Matthew 25:35-36
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What's remarkable here is how "stranger" isn't just about someone unfamiliar, but implies welcoming them into your circle. The Greek word suggests not just offering shelter, but actively gathering them in and including them as part of your own household.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just finished speaking about his glorious return as King and Judge, who will separate all nations like a shepherd separates sheep from goats. He is explaining to those on his right, the "sheep," why they are being welcomed into the kingdom, revealing that their acts of kindness to the needy were, in fact, acts done directly to him.
Imagine the King of the universe looking you in the eye and saying, 'You fed me, you clothed me, you welcomed me.' But when did that happen? This passage reveals a profound connection between how we treat others and how we stand before God.
Jesus makes a stunning claim in this passage: acts of mercy shown to his followers are seen as acts done directly to Him.
The King's Identity
When Jesus describes the final judgment, he identifies himself with the most vulnerable. He doesn't say, 'When you fed my disciples,' but 'When I was hungry, you gave me food.' This highlights an incredible unity between Christ and those who belong to him.
An Indivisible Union
This isn't just a metaphor. The deep spiritual union believers share with Christ means that any kindness or mercy extended to them is perceived by Jesus as if it were done to Him personally. This underscores the immense value God places on caring for his people.
Practical Implication
This truth should motivate us to see every act of kindness towards a believer, especially those in need, as an opportunity to serve and honor Christ Himself. It’s not about earning favor, but about responding to the deep connection we have with Him.
The word for 'stranger' here carries a deeper meaning than just being unknown. What does it truly mean to 'welcome' someone in the way Jesus describes?
The Greek word used for 'welcomed' (sunēgagetē) implies more than just a casual reception; it suggests bringing someone your circle or household.
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More Than A Room
Scholars point out that 'welcomed me' suggests bringing a stranger 'along with you' into your family's intimate space. This wasn't just offering a place to sleep, but integrating them into the community and sharing your resources.
Hospitality as Ministry
In ancient Eastern cultures, hospitality was a vital virtue, especially for travelers who had no public inns. Opening one's home to a stranger, particularly one in need, was a significant act of kindness and a demonstration of godly character.
A Glimpse of God's Heart
This act of radical hospitality reflects God's own heart of welcoming the lost and marginalized into His family through Christ. It’s about extending genuine care and belonging.
Understand the original words
xenos · Greek Noun
An outsider, a foreigner, or one without status or home. In biblical ethics, it often refers to those who are vulnerable, such as immigrants or travelers, to whom God's people are commanded to show hospitality.
This passage highlights that our freedom in Christ is meant to be used for serving one another in love, directly connecting to the compassionate actions described in Matthew 25.
James 2:15-16James directly addresses the practical outworking of faith, stating that simply saying you have faith is useless without tangible actions of mercy, much like Jesus' teaching in Matthew 25.
Proverbs 19:17This proverb emphasizes that showing kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord, reinforcing the idea that acts of mercy are seen and rewarded by God, as Jesus states in Matthew 25.
1 John 3:17-18John connects love for God with love for one's neighbor, stating that if we see a brother in need and don't help, God's love is not truly in us, echoing the heart of Jesus' judgment in Matthew 25.
Luke 10:30-37The parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates who our 'neighbor' is and the imperative to show mercy, providing a foundational story for understanding the kind of selfless action Jesus commends in Matthew 25.
vincentMatthew 25:35: "For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:"
Ye took me in (συνηγαγετέ με)Tynd., I was harbourless and ye lodged me. The preposition and implies along with. Ye took me with you into the household circle.
bensonMatthew 25:35: "For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:"
Matthew 25:35-36 . I was a hungered, and ye gave me meat, &c. — All the works of outward mercy here mentioned suppose faith and love, and must needs be accompanied with works of spiritual mercy, such as instructing the ignorant, alarming the careless, encouraging the disconsolate, comforting the distressed, strengthening the weak, confirming the wavering, reclaim…
What's remarkable here is how "stranger" isn't just about someone unfamiliar, but implies welcoming them into your circle. The Greek word suggests not just offering shelter, but actively gathering them in and including them as part of your own household.
Jesus has just finished speaking about his glorious return as King and Judge, who will separate all nations like a shepherd separates sheep from goats. He is explaining to those on his right, the "sheep," why they are being welcomed into the kingdom, revealing that their acts of kindness to the needy were, in fact, acts done directly to him.
Jesus has just finished speaking about his glorious return as King and Judge, who will separate all nations like a shepherd separates sheep from goats. He is explaining to those on his right, the "sheep," why they are being welcomed into the kingdom, revealing that their acts of kindness to the needy were, in fact, acts done directly to him.
"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’" — What's remarkable here is how "stranger" isn't just about someone unfamiliar, but implies welcoming them into your circle. The Greek word suggests not just offering shelter, but actively gathering…
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Last reviewed October 2026
