Matthew 25:40

 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.

a. NASB 2020: “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’  [NASB20 New American Standard Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation; All Rights Reserved]

b. YLT:  'And the king answering, shall say to them, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did it to one of these my brethren -- the least -- to me ye did it.  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified:  And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Peshitta Eastern Text:  The king then will answer and say to them, Truly I tell you, Inasmuch as you have done it to one of these least brethren, you did it to me.  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

e. ESV: And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’[Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."]

1. “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you…”

a. And [Strong: 2532 kaí, kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:—and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. the [Strong: 3588. [ho] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [ho] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

c. King [Strong: 935  basileús, bas-il-yooce'; probably from G939 (through the notion of a foundation of power); a sovereign (abstractly, relatively, or figuratively):—king.]

d. [shall] answer [Strong: 611 apokrínomai, ap-ok-ree'-nom-ahee; from G575 and κρίνω krínō; to conclude for oneself, i.e. (by implication) to respond; by Hebraism (compare H6030) to begin to speak (where an address is expected):—answer.]

e. [and] say [Strong: 2046  eréō, er-eh'-o; probably a fuller form of G4483; an alternate for G2036 in certain tenses; to utter, i.e. speak or say:—call, say, speak (of), tell.]

f. [unto] them [Strong: 846 autós, ow-tos'; from the particle αὖ aû (perhaps akin to the base of G109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:—her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

g. Verily [Strong: 281 amḗn, am-ane'; of Hebrew origin (H543); properly, firm, i.e. (figuratively) trustworthy; adverbially, surely (often as interjection, so be it):—amen, verily.]

h. [I] say [Strong: 3004 légō, leg'-o; a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas G2036 and G5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while G4483 is properly to break silence merely, and G2980 means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:—ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.]

i. [unto] you [Strong: 5213 humin, hoo-min'; irregular dative case of G5210; to (with or by) you:—ye, you, your(-selves).]

2. “...Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

a. in as much [Strong: 1909 epí, ep-ee'; a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:—about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, × have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with.]

b. as [Strong: 3745 hósos, hos'-os; by reduplication from G3739; as (much, great, long, etc.) as:—all (that), as (long, many, much) (as), how great (many, much), (in-)asmuch as, so many as, that (ever), the more, those things, what (great, -soever), wheresoever, wherewithsoever, which, × while, who(-soever).]

c. [ye have] done it [Strong: 4160 poiéō, poy-eh'-o; apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct):—abide, + agree, appoint, × avenge, + band together, be, bear, + bewray, bring (forth), cast out, cause, commit, + content, continue, deal, + without any delay, (would) do(-ing), execute, exercise, fulfil, gain, give, have, hold, × journeying, keep, + lay wait, + lighten the ship, make, X mean, + none of these things move me, observe, ordain, perform, provide, + have purged, purpose, put, + raising up, × secure, shew, X shoot out, spend, take, tarry, + transgress the law, work, yield.]

d. [unto] one [Strong: 1520 heîs, hice; a primary numeral; one:—a(-n, -ny, certain), + abundantly, man, one (another), only, other, some.]

e. [of] the [Strong: 3588. [tōn] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tōn] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

f. least [Strong: 1646 eláchistos, el-akh'-is-tos; superlative of ἔλαχυς élachys (short); used as equivalent to G3398; least (in size, amount, dignity, etc.):—least, very little (small), smallest.]

g. [of] these [Strong: 5130 toútōn, too'-tone; genitive case plural masculine or neuter of G3778; of (from or concerning) these (persons or things):—such, their, these (things), they, this sort, those.]

h. my [Strong: 3450 moû, moo; the simpler form of G1700; of me:—I, me, mine (own), my.]

i. [Strong: 3588. [tōn] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tōn] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

j. brethren [Strong: 80 adelphós, ad-el-fos'; from G1 (as a connective particle) and δελφύς delphýs (the womb); a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like G1):—brother.]

k. [ye have] done it [Strong: 4160 poiéō, poy-eh'-o; apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct):—abide, + agree, appoint, × avenge, + band together, be, bear, + bewray, bring (forth), cast out, cause, commit, + content, continue, deal, + without any delay, (would) do(-ing), execute, exercise, fulfil, gain, give, have, hold, × journeying, keep, + lay wait, + lighten the ship, make, X mean, + none of these things move me, observe, ordain, perform, provide, + have purged, purpose, put, + raising up, × secure, shew, X shoot out, spend, take, tarry, + transgress the law, work, yield.]

l. [unto] me [Strong: 1698 emoí, em-oy'; a prolonged form of G3427; to me:—I, me, mine, my.]

1). There are a number of judgments mentioned in Scripture, the Judgment Seat of Christ for believers (Romans 14:10-12); the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15); This Judgment is the judgment of the Nations, where nations/gentiles existing at the time of Christ’s return will be judged for their treatment of the Jews (my brethren). I may be wrong but it could possibly include true born again believers from all nations. Some scholars see this as a fulfillment of Joel 3:11, 12. The wording is similar. This judgment is also known as the judgment of the sheep and goat nations. The separation point in this judgment is how these treated Christ’s brethren (Matthew 25:34-46). Some scholars fit this as a compliment to James 2:14-26).  

a). Joel 3:11, 12 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord.

3:12 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.