And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Parallel translations
- WEB Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
- KJV And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- NKJV And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
- NASB And throw the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- NLT Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The unprofitable servant is cast into outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth. Fruitless, unfaithful service ends in judgment.
Overview
The severe sentence reveals that the servant's neglect exposed an unbelieving heart, not mere underperformance. 'Outer darkness' and 'weeping and gnashing of teeth' are Matthew's images of final exclusion from God's kingdom. The parable thus warns that those who do nothing with Christ's trust show they never truly belonged to him. It presses hearers toward genuine, fruitful faith.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Matt 8:12But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
- Rev 3:15–16I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other!
- Matt 13:50and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- Matt 22:13Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
- Heb 6:7–8For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God.
- Jude 1:13They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
- Titus 3:14And our people must also learn to devote themselves to good works in order to meet the pressing needs of others, so that they will not be unfruitful.
- Matt 13:42And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- Luke 13:28There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves are thrown out.
- Matt 24:51Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- Jer 15:1–2Then the LORD said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them from My presence, and let them go.
- John 15:6If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.
- Matt 5:13You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
- Ezek 15:2–5“Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any other branch among the trees in the forest?
- 2 Pet 2:17These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.
- Luke 14:34–35Salt is good, but if the salt loses its savor, with what will it be seasoned?
- Rev 21:8But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”
- Matt 3:10The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 25:30 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.