Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’
Parallel translations
- KJV And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
- BSB Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’
- NKJV And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
- NASB And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’
- NLT But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
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
Jesus will tell such people, 'I never knew you; depart from me.' Saving faith is a real relationship with Christ marked by obedience, not lawlessness.
Overview
The decisive issue is not religious works but whether Christ knows the person in a saving relationship. To those who practiced 'lawlessness' he declares, 'I never knew you,' revealing that their works flowed from unconverted hearts. Once more Jesus occupies the seat of final judgment, underscoring his deity and the urgency of true discipleship over self-deceiving profession.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Matt 25:41Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;
- Ps 6:8Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity, for Yahweh has heard the voice of my weeping.
- Luke 13:27He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’
- Luke 13:25When once the master of the house has risen up, and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside, and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ then he will answer and tell you, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
- Matt 25:12But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
- John 10:14I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own;
- Rev 22:15Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
- John 10:27–30My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
- 2 Tim 2:19However 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.”
- Ps 5:5The arrogant shall not stand in your sight. You hate all workers of iniquity.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 7:23 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.