Matthew 25:46
And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse uses the same Greek word for "eternal" in both "eternal punishment" and "eternal life." This means the duration is meant to be understood in the same way for both, emphasizing the absolute finality of the separation determined by Christ.
This verse concludes Jesus' discourse on the Mount of Olives, following His pronouncements about the end times and His return as King. He's just described a final judgment where all nations are separated like sheep from goats, based on their treatment of "the least of these" His brothers, revealing the nature of their true faith. The stark contrast between eternal punishment and eternal life immediately follows this judgment scene, leaving no room for ambiguity about the ultimate destiny of the righteous and the wicked.
Understand the original words
aiōnios · Greek Adjective
Refers to that which is without end or measure in time; it denotes an existence that transcends the constraints of temporal life. In the context of the New Testament, it describes the quality and duration of existence in the age to come, whether in judgment or in the presence of God.
kolasis · Greek Noun
A state of judicial retribution or suffering resulting from divine judgment for sin. It signifies the consequence of permanent separation from the presence and favor of God.
dikaios · Greek Adjective
Those who are morally right or justified in the sight of God. In a biblical context, it refers to individuals who have been declared righteous through faith and whose lives reflect the character and will of God.
zōē · Greek Noun
This passage provides an Old Testament parallel to Matthew 25:46, describing a future resurrection where some will awake to everlasting life and others to everlasting contempt or shame.
Romans 6:23This verse directly contrasts the consequence of sin (death) with the gift of God (eternal life), mirroring the 'eternal punishment' vs. 'eternal life' dichotomy in Matthew 25:46.
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9This passage describes the Lord Jesus coming to inflict vengeance on those who do not know God, stating they will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, reinforcing the finality of punishment mentioned in Matthew 25:46.
John 3:16This foundational verse on salvation highlights that belief in Jesus leads to eternal life, directly paralleling the 'righteous into eternal life' outcome in Matthew 25:46.
Revelation 20:15This verse from Revelation states that anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire, serving as a final confirmation of the eternal punishment described at the end of Matthew 25.
calvinMatthew 25:31-46: "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:"
- Now when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32. And all the nations shall be assembled before him; and he shall separate them from one another, as a shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats. 33. And he shall place the sheep on his right hand, and the goats…
henryMatthew 25:31-46: "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:"
25:31-46 This is a description of the last judgment. It is as an explanation of the former parables. There is a judgment to come, in which every man shall be sentenced to a state of everlasting happiness, or misery. Christ shall come, not only in the glory of his Father, but in his own glory, as Mediator. The wicked and godly here dwell together, in…
The verse uses the same Greek word for "eternal" in both "eternal punishment" and "eternal life." This means the duration is meant to be understood in the same way for both, emphasizing the absolute finality of the separation determined by Christ.
This verse concludes Jesus' discourse on the Mount of Olives, following His pronouncements about the end times and His return as King. He's just described a final judgment where all nations are separated like sheep from goats, based on their treatment of "the least of these" His brothers, revealing the nature of their true faith. The stark contrast between eternal punishment and eternal life immediately follows this judgment scene, leaving no room for ambiguity about the ultimate destiny of the righteous and the wicked.
This verse concludes Jesus' discourse on the Mount of Olives, following His pronouncements about the end times and His return as King. He's just described a final judgment where all nations are separated like sheep from goats, based on their treatment of "the least of these" His brothers, revealing the nature of their true faith. The stark contrast between eternal punishment and eternal life immediately follows this judgment scene, leaving no room for ambiguity about the ultimate destiny of the righteous and the wicked.
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The gift of God involving the experience of fellowship with Him, which begins at conversion and continues into the age to come. It represents the fullness of life as God intended, characterized by holiness, joy, and peace in His eternal presence.
"And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”" — The verse uses the same Greek word for "eternal" in both "eternal punishment" and "eternal life." This means the duration is meant to be understood in the same way for both, emphasizing the absolute…
