Matthew 25:1–13

The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids

²⁵“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten young women^q took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.^{r* 2}Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.^{* 3}When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept.^{* 6}But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷Then all those young women^s got up and trimmed their lamps.^{* 8}The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ ¹⁰And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.^{* 11}Later the other young women^t came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’^{* 12}But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ ¹³Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.^u*