valley of Hinnom. Mt 5:22. It has been asked, whether the wicked will be burned in literal fire-- and the common impression has been that they will be. Respecting that, however, it is to be observed,

(1.) that the main truth intended to be taught refers not to the manner of suffering, but to the certainty and intensity of it.

(2.) That the design, therefore, was to present an image of terrific and appalling suffering--an image well represented by fire.

(3.) That this image was well known to the Jews, Isa 66:24 and therefore expressed the idea in a very strong manner.

(4.) That all the truth that Christ intended to convey appears to be expressed in the certainty, intensity, and eternity of future torment.

(5.) That there is no distinct affirmation respecting the mode of that punishment, where the mode was the subject of discourse.

(6.) That to us it is a subject of comparatively little consequence what will be the mode of punishment. The fact that the wicked will be eternally punished, cursed of God, should awe every spirit, and lead every man to secure his salvation. As, however, the body will be raised, it is not unreasonable to suppose that a mode of punishment will be adopted suited to the body, perhaps bearing some analogy to suffering here, in its various forms of flames, and racks, and cold, and heat, and war, and disease, and ungratified desire, and remorse--perhaps the concentration of all earthly woes, all that makes man miserable here, poured upon the naked body and spirit of the wicked in hell, for ever and ever.

Prepared for the devil. The devil is the prince of evil spirits. This place of punishment was fitted for him when he rebelled against God, Jude 1:6, Rev 12:8,9.

His angels. His messengers, his servants, or those angels that he drew off from heaven by his rebellion and whom he has employed as his messengers to do evil. The word may extend also to all his followers --fallen angels or men. There is a remarkable difference between the manner in which the righteous shall be addressed, and the wicked. Christ will say to the one that the kingdom was prepared for them; to the other, that the fire was not prepared for them, but for another race of beings. They will inherit it because they have the same character as the devil, and therefore are fitted to the same place--not because it was originally fitted for them.

(m) "Depart" Lk 13:27 (n) "into everlasting fire" Mt 13:40,42, Rev 14:11 (o) "prepared for the devil" Jude 1:6, Rev 20:10

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 41 Depart from me, ye cursed - Or, Ye cursed! depart. - These words are the address of the king to the sinners; and contain the reason why they are to be separated from blessedness: Ye are cursed, because ye have sinned, and would not come unto me that ye might have life. - No work of piety has proceeded from your hand, because the carnal mind, which is enmity against me, reigned in your heart; and ye would not have me to reign over you. Depart! this includes what some have termed the punishment of loss or privation. Ye cannot, ye, shall not be united to me - Depart! O terrible word! and yet a worse is to come. Into everlasting fire - This is the punishment of sense. Ye shall not only be separated from me, but ye shall be tormented, awfully, everlastingly tormented in that place of separation. Prepared for the devil and his angels - The devil and his angels sinned before the creation of the world, and the place of torment was then prepared for them: it never was designed for human souls; but as the wicked are partakers with the devil and his angels in their iniquities, in their rebellion against God, so it is right that they should be sharers with them in their punishment. We see here, plainly, why sinners are destroyed, not because there was no salvation for them, but because they neglected to receive good, and do good. As they received not the Christ who was offered to them, so they could not do the work of righteousness which was required of them. They are cursed, because they refused to be blessed; and they are damned, because they refused to be saved.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 25:31-46

This is a description of the last judgment. It is as an explanation of the former parables. There is a judgment to come, in which every man shall be sentenced to a state of everlasting happiness, or misery. Christ shall come, not only in the glory of his Father, but in his own glory, as Mediator. The wicked and godly here dwell together, in the same cities, churches, families, and are not always to be known the one…

Read the full comment on Matthew 25:31-46 →

Matthew 25:41 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.

ΤότεToteThenG5119
ἐρεῖereiwill He sayG4483
καὶkaialsoG2532
τοῖςtoisto thoseG3588
ἐξexonG1537
εὐωνύμων·euōnumōn[the] left;G2176
πορεύεσθεporeuesthedo departG4198
ἀπ᾽ap᾽fromG575
ἐμοῦemouMeG1473
οἱhoiyou who [are]G3588
κατηραμένοιkatēramenoicursedG2672
εἰςeisintoG1519
τὸtotheG3588
πῦρpurfireG4442
τὸto<the>G3588
αἰώνιονaiōnioneternalG166
τὸtowhichG3588
ἡτοιμασμένονhētoimasmenonpreparedG2090
τῷtōfor theG3588
διαβόλῳdiabolōdevilG1228
καὶkaiandG2532
τοῖςtoistheG3588
ἀγγέλοιςangeloisangelsG32
αὐτοῦ.autouof him.G846

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

Cross references for Matthew 25:41

  • 2 Peter 2:4

    For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

  • Jude 1:6-7

    And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

  • Matthew 13:42

    And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

  • 2 Thessalonians 1:9

    Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

  • Matthew 7:23

    And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

  • John 8:44

    Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

  • Galatians 3:10-13

    For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

  • Revelation 20:10-15

    And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. …

  • Matthew 3:12

    Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

  • Matthew 13:40

    As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

  • Hebrews 6:8

    But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

  • Revelation 14:10-11

    The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
them.
33
Depart.
7:23; Ps 6:8; 119:115; 139:19; Lu 13:27
ye cursed.
De 27:15-26; 28:16-68; Ps 119:21; Jer 17:5; Ga 3:10-13; Heb 6:8
everlasting.
46; 3:12; 13:40,42,50; Mr 9:43-48; 2Th 1:9; Re 14:10,11; 20:10-15
prepared.
Joh 8:44; Ro 9:22,23; 2Pe 2:4; 1Jo 3:10; Jude 1:6; Re 12:7-9

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

Context

  • Matthew 25:40

    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.

  • Matthew 25:41

    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:

  • Matthew 25:42

    For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

Read all of Matthew 25

Matthew 25:41 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Entonces dirá también á los que estarán á la izquierda: Apartaos de mí, malditos, al fuego eterno preparado para el diablo y para sus ángeles:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Alors il dira aussi à ceux qui seront à sa gauche: Allez-vous-en loin de moi, maudits, dans le feu éternel qui est préparé pour le diable et ses anges;
German
Elberfelder 1871
Dann wird er auch zu denen zur Linken sagen: Gehet von mir, Verfluchte, in das ewige Feuer, das bereitet ist dem Teufel und seinen Engeln;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Tunc dicet et his qui a sinistris erunt: Discedite a me maledicti in ignem æternum, qui paratus est diabolo, et angelis ejus: