But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Parallel translations
- WEB but the children of the Kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
- BSB But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
- NKJV But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
- NASB but the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
- NLT But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown 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
Jesus warns that those who presumed on their heritage as 'children of the kingdom' may be excluded if they lack faith. It is a sobering call not to rely on privilege but on trust in Christ.
Overview
The 'children of the Kingdom' are those, especially in Israel, who assumed their birthright guaranteed them a place, yet faithless they face 'outer darkness' with weeping and gnashing of teeth, a picture of final judgment. The contrast with believing Gentiles in verse 11 reverses human expectations. Faith in Christ, not ancestry or religious standing, is what grants entrance to the kingdom.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Matt 25:30And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- Luke 13:28There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
- Matt 21:43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
- Matt 13:50And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
- Matt 13:42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
- Matt 24:51And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- Matt 22:12–13And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
- Matt 3:9–10And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
- 2 Pet 2:17These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
- Jude 1:13Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
- Matt 7:22–23Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
- Acts 3:25Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
- Rom 9:4Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
- 2 Pet 2:4For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
- Matt 13:38The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 8:12 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.