Matthew 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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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From the closing scene of the Olivet Discourse, where Jesus describes the Son of man coming in glory to judge the nations, separating people as a shepherd divides sheep from goats by their deeds of mercy.
What Does Matthew 25:40 Mean?
Jesus teaches that whatever kindness is shown to the lowliest person is received by Him as if done to Himself. The verse comes from the scene of the great judgment, where the King separates the nations and commends those who fed the hungry, welcomed the stranger, clothed the naked, and visited the sick and imprisoned (Matthew 25:31-39).
What makes the King's answer so striking is the identification He makes: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." The acts of mercy were directed at ordinary suffering people, yet the King counts them as done to Himself. He so identifies with the hungry, the stranger, and the prisoner that to serve them is to serve Him. This lifts the smallest act of compassion to astonishing significance -- a cup of water, an open door, a visit to a cell, all are received by the King as personal kindness. Notably, the righteous are surprised; they did not realize they were serving Christ. Their mercy flowed naturally, not as a calculated transaction. The verse teaches that genuine love for God reaches Him precisely through love for the overlooked and the needy, and that no act of care toward them is ever wasted or unnoticed.
In the Original Language
The Greek "eph' hoson" means "to the extent that" or "inasmuch as," tying the deed to its recipient. "Tōn elachistōn" (the least) is the superlative of mikros, the very smallest, and "adelphōn" means brothers or kindred.
Cross References
“He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”
- Proverbs 19:17
“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints.”
- Hebrews 6:10
“And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.”
- Matthew 10:42
Application
Treat every act of compassion toward the poor, the stranger, and the suffering as service rendered directly to Christ, who receives such kindness as done to Himself.