Matthew 25:31-46

International Standard Version

The Judgment of the Nations

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be assembled in front of him, and he will cull them out, one from another, like a shepherd separates sheep from goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right but the goats on his left.

³⁴ “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who have been blessed by my Father! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, ³⁵ because 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 welcomed me. ³⁶ I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will say to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you something to eat, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or see you naked and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’

⁴⁰ The king will answer them, ‘I tell all of you^[a] with certainty, since you did it for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me, you who are accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the Devil and his angels! ⁴² Here’s why: 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 didn’t welcome me. I was naked, and you didn’t clothe me. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

⁴⁴ “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or as a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn’t help you?’

⁴⁵ Then he will say to them, ‘I tell all of you^[b] with certainty, since you didn’t do it for one of the least important of these, you didn’t do it for me.’ ⁴⁶ These people will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go^[c] into eternal life.”