Matthew 25:33

³²All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.³³He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.

Summary

In this verse, Jesus uses the imagery of a shepherd separating sheep from goats to illustrate the final judgment. The sheep represent the righteous who will inherit the kingdom of God, while the goats symbolize the unrighteous who will face eternal punishment. This passage emphasizes the importance of living a life of faith and obedience to God, as our actions and choices have eternal consequences. It serves as a reminder that God will judge each person based on their deeds and their relationship with Him, highlighting the need for genuine faith and a life transformed by His grace.

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand--the side of honor (Kg1 2:19; Psa 45:9; Psa 110:1, &c.). but the goats on the left--the side consequently of dishonor.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand,.... That is, the elect of God, and true believers, such as have the grace of God truly implanted in them; the sheep the Father gave unto Christ, and made his care and charge, whom he, as the good shepherd, laid down his life for; and who know his voice in effectual calling, and follow him in the way of his ordinances and appointments; and are comparable to sheep for their meekness and innocence, their simplicity and usefulness, and their harmless and inoffensive lives, and conversations: these Christ will set on his right hand, as a token of his affection for them, and a mark of respect and honour shown them, and as a pledge of that exaltation and glory he will be about to raise them to, But the goats on the left; that is, the foolish virgins, wicked, and slothful servants, graceless professors, who, because of the impurity of their hearts, the filthiness of their lives, and their offensiveness to Christ, are compared to goats: these he will place at his left hand, in token of his disaffection for them, as a brand of disgrace upon them, and as an intimation of that dishonour, and miserable condition they will quickly be in. These different situations plainly pre-signify how things will go with each, that one will be acquitted, and made happy, the other will be condemned, and become miserable. Agreeable to which the Jews say (c), that there is a right hand and a left hand with the Lord: they that are on the right hand, are such as have done well, and are "for absolution"; and they that are on the left hand are criminals, and are "for condemnation". Some think the allusion is to the two Scribes in the sanhedrim, who stood before the judges, one on the right hand, and the other on the left, and wrote the sentences; the one of those that were acquitted, and the other of those that were condemned (d), (c) Jarchi in Gen. i. 26. Kimchi in 1 Kings xxii. 19. Lex. Cabalist. p. 132. Zohar in Numb. fol. 93. 4. (d) Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 4. sect. 3. Maimon. Hilch. Sanhedrin, c. 1. sect. 9. Moses Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora pr. affirm. 97.

Matthew 25:33

The Sheep and the Goats

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.

American Standard Version (1901)

and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Bible in Basic English

And he will put the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.

Free Bible Version

He'll place the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left.

Geneva Bible 1599

And he shall set the sheepe on his right hand, and the goates on the left.

King James (Authorized) Version

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

One Unity Resource Bible

He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Translation for Translators

I will put the righteous people on my right and the unrighteous ones on my left, as a shepherd puts sheep on one side and goats on the other side.

Unlocked Literal Bible

He will place the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.

Noah Webster Bible

And he will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

World English Bible

He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Young's Literal Translation

and he shall set the sheep indeed on his right hand, and the goats on the left.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand--the side of honor (Kg1 2:19; Psa 45:9; Psa 110:1, &c.). but the goats on the left--the side consequently of dishonor.

John Gill Bible Commentary

Matthew 25:33

Verse

Context

The Sheep and the Goats

Summary

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Matthew 25:33

The Sheep and the Goats

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes