Matthew 25:46 Meaning and Explanation
“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus ends the scene: these go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.
What Does Matthew 25:46 Mean?
The discourse closes with two roads leading away from one throne — everlasting punishment, life eternal — and the same word, everlasting, measures both. These are the final words of teaching in Matthew before the passion narrative begins; from here Jesus turns toward the cross (Matthew 26:1-2).
He speaks the most sobering sentence in the chapter and then goes out to die for the very people he has warned. That sequence is the gospel: the Judge steps down to bear judgment first. Life eternal, as Jesus defines it, is knowing God and the Son whom he has sent (John 17:3), and it begins now — in watching for him, serving with what he gives, and loving the least of these.
Matthew 25:46 in the Original Language
aionios (αἰώνιος), 'everlasting' -- belonging to the age to come.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 25:46
What does Matthew 25:46 mean?
Jesus ends the scene: these go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.