Matthew 25:40

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me.’

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Βασιλεὺς ἐρεῖ αὐτοῖς, Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, Ἐφʼ ὅσον ἐποιήσατε ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων, ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε.

Transliteration

And apokritheis the Basileus erei to them, Amēn legō to you, To the extent epoiēsate to one of these of the adelphōn of me the elachistōn, to me epoiēsate.

Grammar Details

• *apokritheis*: aorist passive participle, nominative masculine singular - having answered
• *basileus*: nominative masculine singular - king
• *erei*: future active indicative, 3rd person singular - will say
• *amēn*: Hebrew transliteration - truly/certainly
• *legō*: present active indicative, 1st person singular - I say
• *epoiēsate*: aorist active indicative, 2nd person plural - you did
• *adelphōn*: genitive masculine plural - of brothers
• *elachistōn*: genitive masculine plural - of least

Word Meanings

• *apokritheis*: having answered/replied/responded
• *basileus*: king/ruler/sovereign
• *erei*: will say/tell/speak
• *amēn*: truly/certainly/verily
• *legō*: I say/tell/speak
• *epoiēsate*: you did/performed/accomplished
• *adelphōn*: brothers/siblings/fellow believers
• *elachistōn*: least/smallest/most insignificant

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And the King will answer and say to them, Truly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And{G2532} the King{G935} shall answer{G611} and say{G2046} unto them,{G846} Verily{G281} I say{G3004} unto you,{G5213} Inasmuch{G1909} as{G3745} ye did{G4160} it unto{G80} one{G1520} of these my{G3450} brethren,{G80} [even] these{G5130} least,{G1646} ye did{G4160} it unto me.{G1698}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And{G2532} the King{G935} shall answer{G611}{(G5679)} and say{G2046}{(G5692)} unto them{G846}, Verily{G281} I say{G3004}{(G5719)} unto you{G5213}, Inasmuch{G1909} as{G3745} ye have done{G4160}{(G5656)} it unto one{G1520} of the least{G1646} of these{G5130} my{G3450} brethren{G80}, ye have done{G4160}{(G5656)} it unto me{G1698}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And ye kynge shall answere and saye vnto them: verely I saye vnto you: in as moche as ye have done it vnto one of ye leest of these my brethren ye have done it to me.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And the kynge shal answer and saye vnto them: Verely I saye vnto you: Loke what ye haue done vnto one of the least of these my brethren, the same haue ye done vnto me.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And the King shall answere, and say vnto them, Verely I say vnto you, in as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethre, ye haue done it to me.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And the kyng shall aunswere, and say vnto them: Ueryly I say vnto you, in as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren, ye haue done it vnto me.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ‹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.›

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  "The King will answer them, 'Most assuredly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers{The word for "brothers" here may be also correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."}, you did it to me.'

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  `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'.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, `even' these least, ye did it unto me.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, [even] these least, ye did it unto me.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And the King will make answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Because you did it to the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.

• World English Bible (2000)

  "The King will answer them, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  And the king will answer them,‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’

Referenced Verses

• Prov 19:17 : 17 Whoever is gracious to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his good deed.
• Matt 10:42 : 42 And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple—truly I tell you, he will by no means lose his reward.
• Prov 14:31 : 31 Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
• Mark 9:41 : 41 'Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose their reward.'
• Gal 5:6 : 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight, but faith working through love does.
• 1 Pet 1:22 : 22 Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart.
• 1 John 4:7-9 : 7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 By this, the love of God was revealed among us: that God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.
• 1 John 4:20-5:2 : 20 If anyone says, 'I love God,' but hates their brother or sister, they are a liar. For the one who does not love their brother or sister whom they have seen cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him: Whoever loves God must also love their brother or sister. 1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves His child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and keeping His commandments.
• Heb 6:10 : 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and the love you have shown for His name, having served and continuing to serve the saints.
• 1 John 3:14-19 : 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates their brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in them. 16 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 But whoever has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need, yet closes his heart against them, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth. 19 By this we will know that we belong to the truth and will reassure our hearts in His presence.
• Gal 5:22 : 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
• John 21:15-17 : 15 When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?' Peter replied, 'Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my lambs.' 16 Jesus asked him again, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter answered, 'Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Take care of my sheep.' 17 The third time, Jesus asked, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter was hurt that Jesus asked him a third time, 'Do you love me?' He said, 'Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep.'
• Acts 9:4-5 : 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" 5 He said, "Who are You, Lord?" The Lord replied, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads."
• Matt 18:5-6 : 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. 6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
• Matt 25:34 : 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
• Matt 10:40 : 40 Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
• Prov 25:6-7 : 6 Do not exalt yourself in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great. 7 For it is better to be told, 'Come up here,' than to be humiliated in the presence of a nobleman whom your eyes have seen.
• 2 Sam 9:1 : 1 David asked, "Is there anyone still left from the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?"
• 2 Sam 9:7 : 7 "Don’t be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table."
• Matt 28:10 : 10 Then Jesus said to them, 'Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.'
• John 19:26-27 : 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." 27 Then he said to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
• John 20:17 : 17 Jesus said to her, 'Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, "I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God."'
• Eph 5:30 : 30 because we are members of His body.
• 1 Thess 4:9-9 : 9 Now concerning brotherly love, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. 10 And indeed you are doing this toward all the brothers in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to excel even more.
• 1 Cor 16:21-22 : 21 This greeting is in my own hand—Paul. 22 If anyone does not love the Lord, let them be accursed. Our Lord, come!
• 2 Cor 4:5 : 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
• 2 Cor 5:14-15 : 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.
• Gal 5:13 : 13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
• 2 Cor 8:7-9 : 7 But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in the love we inspired in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that through His poverty you might become rich.
• Heb 2:11-15 : 11 Both the One who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one Father. That is why He is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying, 'I will declare Your name to My brothers; in the midst of the assembly I will sing Your praise.' 13 And again, 'I will put my trust in Him.' And again, 'Here am I, and the children God has given Me.' 14 Since the children share in flesh and blood, He too likewise partook of the same, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death—that is, the devil. 15 and might free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
• Rom 8:29 : 29 For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
• Mark 3:34-35 : 34 Looking around at those seated in a circle around Him, He said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother."
• Matt 18:10 : 10 See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
• Matt 12:49-50 : 49 Stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, 'Here are My mother and My brothers!' 50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.