Matthew 25:41
in Matthew 25Then 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then 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:
KJV
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:
⋯
This verse in Matthew 25
Commentary
20 notes on this verseIt were indeed free to us to understand that it is Christ in every poor man whom we feed when he is hungry, or give drink to when he is thirsty, and so of other things; but when He says, In that ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, He seems tome not to speak of the poor generally, but of the poor in spirit, those to whom He pointed and said, Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother. (Matt. 12:50.)
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
(de Civ. Dei, xxi. 10.) It is hence clear, that the same fire will be appropriated to the punishment of men and of dæmons. If then it inflicts pain by corporeal touch, so as to produce bodily torment, how will there be in it any punishment for the evil spirits, unless the dæmons have, as some have thought, bodies composed of gross and fluid air. But if any man asserts that the dæmons have no bodies, we would not pugnaciously contend the point. For why may we not say, that truly, though wonderfully, even incorporeal spirit can feel pain of corporeal fire? If the spirits of men, though themselves incorporeal, can be now inclosed in bodily limbs, they can then be inseparably attached to the bonds of body. The dæmons then will be united to a body of material fire, though themselves immaterial, drawing punishment from their body, not giving life to it. And that fire being material will torture such bodies as ours with their spirits; but the dæmons are spirits without bodies.
As He had said to the righteous, Come ye, so He says to the wicked, Depart ye, for they who keep God's commandment are near to the Word, and are called that they may be made more near; but they are far from it, though they may seem to stand hard by, who do not His commands; therefore it is said to them, Depart ye, that those who seemed to be living before Him, might be no more seen. It should be remarked, that though He had said to the Saints, Ye blessed of my Father, He says not now, Ye cursed of my Father, because of all blessing the Father is the author, but each man is the origin of his own curse when he does the things that deserve the curse. They who depart from Jesus fall into eternal fire, which is of a very different kind from that fire which we use. For no fire which we have is eternal, nor even of any long continuance. And note, that He does not say, 'the kingdom prepared for the Angels,' as He does say everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels; because He did not, as far as in Him lay, create men to perdition, but sinners yoke themselves to the Devil, so that as they that are saved are made equal to the holy Angels, they that perish are made equal with the Devil's Angels. Or it may be that fire is of such nature that it can but invisible substances, being itself invisible, as the Apostle speaks, The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Cor. 4:18.) Wonder not when you hear that there is a fire which though unseen has power to torture, when you see that there is an internal fever which comes upon men, and pains them grievously.
But if, on the other hand, there is to be an end of evil, when the chief thereof, the devil, shall "go away into the fire which God hath prepared for him and his angels" -having been first "cast into the bottomless pit; " when likewise "the manifestation of the children of God" shall have "delivered the creature" from evil, which had been "made subject to vanity; " when the cattle restored in the innocence and integrity of their nature shall be at peace with the beasts of the field, when also little children shall play with serpents; when the Father shall have put beneath the feet of His Son His enemies, as being the workers of evil,-if in this way an end is compatible with evil, it must follow of necessary that a beginning is also compatible with it; and Matter will turn out to have a beginning, by virtue of its having also an end.
For although there is assigned to angels also perdition in "the fire prepared for the devil and his angels," yet a restoration is never promised to them.
(Verse 40, 41.) Amen, I say to you: as long as ((Also: when)) you did it to one of these, my least brothers, you did it to me. Then he will say to those on his left: Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you did not welcome me. I was naked and you did not clothe me. I was sick and in prison and you did not visit me. Then they will answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you? Then he will answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did not do it to one of these least ones, neither did you do it to me. It was fitting for us to understand that in every poor person Christ, hungry, would be fed, thirsty would be given drink, a stranger would be brought into shelter, the naked would be clothed, the sick would be visited, the imprisoned would have the consolation of speaking with him. But from this that follows: As long as you did it to one of these least brothers of mine, you did it to me, it does not seem to me that he spoke generally about the poor, but about those who are poor in spirit, to whom he extends his hand and said: These are my brothers and my mother, who do the will of my Father (Mark 3:34-35; Luke 8:21).
14 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers3 voices
Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels, as if he said, to the righteous, come above to the inner heaven beyond this visible firmament, and to the impious, go down to the place about the earth, into …
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 79 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
But to the others He saith, "Depart from me, ye cursed," (no longer of the Father; for not He laid the curse upon them, but their own works), "into the everlasting fire, prepared," not for you, but "for the devil and his angels." For concerning the kingdom indeed, when He had said, "Come, inherit the kingdom," He added, "prepared for you before the foundation of the world;" but concerning the fire, no longer so, but, "prepared for the devil." I, saith He, prepared the kingdom for you, but the fire no more for you, but "for the devil and his angels;" but since ye cast yourselves therein, impute it to yourselves. And not in this way only, but by what follows also, like as though He were excusing Himself to them, He sets forth the causes.
But, to come now to Moses, why, I wonder, did he merely at the time when Joshua was battling against Amalek, pray sitting with hands expanded, when, in circumstances so critical, he ought rather, surely, to have commended his prayer by knees bended, and hands beating his breast, and a face prostrate on the ground; except it was that there, where the name of the Lord Jesus was the theme of speech-destined as He was to enter the lists one day singly against the devil-the figure of the cross was also necessary, (that figure) through which Jesus was to win the victory?
The Medieval Church5 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 2 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
The third origin of the fear of the Lord is from the consideration of the severity of divine vengeance. Whence in Habakkuk: "Lord, I have heard your report and was afraid." He says: "I have heard your report and was afraid," namely, that report when …
(ubi sup.) They to whom this is said are the wicked believers, who are judged and perish; others, being unbelievers, are not judged and perish; for there is no examination of the condition of such as appear before the face of an impartial Judge already condemned by their unbelief; but those who hold the profession of the faith, but have not the works of their profession, are convicted that they may be condemned. These at least hear the words of their Judge, because they have at least kept the words of His faith. The others hear no words of their Judge pronouncing sentence of condemnation, because they have not paid Him honour even in word. For a prince who governs an earthly kingdom punishes after a different manner the rebellion of a subject and the hostile attempts of an enemy; in the former case, he recurs to his prerogative; against an enemy he takes arms, and does not ask what penalty the law attaches to his crime.
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 1 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Transgressors of the commandments merit eternal punishments. "Cursed are they who decline from Thy commandments": cursed, because it shall be said to them: "Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire."
He sends those on the left into the fire which had been prepared for the devil. For as the demons are without compassion and are cruelly and maliciously disposed towards us, it is fitting that they who are of like mind with them, and who …
Then the king shall say to those who shall be on his left. Here is set forth the condemnation of the wicked. And first the condemnation is set forth; second, their excuse; third, the refutation. And concerning the first, he first sets forth the sentence, …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Then shall he also say unto them on his left hand,.... The goats, the foolish virgins, and slothful and wicked servants, depart from me: a like expression is used by him to preachers of the word, and professors of religion, that are mere nominal ones.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. That in general which is to be illustrated is, the kingdom of heaven, the state of things under the gospel, the external kingdom of Christ, and the administration and success of it. Some of Christ's parables had shown us what it is like now in the present reception of it, as ch. xiii.
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
On the left hand - The wicked. Ye cursed - That is, you 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 can be conceived.
In these verses our Lord Jesus Christ describes the judgment day, and some of its leading circumstances. There are few passages in the whole Bible more solemn and heart-seaching than this. May we read it with the deep and serious attention which it deserves. Let us mark in the first place who will be the judge in the last day. We read that it will be “the Son of Man” Jesus Christ himself.
In these verses our Lord Jesus Christ describes the judgment day, and some of its leading circumstances. There are few passages in the whole Bible more solemn and heart-seaching than this. May we read it with the deep and serious attention which it deserves. Let us mark in the first place who will be the judge in the last day. We read that it will be “the Son of Man” Jesus Christ himself. That same Jesus who was born in the manger of Bethlehem and took upon him the very form of a servant; who was despised and rejected of men and often had not where to lay his head; who was condemned by the princes of this world, beaten, scourged and nailed to the cross—that same Jesus shall himself judge the world when he comes in his glory. To him The Father hath commited all judgment. ( John 5:22 ). To him at last every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that he is Lord ( Philippians 2:10–11 ). Let believers think of this and take comfort. He that sits upon the throne in that great and dreadful day will be their Saviour, their Shepherd, their High Priest, their elder Brother, their Friend. When they see him they will have no cause to be alarmed. Let unconverted people think of this and be afraid. Their judge will be that very Christ whose Gospel they now despise, and whose gracious invitations they refuse to hear. How great will be their confusion at last if they go on in unbelief and die in their sins! To be condemned in the day of judgment by anyone would be awful; but to be condemned by him who would have saved them will be awful indeed. Well may the psalmist say, “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry” ( Psalm 2:12 ). Let us mark in the second place who will be judged on the last day. We read that before Christ “shall be gathered all the nations.”
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.
The words behind it
24 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Τότε | tote | Then | G5119 → | 160 times |
| ἐρεῖ | erei | will He say | G4483 → | 46 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τοῖς | tois | to those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐξ | ex | on | G1537 → | 911 times |
| εὐωνύμων· | euonumon | [the] left; | G2176 → | 9 times |
| πορεύεσθε | poreuesthe | do depart | G4198 → | 147 times |
| ἀπ᾽ | ap᾽ | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| ἐμοῦ | emou | Me | G1473 → | 839 times |
| οἱ | hoi | you who [are] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κατηραμένοι | kateramenoi | cursed | G2672 → | |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πῦρ | pur | fire | G4442 → | 70 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| αἰώνιον | aionion | eternal | G166 → | 68 times |
| τὸ | to | which | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἡτοιμασμένον | hetoimasmenon | prepared | G2090 → | 40 times |
| τῷ | to | for the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| διαβόλῳ | diabolo | devil | G1228 → | 37 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τοῖς | tois | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀγγέλοις | angelois | angels | G32 → | 175 times |
| αὐτοῦ. | autou | of him. | G846 → | 5565 times |
ΤότεThen
toteG5119 →160 times
ἐρεῖwill He say
ereiG4483 →46 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τοῖςto those
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἐξon
exG1537 →911 times
εὐωνύμων·[the] left;
euonumonG2176 →9 times
πορεύεσθεdo depart
poreuestheG4198 →147 times
ἀπ᾽from
ap᾽G575 →640 times
ἐμοῦMe
emouG1473 →839 times
οἱyou who [are]
hoiG3588 →19766 times
κατηραμένοιcursed
kateramenoiG2672 →
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
πῦρfire
purG4442 →70 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
αἰώνιονeternal
aionionG166 →68 times
τὸwhich
toG3588 →19766 times
ἡτοιμασμένονprepared
hetoimasmenonG2090 →40 times
τῷfor the
toG3588 →19766 times
διαβόλῳdevil
diaboloG1228 →37 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τοῖςthe
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἀγγέλοιςangels
angeloisG32 →175 times
αὐτοῦ.of him.
autouG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Peter 2:4For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
it leads to
- Jude 1:6
And the angels who did not stay within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling—these He has kept in eternal chains under darkness, bound for judgment on that great day.
- Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?
- Revelation 20:1–3
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the Abyss, holding in his hand a great chain.
- Revelation 12:7–9
Then a war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
- Jude 1:6
Through
Matthew 7:23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’
it leads to
- Psalms 6:8
Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity, for the LORD has heard my weeping.
- Luke 13:27
And he will answer, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’
- Luke 13:25
After the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ But he will reply, ‘I do not know where…
- Matthew 25:12
But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’
- Psalms 6:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies8
On this verse
About Matthew
This page draws on 19 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 2; Bonaventure, Collationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 1; Cosmas Indicopleustes, The Christian Topography, Book 5; Gregory the Dialogist, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 79; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Tertullian, Against Hermogenes; Tertullian, On the Flesh of Christ; Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.