The Meaning of Matthew 25:42 Explained

Matthew 25:42

KJV: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

YLT: for I did hunger, and ye gave me not to eat; I did thirst, and ye gave me not to drink;

Darby: for I hungered, and ye gave me not to eat; I thirsted, and ye gave me not to drink;

ASV: for I was hungry, and ye did not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  I was an hungred,  and  ye gave  me  no  meat:  I was thirsty,  and  ye gave  me  no  drink: 

What does Matthew 25:42 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 25:31-46 - Serve Christ By Serving Others
We are called to watch the procedure of God's moral government. This is primarily a forecast of the judgment of the nations, Matthew 25:32. It would seem as though, in the first instance, their doom will be largely affected by their treatment of the Hebrew people, the brethren of Jesus after the flesh, Matthew 25:40. Probably this parable is being enacted before our eyes-Spain in the Cuban war and Russia today.
But the parable has a wider range. Our Lord evidently identifies Himself, not so much with great causes as with all who are weary and heavy laden, who are sorrowful or sinful, who have drifted into the hospitals and prisons of the world. None are too desolate and sorrowful to attract His loving notice, and He hails as "blessed" all who sympathize with and help them. In the closing verse, it should be noticed that in the r.v. the word eternal stands in each clause; and it should be remembered that it stands for a quality of existence which is altogether independent of time. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 25

1  The parable of the ten virgins,
14  and of the talents
31  Also the description of the last judgment

Greek Commentary for Matthew 25:42

No meat [ουκ εδωκατε μοι παγειν]
You did not give me anything to eat. The repetition of the negative ου — ou in Matthew 25:42 and Matthew 25:43 is like the falling of clods on the coffin or the tomb. It is curious the surprise here shown both by the sheep and the goats. Some sheep will think that they are goats and some goats will think that they are sheep. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 25:42

Matthew 25:32 All the nations [panta ta ethne 4)]
(panta ta ethne 4). Not just Gentiles, but Jews also. Christians and non-Christians. This program for the general judgment has been challenged by some scholars who regard it as a composition by the evangelist to exalt Christ. But why should not Christ say this if he is the Son of Man and the Son of God and realized it? A “reduced” Christ has trouble with all the Gospels, not merely with the Fourth Gospel, and no less with Q and Mark than with Matthew and Luke. This is a majestic picture with which to close the series of parables about readiness for the second coming. Here is the program when he does come. “I am aware that doubt is thrown on this passage by some critics. But the doubt is most wanton. Where is the second brain that could have invented anything so original and so sublime as Matthew 25:35-40, Matthew 25:42-45 ?” (Sanday, Life of Christ in Recent Research, p. 128). [source]
Matthew 25:42 No meat [ουκ εδωκατε μοι παγειν]
You did not give me anything to eat. The repetition of the negative ου — ou in Matthew 25:42 and Matthew 25:43 is like the falling of clods on the coffin or the tomb. It is curious the surprise here shown both by the sheep and the goats. Some sheep will think that they are goats and some goats will think that they are sheep. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 25:42 mean?

I hungered for and nothing you gave to Me to eat and I thirsted You gave to drink Me
ἐπείνασα γὰρ καὶ οὐκ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν (καὶ) ἐδίψησα ἐποτίσατέ με

ἐπείνασα  I  hungered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: πεινάω  
Sense: to hunger, be hungry.
οὐκ  nothing 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐ  
Sense: no, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer.
ἐδώκατέ  you  gave 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
μοι  to  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
φαγεῖν  to  eat 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἐσθίω  
Sense: to eat.
ἐδίψησα  I  thirsted 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: διψάω  
Sense: to suffer thirst, suffer from thirst.
ἐποτίσατέ  You  gave  to  drink 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ποτίζω  
Sense: to give to drink, to furnish drink.
με  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.