Separate the sheep from the goats

Origin

The vivid imagery of 'separating the sheep from the goats' is drawn directly from the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. In a parable describing the Last Judgment, Jesus speaks of a shepherd dividing his flock, placing the obedient sheep on his right and the wayward goats on his left. This wasn't merely a metaphor; ancient shepherds commonly grazed these two species together but would meticulously separate them at critical times—perhaps for shearing, milking, or slaughter—because of their different needs and temperaments. The phrase thus became a powerful and enduring symbol of discerning the good from the bad, the worthy from the unworthy, in a final, decisive judgment.