But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
Parallel Translations
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But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
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But he answered and sayde: verely I saye vnto you: I knowe not you.
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But he answered, and said, Verely I say vnto you, I knowe you not.
Cross-references (9)
Passages linked to Matthew 25:12 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Corinthians 8:3 But if anyone loves God, the same is known by him.
- John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
- 2 Timothy 2:19 However God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”
- Luke 13:26-30 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in God’s Kingdom, and yourselves being thrown outside. They will come from the east, west, north, and south, and will sit down in God’s Kingdom. Behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and there are some who are first who will be last.”
- Psalms 1:6 For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.
- Psalms 5:5 The arrogant will not stand in your sight. You hate all workers of iniquity.
- John 9:31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God, and does his will, he listens to him.
- Habakkuk 1:13 You who have purer eyes than to see evil, and who cannot look on perversity, why do you tolerate those who deal treacherously, and keep silent when the wicked swallows up the man who is more righteous than he,
- Galatians 4:9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again?
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (8 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say…
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Ver. 12. Verily I say unto you, I know you not] i.e. With a knowledge of approbation or delight. Verba notitiae, apud Hebraeos secum trahunt affectum. {See Trapp on "Mat 7:23"}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain But he answered and said,.... The Lord and bridegroom…
But he answered and said,.... The Lord and bridegroom from within, thought fit to give them an answer, but an unexpected and awful one to them:
verily I say unto you, I know you not; which must be understood in consistence with the omniscience of Christ: he knew their persons, conduct, and state; he knew they were foolish virgins, graceless professors, who had made no account of him and his righteousness; but had trusted to, and depended upon, their external profession of religion: they were none of the people whom he foreknew, or knew as his own, and loved with an everlasting love; he never knew them as his father's choice in him, or as this father's gift to him; he never knew them in the everlasting covenant, or as his sheep, for whom he died; he never knew them to believe in him, or love him; nor ever exalt his person, blood and sacrifice, at his table, nor do any good work with a single eye to his glory; he never approved of them, liked their persons, or their conduct; or ever owned them as the true companions, either of his bride, or of himself: which answer implies, that as the door was shut, so it should remain; there was no admittance for them, nor any to be hoped for; and it is all one as if he had said, begone, and depart hence. The Persic version adds such a clause, "begone from my door".
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 12. I know you not.] As if he…
Verse 12. I know you not.] As if he had said, Ye are not of my company - ye were neither with the bride nor the bridegroom: ye slept while the others were in procession. I do not acknowledge you for my disciples - ye are not like him who is love - ye refused to receive his grace - ye sinned it away when ye had it; now you are necessarily excluded from that kingdom where nothing but love and purity can dwell.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain I know you not - You were not in…
I know you not - You were not in the company of those who attended me to the marriage-feast, and are unknown to me. Applied to professing Christians, having only a profession of religion, but no real piety, it means, I do not know or acknowledge you as Christians. I do not approve of you, or delight in you, or admit that you are my friends. The word “know” is often used in the sense of approving, loving, acknowledging as real friends and followers. See Mat 7:23; Psa 1:6; 2Ti 2:19; 1Th 5:12.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 12. I know you not — You call me…
12. I know you not — You call me Lord as if you were my servants, when in fact we are strangers. You have never gained my acquaintance. I recognize you not, and forever dismiss you as pretenders.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (12) I know you not.—The sentence of rejection is…
(12) I know you not.—The sentence of rejection is clothed in the same language as in Mat_7:23. The Lord “ are His” (2Ti_2:19), and their blessedness will be to know Him even as they are known (1Co_13:12).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain I know you not. They had not been in…
I know you not. They had not been in the bridal company, nor joined in the festive procession, so the bridegroom could only answer from within that he had no knowledge of them. What is meant spiritually by this rejection is doubtful. This is not a solitary instance of the use of the expression. In the sermon on the mount Christ declared that his sentence on those that professed, but practised not, would be, "I never knew you: depart from me!". (Mat_7:23) He is said to know those whom he approves and acknowledges to be his. (see Joh_10:14) God says of Abraham, "I know him" (Gen_18:19) and of Moses, "I know thee by name". (Exo_33:12) To be known of God is a higher blessing than to know God. (Gal_4:9) Many think that the words of our text imply utter reprobation. So Nosgen; and Chrysostom writes, "When he hath said this, nothing else but hell is left, and that intolerable punishment; or rather, this word is more grievous even than hell. This word he speaks also to them that work iniquity." But we must observe that in the present ease we have not the terrible addition, "Depart from me!" The sentence of exclusion from Christ"s presence is not equivalent to that in ver. 41, which dooms souls to the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. These five virgins had received the grace of God, and used it well for a time, and only failed at the last for lack of care and watchfulness. They had still some love for the Lord, still desired to serve him; it is not conceivable that they should suffer the same punishment as the utterly godless and profane, whose wickedness was perfect and Satanic. Doubtless they were punished; but as there are degrees of happiness in heaven, so there may be gradation of pains and penalties for those debarred from its blessings. (see 1Co_3:15) But it is not improbable that the exclusion in the first place refers to the deprivation of participation in Messiah"s future kingdom, whatever that may be, according to the vision in Revelation 20, and that the proceedings at the final judgment are not here intended.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 12. I know you not. This means, I do…
12. I know you not. This means, I do not recognize you as persons entitled to enter. The claims that they might have had once had been forfeited.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.