1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. |
2 "Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. |
3 "Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, |
4 "but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. |
5 "But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. |
6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' |
7 "Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. |
8 "And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' |
9 "But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' |
10 "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. |
11 "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' |
12 "But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' |
13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. |
14 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. |
15 "And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. |
16 "Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. |
17 "And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. |
18 "But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. |
19 "After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. |
20 "So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' |
21 "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' |
22 "He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' |
23 "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' |
24 "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. |
25 'And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' |
26 "But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. |
27 'So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. |
28 'Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. |
29 'For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. |
30 'And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' |
31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. |
32 "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. |
33 "And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. |
34 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: |
35 'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; |
36 'I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' |
37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? |
38 'When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? |
39 'Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' |
40 "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' |
41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: |
42 'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; |
43 'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' |
44 "Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' |
45 "Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' |
46 "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." |