Matthew 25:40 Meaning and Explanation
“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)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →When we care for someone small and overlooked, Jesus receives it as done to Him.
The Context of Matthew 25:40
Part of the last great teaching Jesus gives before the cross, picturing the day when the Son of man sits as King and gathers all nations before Him (Matthew 25:31-32). Here He explains to those on His right why they are welcomed in.
What Does Matthew 25:40 Mean?
The King is going back over a list of small kindnesses: a meal given, water shared, a stranger taken in, the sick and imprisoned visited. The people are surprised, because they do not remember ever serving Him (verses 37-39). His answer is startling. Whatever they did for one of the least, the forgotten and the lowly, He counts as done to Himself. He has quietly stood inside every hungry and hurting person they met.
This is the King who Himself became least, born in a borrowed stable and laid in a tomb that was not His own. Because Jesus joined Himself to the lowly, He is found among them still, and the smallest mercy reaches Him personally. Nothing done in love for the overlooked is ever lost on Him. He sees it, He receives it, and He remembers it as His own.
Matthew 25:40 in the Original Language
adelphos (ἀδελφός), 'brethren' -- brother, one bound to us as family; Jesus claims the least as His own kin.
How to Apply Matthew 25:40 Today
The next quiet kindness we offer to someone small or struggling is offered, in truth, to Jesus. He stands among the overlooked, and the cup of water we give does not go unnoticed by Him. There is no act of mercy too small for Him to receive as His own.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 25:40
What does Matthew 25:40 mean?
When we care for someone small and overlooked, Jesus receives it as done to Him.
What is the context of Matthew 25:40?
Part of the last great teaching Jesus gives before the cross, picturing the day when the Son of man sits as King and gathers all nations before Him (Matthew 25:31-32). Here He explains to those on His right why they are welcomed in.
How can I apply Matthew 25:40 today?
The next quiet kindness we offer to someone small or struggling is offered, in truth, to Jesus. He stands among the overlooked, and the cup of water we give does not go unnoticed by Him. There is no act of mercy too small for Him to receive as His own.