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 will the Kingdom of the Heavens be found to be like ten bridesmaids who took their torches and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2 Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
3 The foolish ones took their lamps, but took no oil with them;
For the foolish, when they took their torches, did not provide themselves with oil;
4 while the prudent ones, besides taking their lamps, took oil in their jars.
but the wise, besides their torches, took oil in their flasks.
5 As the groom was late in coming, they all became drowsy, and slept.
The bridegroom was a long time in coming, so that meanwhile they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 But at midnight a shout was raised – ‘The groom is coming! Come out to meet him!’
But at midnight there is a loud cry, "'The bridegroom! Go out and meet him!'
7 Then all the bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps,
"Then all those bridesmaids roused themselves and trimmed their torches.
8 and the foolish said to the prudent ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
"'Give us some of your oil,' said the foolish ones to the wise, 'for our torches are going 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 perhaps,' replied the wise, 'there will not be enough for all of us. Go to the shops rather, and buy some 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.
"So they went to buy. But meanwhile the bridegroom came; those bridesmaids who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet; and the door was shut.
11 Afterward the other bridesmaids came. ‘Sir, Sir,’ they said, ‘open the door to us!’
"Afterwards the other bridesmaids came and cried, "'Sir, Sir, open the door to us.'
12 But the groom answered ‘I tell you, I do not know you.’
"'In solemn truth I tell you,' he replied, 'I do not know you.'
13 Therefore watch, since you know neither the day nor the hour.
"Keep awake therefore; for you know neither the day nor the hour.
14 “For it is as though a man, going on his travels, called his servants, and gave his property into their charge.
"Why, it is like a man who, when going on his travels, called his bondservants and entrusted his property to their care.
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.
To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one--to each according to his individual capacity; and then started from home.
16 The servant who had received the five bags of gold went at once and traded with it, and made another five bags.
Without delay the one who had received the five talents went and employed them in business, and gained five more.
17 So, too, the servant who had received the two bags of gold made another two bags.
In the same way he who had the two gained two more.
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 the man who had received the one went and dug a hole and buried his master's money.
19 After a long time the master of those servants returned, and settled accounts with them.
"After a long lapse of time the master of those servants returned, and had a reckoning 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!’
The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, and said, "'Sir, it was five talents that you entrusted to me: see, I have gained five 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!’
"'You have done well, good and trustworthy servant,' replied his master; 'you have been trustworthy in the management of a little, I will put you in charge of much: share your master's joy.'
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!’
"The second, who had received the two talents, came and said, "'Sir, it was two talents you entrusted to me: see, I have gained two more.'
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!’
"'Good and trustworthy servant, you have done well,' his master replied; 'you have been trustworthy in the management of a little, I will put you in charge of much: share your master's joy.'
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;
"But, next, the man who had the one talent in his keeping came and said, "'Sir, I knew you to be a severe man, reaping where you had not sown and garnering what you had not winnowed.
25 and, in my fear, I went and hid your money in the ground; look, here is what belongs to you!’
So being afraid I went and buried your talent in the ground: there you have what belongs to you.'
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?
"'You wicked and slothful servant,' replied his master, 'did you know that I reap where I have not sown, and garner what I have not winnowed?
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.
Your duty then was to deposit my money in some bank, and so when I came I should have got back my property with interest.
28 Therefore,’ he continued, ‘take away from him the one bag of gold, and give it to the one who has the ten bags.
So take away the talent from him, and give it to the man who has the ten.'
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 to every one who has, more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him who has nothing, even what he has shall be taken away.)
30 As for the useless servant, put him out into the darkness outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.’
'But as for this worthless servant, put him out into the darkness outside: there will be the weeping and the 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 comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then will He sit upon His glorious throne,
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 all the nations will be gathered into His presence. And He will separate them from one another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;
33 placing the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left.
and will make the sheep stand at His right hand, and the goats at His 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 the King will say to those at His right, "'Come, my Father's blessed ones, receive your inheritance of the Kingdom which has been divinely intended for you ever since the creation 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 when I was hungry, you gave me food; when I was thirsty, you gave me drink; when I was homeless, you gave me a welcome;
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.’
when I was ill-clad, you clothed me; when I was sick, you visited me; when I was in prison, you came to see me.'
37 Then the righteous will answer ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you? Or thirsty, and give you a drink?
"'When, Lord,' the righteous will reply, 'did we see Thee hungry, and feed Thee; or thirsty, and give Thee drink?
38 When did we see you a stranger, and take you to our homes? Or naked, and clothe you?
When did we see Thee homeless, and give Thee a welcome? or ill-clad, and clothe Thee?
39 When did we see you ill, or in prison, and come to you?’
When did we see Thee sick or in prison, and come to see 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.’
"But the King will answer them, "'In solemn truth I tell you that in so far as you rendered such services to one of the humblest of these my brethren, you rendered them to myself.'
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 will He say to those at His left, "'Begone from me, with the curse resting upon you, into the Fire of the Ages, which has been 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 when I was hungry, you gave me nothing to eat; when thirsty, you gave me nothing to 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.’
when homeless, you gave me no welcome; ill-clad, you clothed me not; sick or in prison, you 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 will they also answer, "'Lord, when did we see Thee hungry or thirsty or homeless or ill-clad or sick or in prison, and not come to serve 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.’
"But he will reply, "'In solemn truth I tell you that in so far as you withheld such services from one of the humblest of these, you withheld them from me.'
