Matthew 25:36 Meaning and Explanation
“Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The list continues: they clothed him when naked, visited him when sick, and came to him in prison.
What Does Matthew 25:36 Mean?
The list deepens: clothing for the exposed, presence for the sick, company for the prisoner. The last two cost no money at all — only time and the willingness to enter hard places. To visit a prisoner could even mean sharing his disgrace in the eyes of others.
The King prizes presence as much as provision. Much of the suffering around us cannot be cured, but it can be accompanied, and Jesus receives the accompaniment as given to himself. James calls visiting the afflicted pure religion (James 1:27); Hebrews says to remember prisoners as if bound with them (Hebrews 13:3). Whoever sits with the suffering is, knowingly or not, keeping company with Christ.
Matthew 25:36 in the Original Language
episkeptomai (ἐπισκέπτομαι), 'visited' -- to look upon with care, to come to help.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 25:36
What does Matthew 25:36 mean?
The list continues: they clothed him when naked, visited him when sick, and came to him in prison.