Matthew 25:1–31

¹‘Then shall the reign of the heavens be likened to ten virgins, who, having taken their lamps, went forth to meet the bridegroom; ²and five of them were prudent, and five foolish; ³they who were foolish having taken their lamps, did not take with themselves oil; ⁴and the prudent took oil in their vessels, with their lamps.

⁵‘And the bridegroom tarrying, they all nodded and were sleeping, ⁶and in the middle of the night a cry was made, Lo, the bridegroom doth come; go ye forth to meet him.

⁷‘Then rose all those virgins, and trimmed their lamps, ⁸and the foolish said to the prudent, Give us of your oil, because our lamps are going out; ⁹and the prudent answered, saying—Lest there may not be sufficient for us and you, go ye rather unto those selling, and buy for yourselves.

¹⁰‘And while they are going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those ready went in with him to the marriage-feasts, and the door was shut; ¹¹and afterwards come also do the rest of the virgins, saying, Sir, sir, open to us; ¹²and he answering said, Verily I say to you, I have not known you.

¹³‘Watch therefore, for ye have not known the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man doth come.

¹⁴‘For—as a man going abroad did call his own servants, and did deliver to them his substance, ¹⁵and to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to each according to his several ability, went abroad immediately.

¹⁶‘And he who did receive the five talents, having gone, wrought with them, and made other five talents; ¹⁷in like manner also he who received the two, he gained, also he, other two; ¹⁸and he who did receive the one, having gone away, digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

¹⁹‘And after a long time cometh the lord of those servants, and taketh reckoning with them; ²⁰and he who did receive the five talents having come, brought other five talents, saying, ‘Sir, five talents thou didst deliver to me; lo, other five talents did I gain besides them.

²¹‘And his lord said to him, Well done, servant, good and faithful, over a few things thou wast faithful, over many things I will set thee; enter into the joy of thy lord.

²²‘And he who also did receive the two talents having come, said, Sir, two talents thou didst deliver to me; lo, other two talents I did gain besides them.

²³‘His lord said to him, Well done, servant, good and faithful, over a few things thou wast faithful, over many things I will set thee; enter into the joy of thy lord.

²⁴‘And he also who hath received the one talent having come, said, Sir, I knew thee, that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering from whence thou didst not scatter; ²⁵and having been afraid, having gone away, I hid thy talent in the earth; lo, thou hast thine own!

²⁶‘And his lord answering said to him, Evil servant, and slothful, thou hadst known that I reap where I did not sow, and I gather whence I did not scatter! ²⁷it behoved thee then to put my money to the money-lenders, and having come I had received mine own with increase.

²⁸‘Take therefore from him the talent, and give to him having the ten talents, ²⁹for to every one having shall be given, and he shall have overabundance, and from him who is not having, even that which he hath shall be taken from him; ³⁰and the unprofitable servant cast ye forth to the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth.

³¹‘And whenever the Son of Man may come in his glory, and all the holy messengers with him, then he shall sit upon a throne of his glory;