Matthew 25:1–31

Parable of Ten Virgins

¹“Then ^athe kingdom of heaven may be compared to ten virgins, who took their ^blamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

²“Now five of them were foolish, and five were ^aprudent.

³“For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,

⁴but the ^aprudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps.

⁵“Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.

⁶“But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’

⁷“Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.

⁸“And the foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’

⁹“But the ^aprudent answered, saying, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’

¹⁰“And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ^aready went in with him to ^bthe wedding feast; and ^cthe door was shut.

¹¹“And later the other virgins also ^*came, saying, ‘^aLord, lord, open up for us.’

¹²“But he answered and said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’

¹³“^aTherefore, stay awake, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

Parable of the Talents

¹⁴“^aFor it is just like a man ^babout to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and handed over his possessions to them.

¹⁵“And to one he gave five ^1atalents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he ^bwent on his journey.

¹⁶“Immediately the one who had received the five ^atalents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents.

¹⁷“In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more.

¹⁸“But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his ¹master’s money.

¹⁹“Now after a long time the master of those slaves ^*came and ^*asettled accounts with them.

²⁰“And the one who had received the five ^atalents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed five talents over to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’

²¹“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and ^afaithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will ^bput you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your ¹master.’

²²“Also the one who had received the two ^atalents came up and said, ‘Master, you handed two talents over to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’

²³“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and ^afaithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

²⁴“And the one also who had received the one ^atalent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.

²⁵‘And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

²⁶“But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.

²⁷‘Therefore, you ought to have put my money ¹in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest.

²⁸‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

²⁹“^aFor to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.

³⁰“And throw out the worthless slave into ^athe outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The Final Judgment

³¹“But when ^athe Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then ^bHe will sit on His glorious throne.