But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are: depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
'What! not know us, Lord? Astonishing! Why, we have eaten and drunk in Thy presence. Were we not at that great feast which Matthew the publican made to Thee in his own house? Did we not sit opposite to Thee at his table? Heard we not from Thy lips on that occasion the precious saying, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance," a saying which, in the midst of our sins, has proved so great a comfort to us?' - "Never knew you, workers of iniquity!" 'But, Lord, in addition to all this, Thou hast taught in our streets. At Capernaum, did we not live next door to Thee, and what glorious teachings of Thine have we not heard there? When the woman with the issue of blood was healed by touching the hem of Thy garment, we were in the crowd that followed Thee through the streets; and when Thou spakest from Peter's boat to the thronging multitudes that lined the shore of the beautiful lake, we stood right opposite to Thee, and could repeat every word of those seven charming parables which were then delivered. Nay, we followed Thee from place to place, from city to city, enchained by Thy matchless teaching: we could repeat most of the Sermon on the Mount, and we heard Thee utter that great word, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest;" and what a comfort was that to us! And that glorious word uttered in the streets of Jerusalem on the last, that great day of the feast, we heard, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." O what scores of such beautiful sayings of Thine did our ears drink in. Never knew us, Lord? Impossible!' - "NEVER KNEW YOU, workers of iniquity!" 'But, Lord-' 'Enough: begone!'