Matthew 25
1 ‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom.
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.
And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 The foolish ones took their lamps, but took no oil with them;
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 while the prudent ones, besides taking their lamps, took oil in their jars.
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 As the groom was late in coming, they all became drowsy, and slept.
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 But at midnight a shout was raised – “The groom is coming! Come out to meet him!”
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all the bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps,
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 and the foolish said to the prudent “Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.”
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 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.”
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 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.
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterwards the other bridesmaids came. “Sir, Sir,” they said, “open the door to us!”
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But the groom answered “I tell you, I do not know you.”
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 Therefore watch, since you know neither the day nor the hour.
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
14 ‘For it is as though a man, going on his travels, called his servants, and gave his property into their charge.
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 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.
And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 The servant who had received the five bags of gold went at once and traded with it, and made another five bags.
Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 So, too, the servant who had received the two bags of gold made another two bags.
And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But the servant who had received the one bag went and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
19 After a long time the master of those servants returned, and settled accounts with them.
After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 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!”
And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 “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!”
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 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!”
He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 “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!”
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 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;
Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 and, in my fear, I went and hid your money in the ground; look, here is what belongs to you!”
And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 “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?
His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 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.
Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Therefore,” he continued, “take away from him the one bag of gold, and give it to the one who has the ten bags.
Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 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.
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 As for the useless servant, put him out into the darkness outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.”
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
31 ‘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;
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 and all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people – just as a shepherd separates sheep from goats –
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 placing the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left.
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 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.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 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;
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 when I was naked, you clothed me; when I fell ill, you visited me; and when I was in prison, you came to me.”
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then the righteous will answer “Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you? Or thirsty, and give you a drink?
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When did we see you a stranger, and take you to our homes? Or naked, and clothe you?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 When did we see you ill, or in prison, and come to you?”
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 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.”
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 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)
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: (aiōnios g166)
42 For, when I was hungry, you gave me no food; when I was thirsty, you gave me no drink;
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 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.”
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 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?”
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 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.”
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
