And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
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Matthew 25:38-42
Tyndale Open Study Notes (CC BY-SA 4.0).
25:40 my brothers and sisters: This expresses either Jesus’ solidarity with his disciples (see 10:42; 18:1-14; Gal 6:10) or Jesus’ solidarity with humanity in general, irrespective of the faith of the one being helped (see Matt 6:1-4; 25:43; Prov 19:17). The use of brothers and sisters points to the first interpretation (Matt 12:46-50; 18:15-35; 23:8; 28:10) but does not invalidate social responsibility for other people in general (see Luke 10:30-37).
Other Bible passages linked to this one, most cited first.
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Authorship: the book itself or Christian tradition. Approximate dates, as in Carson and Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, and Longman and Dillard, An Introduction to the Old Testament.