Matthew 25:45
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.
Matthew 25:45 in other translations
| BSB | Then the King will answer, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’ |
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| WEB | “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.’ |
| ASV | 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. |
| YLT | ‘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. |
| DARBY | Then shall he answer them saying, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye have not done it to one of these least, neither have ye done it to me. |
| BBE | Then will he make answer to them, saying, Truly I say to you, Because you did it not to the least of these, you did it not to me. |
| Webster | Then will he answer them, saying, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. |
What does Matthew 25:45 mean?
Barnes' Notes
(1.) Because he wished to give pre-eminence to those virtues, to excite his followers to do them.
(2.) Men should be punished for neglect as well as positive sin. Sin is a violation of the law, or refusing to do what God commands.
(3.) Nothing better shows the true state of the heart than those duties, and the true character can be as well tested by them as by open crimes.
If it be asked how the heathen, who never heard of the name of Christ, can be justly condemned in this manner, it may be answered:
1st. That Christ acknowledges all the poor, and needy, and strangers of every land, as his brethren. See Mt 25:40.
2nd. That by neglecting the duties of charity they show that they have not his Spirit--are not like him.
3rd. That these duties are clearly made known by conscience, and the light of nature, as well as by revelation; and men may therefore be condemned for the neglect of them.
4th. That they are not condemned for not believing in Christ, of whom they have not heard, but for a wrong spirit, neglect of duty, open crime; for being unlike Christ, and therefore unfit for heaven.
One of the least of these. These on my right hand. My brethren. Those who are saved.
(p) "Inasmuch" Zech 2:8, Acts 9:5
Albert Barnes, 1834 · 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…
Matthew 25:45 in the original Greek
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Cross references for Matthew 25:45
- Proverbs 21:13
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
- Proverbs 17:5
Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
- 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.
- Proverbs 14:31
He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.
- Acts 9:5
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
- 1 John 3:12-20
Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. …
- 1 John 5:1-3
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
- Psalms 105:15
Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
- Zechariah 2:8
For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.
- Numbers 24:9
He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
- Genesis 12:3
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
- John 15:18-19
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Matthew 25:44
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?
- Matthew 25:45
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.
- Matthew 25:46
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Matthew 25:45 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Entonces les responderá, diciendo: De cierto os digo que en cuanto no lo hicisteis á uno de estos pequeñitos, ni á mí lo hicisteis. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Alors il leur répondra, disant: En vérité, je vous dis: En tant que vous ne l’avez pas fait à l’un de ces plus petits, vous ne me l’avez pas fait non plus à moi. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Dann wird er ihnen antworten und sagen: Wahrlich, ich sage euch, insofern ihr es einem dieser Geringsten nicht getan habt, habt ihr es auch mir nicht getan. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Tunc respondebit illis, dicens: Amen dico vobis: Quamdiu non fecistis uni de minoribus his, nec mihi fecistis. |