*Matthew 25:31-46
Jesus teaches that helping those in need is equivalent to helping him, while neglecting them is the same as neglecting him.
- The Son of Man’s Judgment:
- Jesus describes the Son of Man returning in glory, seated on his throne and surrounded by angels.
- All nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people as a shepherd separates sheep from goats.
- The Reward of the Righteous (Sheep):
- The righteous, likened to sheep, are placed on his right and invited to inherit the kingdom.
- The Son of Man commends them for feeding him when he was hungry, giving him drink when thirsty, welcoming him as a stranger, clothing him when naked, caring for him when sick, and visiting him in prison.
- Confused, they ask when they did these things for him.
- He replies that whatever they did for the least of his brothers and sisters, they did for him.
- The Condemnation of the Unrighteous (Goats):
- The unrighteous, likened to goats, are placed on his left and told to depart into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
- The Son of Man condemns them for neglecting to feed, give drink, welcome, clothe, care for, and visit him.
- They too ask when they failed to do these things.
- He explains that whatever they did not do for the least of his brothers and sisters, they did not do for him.
- Final Outcome:
- The unrighteous are sent into eternal punishment, while the righteous are given eternal life.
25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 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.
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: 25:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
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? 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.
25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.