Matthew 25:31–46: Sheep, Goats, and Mercy
Jesus describes his coming in glory and the separation of the nations, where the issue named is concrete mercy shown to the needy, because he identifies himself with them. The passage is a serious summons to mercy, not a formula for earning salvation.
Aionios: eternal age-long and the age to come: A Biblical Guide
In Matthew 25:46 the word rendered eternal modifies both punishment and life in a single sentence. The adjective is built from the noun for an age, yet its link to that noun does not by itself settle whether the duration is endless.