Matthew 7:23
New International Version
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

New Living Translation
But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

English Standard Version
And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Berean Standard Bible
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

Berean Literal Bible
And then I will declare unto them, 'I never knew you; depart you from Me, those working lawlessness.'

King James Bible
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

New King James Version
And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

New American Standard Bible
And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; LEAVE ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

NASB 1995
“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

NASB 1977
“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

Legacy Standard Bible
And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

Amplified Bible
And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME [you are banished from My presence], YOU WHO ACT WICKEDLY [disregarding My commands].’

Christian Standard Bible
Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers! ’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then I will announce to them, I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’

American Standard Version
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Contemporary English Version
But I will tell them, "I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!"

English Revised Version
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then I will tell them publicly, 'I've never known you. Get away from me, you evil people.'

Good News Translation
Then I will say to them, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you wicked people!'

International Standard Version
Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who practice evil!'"

Majority Standard Bible
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

NET Bible
Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!'

New Heart English Bible
And then I will tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.'

Webster's Bible Translation
And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Weymouth New Testament
"And then I will tell them plainly, "'I never knew you: begone from me, you doers of wickedness.'

World English Bible
Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And then I will acknowledge to them, that—I never knew you, depart from Me you who are working lawlessness.

Berean Literal Bible
And then I will declare unto them, 'I never knew you; depart you from Me, those working lawlessness.'

Young's Literal Translation
and then I will acknowledge to them, that -- I never knew you, depart from me ye who are working lawlessness.

Smith's Literal Translation
And then shall I confess to them that I never knew you. Go away from me, ye working iniquity.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And then will I disclose to them: ‘I have never known you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity.’

New American Bible
Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

New Revised Standard Version
Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.’
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then I will declare to them, I have never known you; keep away from me, O you that work iniquity.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And then I will confess to them, 'I have never known you, remove yourselves far from me, you workers of evil.'
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.

Godbey New Testament
Then I will confess unto them that I never knew you: depart from me, ye who work iniquity.

Haweis New Testament
And then will I profess unto them, that I never knew you: depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.

Mace New Testament
and then will I make this declaration to them: I never knew you: depart from me ye that have practised iniquity.

Weymouth New Testament
"And then I will tell them plainly, "'I never knew you: begone from me, you doers of wickedness.'

Worrell New Testament
And then will I confess to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye who work iniquity.

Worsley New Testament
I never owned you, depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Tree and its Fruit
22Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’ 24Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.…

Cross References
Luke 13:25-27
After the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ But he will reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ / Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ / And he will answer, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’

Matthew 25:11-12
Later the other virgins arrived and said, ‘Lord, lord, open the door for us!’ / But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’

Matthew 25:41
Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

1 John 2:4
If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. / If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. / If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing.

James 2:14-17
What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? / Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. / If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? ...

2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”

John 10:14
I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me,

John 15:6
If 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.

Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.

Revelation 3:1
“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of the One who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, yet you are dead.

Revelation 20:12-15
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books. / The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds. / Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. ...

Ezekiel 33:31-32
So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest gain. / Indeed, you are to them like a singer of love songs with a beautiful voice, who skillfully plays an instrument. They hear your words but do not put them into practice.

Isaiah 29:13
Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.

Psalm 6:8
Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity, for the LORD has heard my weeping.


Treasury of Scripture

And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.

I never.

Matthew 25:12
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

John 10:14,27-30
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine…

2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

depart.

Matthew 25:41
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Psalm 5:5
The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

Psalm 6:8
Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.

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Matthew 7
1. Do Not Judge
7. Ask, Seek, Knock
13. Enter through the Narrow Gate
15. A Tree and Its Fruit
24. The Wise and the Foolish Builders
28. Jesus ends his sermon, and the people are astonished.














Then I will declare to them
This phrase begins with a solemn pronouncement from Jesus, indicating a moment of revelation and judgment. The Greek word for "declare" is "ὁμολογέω" (homologeō), which means to confess or profess openly. This is not a private whisper but a public declaration, emphasizing the authority and finality of Jesus' words. In the context of the Sermon on the Mount, this declaration serves as a warning to those who may outwardly appear righteous but lack true obedience and relationship with Christ.

I never knew you
The word "knew" in Greek is "γινώσκω" (ginōskō), which implies an intimate, personal relationship rather than mere intellectual acknowledgment. This phrase underscores the importance of a genuine relationship with Jesus, rather than just external religious activities. Historically, the Jewish understanding of "knowing" someone involved a deep, covenantal relationship, akin to the intimacy between a husband and wife. Jesus is emphasizing that mere profession of faith without a true, transformative relationship with Him is insufficient.

Depart from Me
This command is a direct and severe dismissal. The Greek word "ἀποχωρέω" (apochōreō) means to go away or withdraw. It signifies a complete separation from the presence of Christ. In the biblical context, being in the presence of God is associated with blessing and life, while separation from Him is linked to judgment and death. This phrase serves as a stark warning of the consequences of a life not truly aligned with God's will.

you workers of lawlessness
The term "lawlessness" is translated from the Greek word "ἀνομία" (anomia), which means a state of being without law or in violation of the law. In the biblical sense, it refers to living in a way that is contrary to God's commandments. This phrase highlights the disconnect between outward religious actions and the inward moral and spiritual state. It serves as a reminder that true discipleship involves not just hearing the words of Jesus but living them out in obedience to God's law.

(23) Then will I profess unto them.--The words form a remarkable complement to the promise, "Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32). The confession there recognised is more than lip-homage, and implies the loyal service of obedience. And the condemnation is pronounced not on those who have wandered from the truth, but on those who have been "workers of iniquity," or, as the word more strictly means, "of lawlessness." The words remind us of those of Psalm 15:2-3; Psalm 24:3-4, and are, perhaps, a transfer of what David had spoken of his ideal of his earthly kingdom to that of the kingdom of heaven which the Christ had come to found.

Verse 23. - (Cf. Luke 13:27.) And then will I profess unto them. Openly in the face of all men (cf. Matthew 10:32). I never knew you. Even when you did all these miracles. etc., I had not that personal knowledge of you which is only the result of heart-sympathy. There was never anything in common between you and me. Although this is, perhaps, the only example of this sense of ἔγνων in the synoptic Gospels, it is common in John. Depart from me. The absence of recognition by Christ, though not represented as the cause, yet will involve departure from his presence (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:9). This clause reproduces verbally the LXX. of Psalm 6:8, except in St. Matthew's word used for "depart" (ἀποχωρεῖτε), which gives more idea of distance in the removal than the word used in the psalm and in Luke (ἀπόστητε). Ye that work. In full purpose and energy (οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι, cf. Colossians 3:23), and that till this very moment. Iniquity. The assurance of the psalmist becomes the verdict of the Judge. Observe that at this, the end of his discourse, our Lord speaks not of sin generally (τὴν ἁμαρτίαν), but of lawlessness (τὴν ἀνομίαν). He has throughout been insisting upon obedience to the Law in its final meaning as essentially necessary for his followers (most recently ver. 12). So that instead of saying, "ye that work sin," he uses the correlative (1 John 3:4), for sin is neglect of or opposition to the perfect Law of God in the three spheres that this regards - self, the world, God (cf. Bishop Westcott, on 1 John 3:4). It is, perhaps, more than a coincidence that in 2 Timothy 2:19 we have again the collocation of the Lord knowing and of man's departing, i.e. either from him or from sin (cf. especially the parallel Luke 13:27); vide Resch, 'Agrapha,' p. 207.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Then
τότε (tote)
Adverb
Strong's 5119: Then, at that time. From ho and hote; the when, i.e. At the time that.

I will tell them plainly,
ὁμολογήσω (homologēsō)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3670: From a compound of the base of homou and logos; to assent, i.e. Covenant, acknowledge.

‘I never knew
ἔγνων (egnōn)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1097: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to 'know' in a great variety of applications and with many implications.

you;
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

depart
ἀποχωρεῖτε (apochōreite)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 672: To go away, depart, withdraw. From apo and choreo; to go away.

from
ἀπ’ (ap’)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

Me,
ἐμοῦ (emou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

[you]
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Vocative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

workers
ἐργαζόμενοι (ergazomenoi)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Vocative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2038: To work, trade, perform, do, practice, commit, acquire by labor.

of lawlessness!’
ἀνομίαν (anomian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 458: Lawlessness, iniquity, disobedience, sin. From anomos; illegality, i.e. Violation of law or wickedness.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 7:23 Then I will tell them 'I never (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 7:22
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