MATTHEW 25: 31-46 - While speaking to his followers, Jesus said, “The day is coming when the New Human will return in all his glory, accompanied by all his angels, and he will be crowned as king. He will sit down on the judgment seat, and all the nations of the world will be summoned to appear before him. Like a quality controller sorting out the good fruit from the rejects, he will carefully sort the nations into two groups, one on his right side and one on his left. Then the King will say to the group on his right side:
‘Welcome, you who have been given the thumbs up by my Father. Ever since the foundation of the world, there has been a kingdom ready with your name on it. Come now, and inherit it; because
I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I came seeking asylum and you made me welcome, I didn’t have a stitch to wear and you gave me clothes, I was diseased and you took care of me, I was in detention and you visited me.’
Then those compassionate nations will ask him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? When were you a refugee and we welcomed you, or in detention and we visited you? When did we find you without clothes or sick and do something about it?’
And the King will reply, ‘The fact is, you did these things for people who were regarded as the dregs of society, but who I love as my own family; and each time you helped one of them, you were helping me.’
Then he will say to the nations on the other side:
‘You lot have been written off. Get out of my sight! A time of fire has been prepared for the devil and his agents, and you have doomed yourselves to go into it with them; because
I was hungry and you didn’t give me a bite, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing, I came seeking asylum and you wouldn’t let me in, I didn’t have a stitch to wear
and you left me to freeze, I was diseased and in detention and you wouldn’t come near me.’
They too will ask, ‘Lord, when was it that we failed to take care of you? We don’t recall seeing you hungry or thirsty or seeking asylum or naked or sick or in detention.’
But he will answer, ‘The fact is, you failed to do these things for those who were regarded as the dregs of society, and each time you turned your back on them, you were turning your back on me.’
laughingbird.net/LaughingBird/ - This translation - "A gift to the Church
from South Yarra Community Baptist Church, Melbourne". The Laughingbird
paraphrase of Scripture is a great favourite of mine!
Jesus, you were hungry and we gave you no food,
thirsty and we gave you nothing to drink.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, you were a stranger and we did not welcome you, naked and we did not give you clothes. Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, you were sick and in prison and we did not visit you. Lord, have mercy.
We confess our neglect.
Silence
God the Creator bring us new life, help us to see Christ and to serve Christ in all people,
to live our lives in the Spirit of Jesus.