Matthew 7 · Verse 23

Matthew 7:23

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 7:23, King James Version

Matthew 7:23 in other translations

BSBThen I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’
WEBThen I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’
ASVAnd then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
YLTand then I will acknowledge to them, that--I never knew you, depart from me ye who are working lawlessness.
DARBYand then will I avow unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, workers of lawlessness.
BBEAnd then will I say to them, I never had knowledge of you: go from me, you workers of evil.
WebsterAnd then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

What does Matthew 7:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
23. And then will I profess unto them--or, openly proclaim--tearing off the mask. I never knew you--What they claimed--intimacy with Christ--is just what He repudiates, and with a certain scornful dignity. "Our acquaintance was not broken off--there never was any." depart from me--(Compare Mt 25:41). The connection here gives these words an awful significance. They claimed intimacy with Christ, and in the corresponding passage, Lu 13:26, are represented as having gone out and in with Him on familiar terms. "So much the worse for you," He replies: "I bore with that long enough; but now--begone!" ye that work iniquity--not "that wrought iniquity"; for they are represented as fresh from the scenes and acts of it as they stand before the Judge. (See on the almost identical, but even more vivid and awful, description of the scene in Lu 13:24-27). That the apostle alludes to these very words in 2Ti 2:19 there can hardly be any doubt--"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."

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 23. Profess unto them. Say unto them; plainly declare.

I never knew you. That is, I never approved, loved, or regarded you as my friends. See Ps 1:6, 2Ti 2:19, 1Cor 8:3. This proves that, with all their pretensions, they had never been true followers of Christ. Jesus will not then say to false prophets and false professors of religion, that he had once known them, and then rejected them; that they had been once Christians and then had fallen away; that they had been pardoned, and then had apostatized; but that he had never known them--THEY HAD NEVER BEEN TRUE CHRISTIANS. Whatever might have been their pretended joys, their raptures, their hopes, their self-confidence, their visions, their zeal, they had never been regarded by the Saviour as his true friends. I know not a more decided proof that Christians do not fall away from grace than this text. It settles the question; and proves that whatever else such men had, they never had any true religion. See 1Jn 2:19.

(k) "from me" Ps 5:5, Mt 25:41, Rev 22:15

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 Will I profess - Ομολογησω, I will fully and plainly tell them, I never knew you - I never approved of you; for so the word is used in many places, both in the Old and New Testaments. You held the truth in unrighteousness, while you preached my pure and holy doctrine; and for the sake of my own truth, and through my love to the souls of men, I blessed your preaching; but yourselves I could never esteem, because you were destitute of the spirit of my Gospel, unholy in your hearts, and unrighteous in your conduct. Alas! alas! how many preachers are there who appear prophets in their pulpits; how many writers, and other evangelical workmen, the miracles of whose labor, learning, and doctrine, we admire, who are nothing, and worse than nothing, before God, because they perform not his will, but their own? What an awful consideration, that a man of eminent gifts, whose talents are a source of public utility, should be only as a way-mark or finger-post in the way to eternal bliss, pointing out the road to others, without walking in it himself! Depart from me - What a terrible word! What a dreadful separation! Depart from Me! from the very Jesus whom you have proclaimed in union with whom alone eternal life is to be found. For, united to Christ, all is heaven; separated from him, all is hell.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 7:21-29

Christ here shows that it will not be enough to own him for our Master, only in word and tongue. It is necessary to our happiness that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one another. This is his will, even our sanctification. Let us take heed of resting in outward privileges and doings, lest we deceive ourselves, and perish eternally, as multitudes do, with a lie in…

Read the full comment on Matthew 7:21-29 →

Matthew 7:23 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.

καὶkaiAndG2532
τότεtotethenG5119
ὁμολογήσωhomologēsōI will declareG3670
αὐτοῖςautoisto themG846
ὅτιhotithatG3754
οὐδέποτεoudepoteNeverG3763
ἔγνωνegnōnknew IG1097
ὑμᾶς·humasyou;G4771
ἀποχωρεῖτεapochōreitedo departG672
ἀπ᾽ap᾽fromG575
ἐμοῦemouMeG1473
οἱhoiyou who [are]G3588
ἐργαζόμενοιergazomenoiworkingG2038
τὴνtēn<the>G3588
ἀνομίαν.¶anomianlawlessness.G458

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

Cross references for Matthew 7:23

  • 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:

  • Psalms 6:8

    Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.

  • Luke 13:27

    But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

  • Luke 13:25

    When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:

  • Matthew 25:12

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

  • John 10:14

    I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

  • John 10:27-30

    My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.

  • Revelation 22:15

    For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

  • 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.

  • Psalms 5:5

    The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I never.
25:12; Joh 10:14,27-30; 2Ti 2:19
depart.
25:41; Ps 5:5; 6:8; Lu 13:25,27; Re 22:15

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

Context

  • Matthew 7:22

    Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

  • Matthew 7:23

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

  • Matthew 7:24

    Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Read all of Matthew 7

Matthew 7:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y entonces les protestaré: Nunca os conocí; apartaos de mí, obradores de maldad.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et alors je leur déclarerai: Je ne vous ai jamais connus; retirez-vous de moi, vous qui pratiquez l’iniquité.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und dann werde ich ihnen bekennen: Ich habe euch niemals gekannt; weichet von mir, ihr Übeltäter!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et tunc confitebor illis: Quia numquam novi vos: discedite a me, qui operamini iniquitatem.