1 T hen shall the kingdom of the heavens be made like to ten virgins that having taken their torches, went forth to meet the bridegroom.

2 A nd five of them were prudent and five foolish.

3 T hey that were foolish took their torches and did not take oil with them;

4 b ut the prudent took oil in their vessels with their torches.

5 N ow the bridegroom tarrying, they all grew heavy and slept.

6 B ut in middle of night there was a cry, Behold, the bridegroom; go forth to meet him.

7 T hen all those virgins arose and trimmed their torches.

8 A nd the foolish said to the prudent, Give us of your oil, for our torches are going out.

9 B ut the prudent answered saying, lest it might not suffice for us and for you. Go rather to those that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 B ut as they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and the ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut.

11 A fterwards come also the rest of the virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us;

12 b ut he answering said, Verily I say unto you, I do not know you.

13 W atch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour.

14 F or as a man going away out of a country called his own bondmen and delivered to them his substance.

15 A nd to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to each according to his particular ability, and immediately went away out of the country.

16 A nd he that had received the five talents went and trafficked with them, and made five other talents.

17 I n like manner also he that the two, gained two others.

18 B ut he that had received the one went and dug in the earth, and hid the money of his lord.

19 A nd after a long time the lord of those bondmen comes and reckons with them.

20 A nd he that had received the five talents came to and brought five other talents, saying, lord, thou deliveredst me five talents; behold, I have gained five other talents besides them.

21 H is lord said to him, Well, good and faithful bondman, thou wast faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things: enter into the joy of thy lord.

22 A nd he also that had received the two talents came to and said, lord, thou deliveredst me two talents; behold, I have gained two other talents besides them.

23 H is lord said to him, Well, good and faithful bondman, thou wast faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24 A nd he also that had received the one talent coming to said, lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hadst not sowed, and gathering from where thou hadst not scattered,

25 a nd being afraid I went away and hid thy talent in the earth; behold, thou hast that which is thine.

26 A nd his lord answering said to him, Wicked and slothful bondman, thou knewest that I reap where I had not sowed, and gather from where I had not scattered;

27 t hou oughtest then to have put my money to the money-changers, and when I came I should have got what is mine with interest.

28 T ake therefore the talent from him, and give it to him that has the ten talents:

29 f or to every one that has shall be given, and he shall be in abundance; but from him that has not, that even which he has shall be taken from him.

30 A nd cast out the useless bondman into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

31 B ut when the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit down upon his throne of glory,

32 a nd all the nations shall be gathered before him; and he shall separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;

33 a nd he will set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on left.

34 T hen shall the King say to those on his right hand, Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from world's foundation:

35 f or I hungered, and ye gave me to eat; I thirsted, and ye gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in;

36 n aked, and ye clothed me; I was ill, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came to me.

37 T hen shall the righteous answer him saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungering, and nourished thee; or thirsting, and gave thee to drink?

38 a nd when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in; or naked, and clothed thee?

39 a nd when saw we thee ill, or in prison, and came to thee?

40 A nd the King answering shall say to them, Verily, I say to you, Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me.

41 T hen shall he say also to those on the left, Go from me, cursed, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 f or I hungered, and ye gave me not to eat; I thirsted, and ye gave me not to drink;

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye did not clothe me; ill, and in prison, and ye did not visit me.

44 T hen shall they also answer saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungering, or thirsting, or a stranger, or naked, or ill, or in prison, and have not ministered to thee?

45 T hen shall he answer them saying, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye have not done it to one of these least, neither have ye done it to me.

46 A nd these shall go away into eternal punishment, and the righteous into life eternal.