The Meaning of Matthew 25:21 Explained

Matthew 25:21

KJV: His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

YLT: 'And his lord said to him, Well done, servant, good and faithful, over a few things thou wast faithful, over many things I will set thee; enter into the joy of thy lord.

Darby: His lord said to him, Well, good and faithful bondman, thou wast faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things: enter into the joy of thy lord.

ASV: His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

<1161> His  lord  said  unto him,  Well done,  [thou] good  and  faithful  servant:  thou hast been  faithful  over  a few things,  I will make  thee  ruler  over  many things:  enter thou  into  the joy  of thy  lord. 

What does Matthew 25:21 Mean?

Study Notes

Well done
The Lord's commendation may be earned by the weakest of His servants; it is given for faithful service.

Context Summary

Matthew 25:14-30 - By Faithfulness Win Reward
We are not only guests, but servants, who must give an account of their stewardship. Each bond slave has been entrusted with at least one talent. The number of talents varies with our ability to manage them. The Master is not unreasonable, and never overtasks. It is by use that the power to use grows. By carefully employing our opportunities, our sphere of service may be greatly widened, so that, at the end of life, we shall be able to do twice as much as at the outset.
Christ is always coming to reckon. Every communion season, every birthday, is a standing at the judgment seat of Christ, preliminary to the great white throne, 2 Corinthians 5:10. Let those who are entrusted with one talent only be specially on the watch, for they are most exposed to the temptation of saying, "We can do so little, we will do nothing." What you can do best, and which most accords with your circumstances, is probably your talent. If you cannot do much yourself, work with your church and under the direction of your pastor, Matthew 25:27. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 25

1  The parable of the ten virgins,
14  and of the talents
31  Also the description of the last judgment

Greek Commentary for Matthew 25:21

The joy of thy lord [την χαριν του κυριου σου]
The word χαρα — chara or joy may refer to the feast on the master‘s return. So in Matthew 25:23. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 25:21

Acts 1:21 Among us [ἐφ ' ἡμᾶς]
The margin of Rev., over us, i.e., as our head, is a sound rendering, and supported by Matthew 25:21, Matthew 25:23; Luke 9:1. The rendering before, in the presence of, occurs Matthew 10:18; Luke 21:12. [source]
Revelation 3:14 Faithful [πιστός]
The word occurs in the New Testament in two senses: trusty, faithful Matthew 24:45; Matthew 25:21, Matthew 25:23; Luke 12:42); and believing, confiding (John 20:27; Galatians 3:9; Acts 16:1). Of God, necessarily only in the former sense. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 25:21 mean?

Said to him the master of Him Well done servant good and faithful Over a few things you were faithful many things you will I set Enter into the joy of the master of you
Ἔφη αὐτῷ κύριος αὐτοῦ Εὖ δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός πολλῶν σε καταστήσω εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου

Ἔφη  Said 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φημί  
Sense: to make known one’s thoughts, to declare.
αὐτῷ  to  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
κύριος  master 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Εὖ  Well  done 
Parse: Adverb
Root: εὖ 
Sense: to be well off, fare well, prosper.
δοῦλε  servant 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: δοῦλοσ1 
Sense: a slave, bondman, man of servile condition.
ἀγαθὲ  good 
Parse: Adjective, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀγαθός 
Sense: of good constitution or nature.
πιστέ  faithful 
Parse: Adjective, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: πιστός  
Sense: trusty, faithful.
ἐπὶ  Over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
ὀλίγα  a  few  things 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ὀλίγος  
Sense: little, small, few.
ἦς  you  were 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
πιστός  faithful 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: πιστός  
Sense: trusty, faithful.
πολλῶν  many  things 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: πολύς  
Sense: many, much, large.
καταστήσω  will  I  set 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: καθιστάνω 
Sense: to set, place, put.
εἴσελθε  Enter 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: εἰσέρχομαι  
Sense: to go out or come in: to enter.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
χαρὰν  joy 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: χαρά  
Sense: joy, gladness.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
κυρίου  master 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
σου  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.