Matthew 25

¹[“] At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps [and] went out to meet the bridegroom.

²Five of them were foolish, and five [were] wise.

³The foolish [ones] took their lamps [but did not] take along [any extra] oil.

⁴But the wise [ones] took oil in flasks along with their lamps.

⁵[When] the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

⁶At midnight the cry rang out:‘ Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

⁷Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.

⁸The foolish ones said to the wise,‘ Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

⁹‘ No,’ said the wise [ones],‘ or there may not be enough for [both] us and you. Instead, go to those who sell [oil] and buy [some] for yourselves.’

¹⁰But [while] they were on their way to buy [it], the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.

¹¹Later the other virgins arrived and said,‘ Lord, lord, open [the door] for us!’

¹²But he replied,‘ Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’

¹³Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day [or] the hour.

¹⁴For [it] is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions.

¹⁵To one he gave five talents, to [another] two [talents], and to [another] one [talent] — each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey.

¹⁶The [servant] who had received the five talents went at once [and] put them to work and gained five more.

¹⁷Likewise, the [one with] the two [talents] gained two more.

¹⁸But the [servant] who had received the one [talent] went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

²⁰The [servant] who had received the five talents came [and] presented five more.‘ Master,’ he said,‘ you entrusted me {with} five talents. See, I have gained five more.’

²¹His master replied,‘ Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you {in charge} of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’

²²The [servant] [who had received] the two talents also came [and] said,‘ Master, you entrusted me {with} two talents. See, I have gained two more.’

²³His master replied,‘ Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you {in charge} of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’

²⁴Finally, the [servant] who had received the one talent came and said,‘ Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

²⁵So I was afraid and went out [and] hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what [belongs] to you.’

²⁶‘ You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master.‘ You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed.

²⁷Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it {back} with interest.

²⁸Therefore take the talent from him and give [it] to the [one] who has ten talents.

²⁹For everyone who has will be given [more], and [he] will have an abundance. But the [one who] {does} not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

³⁰And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, [where] there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

³¹When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.

³²All 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.

³³He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on [His] left.

³⁴Then the King will say to those on His right,‘ Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from [the] foundation of [the] world.

³⁵For 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 took Me in,

³⁶[I was] naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’

³⁷Then the righteous will answer Him,‘ Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed [You], or thirsty and give [You] something to drink?

³⁸When did we see You a stranger and take [You] in, or naked and clothe [You]?

³⁹When did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’

⁴⁰And the King will reply,‘ Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’

⁴¹Then 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.

⁴²For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,

⁴³I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, [I was] naked and you did not clothe Me, [I was] sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.’

⁴⁴And they too will reply,‘ 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?’

⁴⁵Then [the King] will answer,‘ Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’

⁴⁶And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”