Have you ever wondered if you’re “doing enough” as a Christian? Or if there’s more you should be doing as you follow God? Maybe you’re looking at your Bible reading habits or thinking about the last time you talked with God in prayer. If so, you’re in the right place. In Matthew 25, Jesus told a story that helps us see what really matters.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus told parables to help His followers—us included!—better understand how to live in faith. In the parable of the sheep and goats, Jesus highlighted how caring for others flows from a heart that knows Him. When we love people well, we’re living the kind of faith Jesus taught and modeled, and doing exactly what we were made to do.
What Is a Parable?
A parable is a simple story that uses everyday imagery to reveal deep spiritual truths. Jesus didn’t invent parables, but He was a master parable teller, using them to teach timeless lessons about God’s kingdom.
Parables invited listeners to lean in, reflect, and wrestle with what Jesus was really saying. For those with open hearts, these simple stories revealed deep spiritual truths. But for those who resisted, the meaning remained hidden.
Want to go deeper into Jesus’ parables? Here’s your guide: The Ultimate Guide to the Parables of Jesus.
Where Is the Parable of the Sheep and Goats in Scripture?
Some parables are found in multiple Gospels. However, this parable is only found in the Book of Matthew. You can read it in Matthew 25:31-46.
A Parable of the Sheep and Goats Summary
- Jesus describes a time when the “Son of Man” (referring to Himself) will return.
- When He returns, all nations will be gathered before Him, and He’ll separate everyone into two groups, like a shepherd separating sheep from goats.
- He then explains who each group represents and why they’re assigned to their group.
- The sheep are the people who have cared for the needs of those around them.
- The goats are the people who haven’t cared for the needs of those around them.
- The sheep are rewarded with eternal life.
- The goats are punished with eternal fire.
Who’s Who in the Parable?
Every parable contains people, objects, or animals to which Jesus gives spiritual meaning. This parable is no different. So, before we explore what this parable means, we need to find out who and what each thing in this parable represents.
- The character of the King and Son of Man represents Jesus when we come face to face with Him in eternity.
- The sheep represent followers of Christ who faithfully, earnestly lived how Jesus lived by caring for the lost, overlooked, and forgotten people around them.
- The goats represent individuals who claimed to follow Jesus but didn’t live a life that reflected it.
The Parable of the Sheep and Goats Explained
The parable of the sheep and goats shows that following Jesus isn’t just about what we believe. It’s also about how we love. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells His followers that caring for others is one of the clearest ways we show our faith. When we feed the hungry, welcome strangers, or visit the lonely, we’re honoring Him.
The Context of the Parable of the Sheep and Goats
This parable wasn’t written to us, but it was spoken to real people in a real moment. Understanding that moment helps us see what Jesus meant more clearly.
Jesus likely told this parable to His 12 close disciples. If we look back one chapter to the first few verses of Matthew 24, we read that Jesus and His disciples had been sitting in a secluded area on the Mount of Olives when they started talking about the end times, final judgment, and the new era to come.
Now, if you’re anything like me, talking about a final judgment might put a weird, uncomfortable knot in your stomach. And I’m sure it did for His disciples, too.
From there, Jesus went on to tell different parables that explained what the end would be like. These parables gave the disciples insight into future events and encouraged them to remain watchful.
Here are a few highlights from what Jesus said about the end times.
- Watch out, because people will try to mislead you (Matthew 24:4-5).
- Life will get messy with wars, disasters, and unrest (Matthew 24:7-8).
- No one knows exactly when Jesus will come back (Matthew 24:36).
- When Jesus returns, it will be obvious to everyone (Matthew 24:27).
- The best thing you can do is stay ready and faithful (Matthew 24:42).
The final parable Jesus told His disciples was the parable of the sheep and goats.
Why a Story About Sheep and Goats?
Farming metaphors aren’t uncommon in the Bible, and they actually show how many people at that time were involved with agriculture and livestock.
In those days, sheep and goats often grazed together during the day and were separated at night. This was a normal part of shepherding life that Jesus’ listeners would’ve instantly understood. The practice was practical:
- Goats needed more warmth at night, so they were brought into a shelter. Sheep were more resilient thanks to their wool, so they were able to stay outside.
- Goats were more independent and aggressive, while sheep were more docile. Separation helped prevent conflict.
- Shepherds sorted the sheep and goats for animal-specific care, like milking, shearing, and feeding.
Many scholars believe Jesus used the separation of sheep and goats as a straightforward illustration. The sheep and goats were just an everyday metaphor familiar to Jesus’ audience, not a commentary on the animals themselves.
Others point out that sheep are generally more trusting, while goats tend to be more independent, and suggest Jesus may have been drawing a parallel between those qualities and how people respond to Him.
What This Meant to the Original Audience
This parable makes it clear that how we live matters. Yes, salvation is by faith, but if our faith doesn’t lead to good deeds, then we need to ask ourselves if our faith is genuine.
Of course, Jesus wasn’t just talking about doing good in general; He was talking about caring for people who had nothing to offer in return, even if associating with them could negatively impact one’s social standing.
Just look at the list of people mentioned in the parable:
- The hungry, thirsty, and naked: People without financial means to meet basic needs.
- Strangers: People of other nations, who were viewed with suspicion.
- The sick: People who were seen as unclean and impure, and who were to be avoided.
- People in prison: People with a painful, violent, or corrupt past.
This is so important. Jesus wasn’t separating those who agree with the right beliefs from those who disagree or doubt. He was separating those whose faith leads them to meet the physical needs of people who have nothing to give in return from those whose “faith” produces nothing.
Genuine faith leads to sacrificial service.
In summary, genuine faith leads to sacrificial service. And in contrast, a self-centered life reveals a misguided faith.
What the Parable of the Sheep and Goats Means Now
This parable still speaks today because we’re faced with a daily decision: Do we want to act like sheep, faithfully sharing the love of our good Shepherd with others? Or do we want to act like goats, living lives marked by busyness, selfishness, and distraction?
In this parable, Jesus used examples like:
- Feeding those who are hungry
- Showing strangers hospitality
- Visiting people in prison
And He doesn’t just call out these actions as righteous and faithful—He goes so far as to say that when we care for marginalized, overlooked, and underserved people, we’re actually caring for Him.
At the end of the parable, Jesus shared the final destination for these two groups. The faithful sheep will be seated alongside the King in His kingdom. But the goats will be told to go away to “eternal punishment.”
This feels pretty jarring, right?
Here’s the good news: We can make the decision today to be sheep. We can ask God to show us ways we can live out our faith by noticing and caring for the people around us. We can seek wisdom to be faithful to God, and order our lives to prioritize the people around us.
2 Truths to Hold On To
- When we serve others, it’s like serving God. As followers of Jesus, we’re called to care for the lost, broken, and hurting, just like He did.
- It’s not too late to turn from a posture of selfishness to a posture of selflessness. We can make the decision to put our faith into action, which often requires trust and sacrifice.
Next Steps
- Reflect: How can you become like a sheep, faithfully following Jesus as your shepherd?
- Pray: Ask God to show you someone to notice, recognize, and serve. It could start as simply as learning someone’s name.
- Action Step: Put your faith in action this week by caring for someone others would overlook.
Read the Parable for Yourself 📖
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
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. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25:31-46 NIV