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.
‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom.
2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.
3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil.
The foolish ones took their lamps, but took no oil with them;
4 But the wise ones took oil in flasks along with their lamps.
while the prudent ones, besides taking their lamps, took oil in their jars.
5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
As the groom was late in coming, they all became drowsy, and slept.
6 At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
But at midnight a shout was raised – “The groom is coming! Come out to meet him!”
7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
Then all the bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps,
8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
and the foolish said to the prudent “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.’
But the prudent ones answered “No, There may not be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell it, and buy for yourselves.”
10 But 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.
But while they were on their way to buy it, the groom came; and the bridesmaids who were ready went in with him to the banquet, and the door was shut.
11 Later the other virgins arrived and said, ‘Lord, lord, open the door for us!’
Afterwards the other bridesmaids came. “Sir, Sir,” they said, “open the door to us!”
12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’
But the groom answered “I tell you, I do not know you.”
13 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Therefore watch, since you know neither the day nor the hour.
14 For it is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions.
‘For it is as though a man, going on his travels, called his servants, and gave his property into their charge.
15 To 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.
He gave five bags of gold to one, two to another, and one bag to a third, in proportion to the ability of each. Then he set out on his travels.
16 The servant who had received the five talents went at once and put them to work and gained five more.
The servant who had received the five bags of gold went at once and traded with it, and made another five bags.
17 Likewise, the one with the two talents gained two more.
So, too, the servant who had received the two bags of gold made another two bags.
18 But the servant who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
But the servant who had received the one bag went and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
19 After a long time the master of those servants returned to settle accounts with them.
After a long time the master of those servants returned, and settled accounts with them.
20 The 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.’
The servant who had received the five bags of gold came up and brought five bags more. “Sir,” he said, “you entrusted me with five bags of gold; look, I have made another five bags!”
21 His 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!’
“Well done, good, trustworthy servant!” said his master. “You have been trustworthy with a small sum; now I will place a large one in your hands; come and share your master’s joy!”
22 The servant who had received the two talents also came and said, ‘Master, you entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more.’
Then the one who had received the two bags of gold came up and said “Sir, you entrusted me with two bags pounds; look, I have made another two!”
23 His 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!’
“Well done, good, trustworthy servant!” said his master. “You have been trustworthy with a small sum; now I will place a large one in your hands; come and share your master’s joy!”
24 Finally, 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.
The man who had received the single bag of gold came up, too, and said “Sir, I knew that you were a hard man; you reap where you have not sown, and gather up where you have not winnowed;
25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what belongs to you.’
and, in my fear, I went and hid your money in the ground; look, here is 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.
“You lazy, worthless servant!” was his master’s reply. “You knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather up where I have not winnowed?
27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest.
Then you ought to have placed my money in the hands of bankers, and I, on my return, should have received my money, with interest.
28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents.
Therefore,” he continued, “take away from him the one bag of gold, and give it to the one who has the ten bags.
29 For 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.
For, to him who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but, as for him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away from him.
30 And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
As for the useless servant, put him out into the darkness outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.”
31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.
‘When the Son of Man has come in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory;
32 All 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.
and all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people – just as a shepherd separates sheep from goats –
33 He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.
placing the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left.
34 Then 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.
Then the king will say to those on his right “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, enter into possession of the kingdom prepared for you ever since the beginning of the world.
35 For 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,
For, when I was hungry, you gave me food; when I was thirsty, you gave me drink; when I was a stranger, you took me to your homes;
36 I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’
when I was naked, you clothed me; when I fell ill, you visited me; and when I was in prison, you came to me.”
37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink?
Then the righteous will answer “Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you? Or thirsty, and give you a drink?
38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
When did we see you a stranger, and take you to our homes? Or naked, and clothe you?
39 When did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’
When did we see you ill, or in prison, and come to you?”
40 And 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.’
And the king will reply “I tell you, as often as you did it to one of these my brothers or sisters, however unimportant they seemed, you did it to me.”
41 Then 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. (aiōnios g166)
Then he will say to those on his left “Go from my presence, accursed, into the permanent fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels. (aiōnios g166)
42 For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,
For, when I was hungry, you gave me no food; when I was thirsty, you gave me no drink;
43 I 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 visit Me.’
when I was a stranger, you did not take me to your homes; when I was naked, you did not clothe me; and, when I was ill and in prison, you did not visit me.”
44 And 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?’
Then they, in their turn, will answer “Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or ill, or in prison, and did not supply your wants?”
45 Then 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.’
And then he will reply “I tell you, as often as you failed to do it to one of these, however unimportant, you failed to do it to me.”
