The Meaning of Matthew 7:23 Explained

Matthew 7:23

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

YLT: and then I will acknowledge to them, that -- I never knew you, depart from me ye who are working lawlessness.

Darby: and then will I avow unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, workers of lawlessness.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Matthew 7:23 Mean?

Study Notes

work iniquity
sin, lawlessness.
sinned
Sin, Summary: The literal meanings of the Heb. and (Greek - ἀλεκτοροφωνία sin," "sinner," etc)., disclose the true nature of sin in its manifold manifestations. Sin is transgression, an overstepping of the law, the divine boundary between good and evil Psalms 51:1 ; Luke 15:29 , iniquity, an act inherently wrong, whether expressly forbidden or not; error, a departure from right; Psalms 51:9 ; Romans 3:23 , missing the mark, a failure to meet the divine standard; trespass, the intrusion of self-will into the sphere of divine authority Ephesians 2:1 , lawlessness, or spiritual anarchy 1 Timothy 1:9 , unbelief, or an insult to the divine veracity John 16:9 .
Sin originated with Satan Isaiah 14:12-14 , entered the world through Adam Romans 5:12 , was, and is, universal, Christ alone excepted; Romans 3:23 ; 1 Peter 2:22 , incurs the penalties of spiritual and physical death; Genesis 2:17 ; Genesis 3:19 ; Ezekiel 18:4 ; Ezekiel 18:20 ; Romans 6:23 and has no remedy but in the sacrificial death of Christ; Hebrews 9:26 ; Acts 4:12 availed of by faith Acts 13:38 ; Acts 13:39 . Sin may be summarized as threefold: An act, the violation of, or want of obedience to the revealed will of God; a state, absence of righteousness; a nature, enmity toward God.

Context Summary

Matthew 7:13-23 - Seeking Life Testing Leaders
The world is full of shams. Counterfeit coins circulate; paste jewels are worn. Let us take heed against a counterfeit religion. It betrays itself thus:
(1) It does not involve the denial of self. Our Lord compares this to entrance by a strait gate and walking on a narrow path. It is the way of the Cross. We must say "No" to the "I" life which is seated in our soul and which must be ruthlessly denied. We must say of it as Peter did of Jesus, "I do not know the man." The way of self-indulgence begins on a primrose path and ends in a wilderness. The path of self-denial is steep and difficult at the start, but leads to a paradise of joy.
(2) It does not produce good fruit. The worth of the gospel has been attested all down the ages by the characters which it has produced and which have been the world's salt and light. No other teaching has produced such results. Here is the supreme test. There are many new systems of theology, many nostrums are being loudly advertised, but the one test of them all is in the fruit they bear. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

Greek Commentary for Matthew 7:23

Profess [ὁμολογήσω]
The word which is used elsewhere of open confession of Christ before men (Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:9); of John's public declaration that he was not the Christ (John 1:20); of Herod's promise to Salome in the presence of his guests (Matthew 14:7). Here, therefore, of Christ's open, public declaration as Judge of the world. “There is great authority in this saying,” remarks Bengel. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 7:23

Luke 13:27 I know not whence ye are [ουκ οιδα ποτεν εστε]
This blunt statement cuts the matter short and sweeps away the flimsy cobwebs. Acquaintance with Christ in the flesh does not open the door. Jesus quotes Psalm 8:9 as in Matthew 7:23, there as in the lxx, here with παντες εργαται αδικιας — pantes ergatai adikias there with οι εργαζομενοι την ανομιαν — hoi ergazomenoi tēn anomian But αποστητε — apostēte (second aorist active imperative) here, and there αποχωρειτε — apochōreite (present active imperative). [source]
John 9:22 Confess [ὁμολογήσῃ]
See on Matthew 7:23; see on Matthew 10:32. [source]
John 12:42 Confess Him [ὡμολόγουν]
The Him, or, Rev., it, is not in the text. The verb is used absolutely. They did not make confession. See on Matthew 7:23; see on Matthew 10:32; see on Matthew 14:7. [source]
Acts 13:13 Set sail [αναχτεντες]
First aorist passive participle of αναγω — anagō Thirteen times in the Acts and Luke 8:22 which see. They sailed up to sea and came down First aorist active participle of apochōreō old verb to withdraw, go away from. In the N.T. only here and Matthew 7:23; Luke 9:39. He is called John here as in Acts 13:5 and Mark in Acts 15:39, though John Mark in Acts 12:12, Acts 12:25. This may be accidental or on purpose (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 317). Luke is silent on John‘s reasons for leaving Paul and Barnabas. He was the cousin of Barnabas and may not have relished the change in leadership. There may have been change in plans also now that Paul is in command. Barnabas had chosen Cyprus and Paul has led them to Perga in Pamphylia and means to go on into the highlands to Antioch in Pisidia. There were perils of many sorts around them and ahead (2 Corinthians 11:26), perils to which John Mark was unwilling to be exposed. Paul will specifically charge him at Antioch with desertion of his post (Acts 15:39). It is possible, as Ramsay suggests, that the mosquitoes at Perga gave John malaria. If so, they bit Paul and Barnabas also. He may not have liked Paul‘s aggressive attitude towards the heathen. At any rate he went home to Jerusalem instead of to Antioch, zu seiner Mutter (Holtzmann). It was a serious breach in the work, but Paul and Barnabas stuck to the work. [source]
Acts 13:13 Departed from them [αποχωρεω]
First aorist active participle of apochōreō old verb to withdraw, go away from. In the N.T. only here and Matthew 7:23; Luke 9:39. He is called John here as in Acts 13:5 and Mark in Acts 15:39, though John Mark in Acts 12:12, Acts 12:25. This may be accidental or on purpose (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 317). Luke is silent on John‘s reasons for leaving Paul and Barnabas. He was the cousin of Barnabas and may not have relished the change in leadership. There may have been change in plans also now that Paul is in command. Barnabas had chosen Cyprus and Paul has led them to Perga in Pamphylia and means to go on into the highlands to Antioch in Pisidia. There were perils of many sorts around them and ahead (2 Corinthians 11:26), perils to which John Mark was unwilling to be exposed. Paul will specifically charge him at Antioch with desertion of his post (Acts 15:39). It is possible, as Ramsay suggests, that the mosquitoes at Perga gave John malaria. If so, they bit Paul and Barnabas also. He may not have liked Paul‘s aggressive attitude towards the heathen. At any rate he went home to Jerusalem instead of to Antioch, zu seiner Mutter (Holtzmann). It was a serious breach in the work, but Paul and Barnabas stuck to the work. [source]
Romans 8:29 Foreknew [προεγνω]
Second aorist active indicative of προγινωσκω — proginōskō old verb as in Acts 26:5. See Psalms 1:6 (lxx) and Matthew 7:23. This fore-knowledge and choice is placed in eternity in Ephesians 1:4. [source]
2 Corinthians 9:13 Your professed subjection [ὑποταγῇ τῆς ὁμολογίας ὑμῶν]
A vicious hendiadys. Lit., as Rev., the obedience of your confession; that is, the obedience which results from your christian confession. Ὁμολογία is once rendered in A.V. confession, 1 Timothy 6:13; and elsewhere profession. Both renderings occur in 1 Timothy 6:12, 1 Timothy 6:13. Rev., in every case, confession. A similar variation occurs in the rendering of ὁμολογέω , though in all but five of the twenty-three instances confess is used. Rev. retains profess in Matthew 7:23; Titus 1:16, and changes to confess in 1 Timothy 6:12. In Matthew 14:7, promised (A.V. and Rev., see note), and in Hebrews 13:15, giving thanks; Rev., which make confession. Etymologically, confession is the literal rendering of ὁμολογία , which is from ὁμόν together λέγω tosay; con together, fateor to say. The fundamental idea is that of saying the same thing as another; while profess (pro forth, fateor to say ) is to declare openly. Hence, to profess Christ is to declare Him publicly as our Lord: to confess Christ is to declare agreement with all that He says. When Christ confesses His followers before the world, He makes a declaration in agreement with what is in His heart concerning them. Similarly, when He declares to the wicked “I never knew you” (“then will I profess, ὁμολογήσω ”), a similar agreement between His thought and His declaration is implied. The two ideas run into each other, and the Rev. is right in the few cases in which it retains profess, since confess would be ambiguous. See, for example, Titus 1:16. [source]
Galatians 4:9 Rather are known of God []
Rather corrects the first statement, have known God, which might seem to attach too much to human agency in attaining the knowledge of God. The divine side of the process is thrown into the foreground by are known, etc. Known does not mean approved or acknowledged, but simply recognized. Saving knowledge is doubtless implied, but is not expressed in the word. The relation of knowledge between God and his sons proceeds from God. The Galatians had not arrived at the knowledge of God by intuition nor by any process of reasoning. “God knew them ere they knew him, and his knowing them was the cause of their knowing him” (Eadie). Comp. 1 Corinthians 13:12; 2 Timothy 2:19; Matthew 7:23. Dean Stanley remarks that “our knowledge of God is more his act than ours.” If God knows a man, that fact implies an activity of God which passes over to the man, so that he, as the subject of God's knowledge, comes into the knowledge of God. In N.T. γινώσκειν often implies a personal relation between the knower and the known, so that knowledge implies influence. See 1 Corinthians 2:8; John 1:10; John 2:24; John 17:3. For a parallel to this interchange between the active and the passive, see Philemon 3:12. [source]
2 Timothy 2:19 The Lord knoweth them that are his [ἔγνω κύριος τοὺς ὄντας αὐτοῦ]
The first inscription: God knows his own. Comp. Numbers 16:5; 1 Corinthians 13:12. For ἔγνω knowethsee on Galatians 4:9. Them that are his, his ἐκλεκτοὶ chosensee 2 Timothy 2:10; Titus 1:1; Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 2:9: Revelation 17:14. Not, however, in any hard, predestinarian sense. Comp. John 10:14; Matthew 7:23; Luke 13:25, Luke 13:27. [source]
James 2:9 Ye commit sin [ἁμαρτίαν ἐργάζεσθε]
Lit., “work sin.” Compare Matthew 7:23; Acts 10:35; Hebrews 11:33. The phrase is rather stronger than the more common ἁμαρτίαν ποιεῖν , to do sin John 8:34; James 5:15; 1 Peter 2:22. The position of sin is emphatic: “it is sin that ye are working.” [source]
James 2:9 Ye commit sin [αμαρτιαν εργαζεστε]
“Ye work a sin.” A serious charge, apparently, for what was regarded as a trifling fault. See Matthew 7:23, οι εργαζομενοι την ανομιαν — hoi ergazomenoi tēn anomian (ye that work iniquity), an apparent reminiscence of the words of Jesus there (from Psalm 6:8).Being convicted (ελεγχομενοι — elegchomenoi). Present passive participle of ελεγχω — elegchō to convict by proof of guilt (John 3:20; John 8:9, John 8:46; 1 Corinthians 14:24).As transgressors For this word from παραβαινω — parabainō to step across, to transgress, see Galatians 2:18; Romans 2:25, Romans 2:27. See this very sin of partiality condemned in Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 1:17; Deuteronomy 16:19. To the law and to the testimony. [source]
1 John 4:2 Confesseth [ὁμολογεῖ]
See on Matthew 7:23; see on Matthew 10:32. [source]
1 John 3:4 Transgresseth also the law [καὶ τὴν ἀνομίαν ποιεῖ]
Rev., more accurately, doeth also lawlessness. Compare Matthew 13:41, and the phrase οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν yethat work iniquity (Matthew 7:23). [source]
2 John 1:7 Who confess not [οἱ μὴ ὁμολογοῦντες]
The article with the participle describes the character of this class of deceivers, and does not merely assert a definite fact concerning them. Compare Mark 15:41, “other women which came up with Him” ( αἱ συνσνσβᾶσαι ). Confess. See on Matthew 7:23; see on Matthew 10:32. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 7:23 mean?

And then I will declare to them - Never knew I you depart you from Me those working - lawlessness
καὶ τότε ὁμολογήσω αὐτοῖς ὅτι Οὐδέποτε ἔγνων ὑμᾶς ἀποχωρεῖτε ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν

ὁμολογήσω  I  will  declare 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ὁμολογέω  
Sense: to say the same thing as another, i.
αὐτοῖς  to  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ὅτι  - 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
Οὐδέποτε  Never 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐδέποτε  
Sense: never.
ἔγνων  knew  I 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: γινώσκω  
Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel.
ἀποχωρεῖτε  depart  you 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἀποχωρέω  
Sense: to go away, depart.
ἐμοῦ  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
οἱ  those 
Parse: Article, Vocative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐργαζόμενοι  working 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Vocative Masculine Plural
Root: ἐργάζομαι  
Sense: to work, labour, do work.
τὴν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀνομίαν  lawlessness 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀνομία  
Sense: the condition of without law.