1 ¶ Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be likened unto ten virgins who, taking their lamps, went forth to meet the bridegroom.

Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

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

Five of them were foolish (thoughtless, without forethought) and five were wise (sensible, intelligent, and prudent).

3 T hose that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them;

For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any oil with them;

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

But the wise took flasks of oil along with them with their lamps.

5 W hile the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

While the bridegroom lingered and was slow in coming, they all began nodding their heads, and they fell asleep.

6 A nd at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go ye out to meet him.

But at midnight there was a shout, Behold, the bridegroom! Go out to meet him!

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

Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order.

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

And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.

9 B ut the prudent answered, saying, Lest there be not enough for us and you, but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves.

But the wise replied, There will not be enough for us and for you; go instead to the dealers and buy for yourselves.

10 A nd while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and those that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut.

But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were prepared went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut.

11 A fterward the other virgins also came, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

Later the other virgins also came and said, Lord, Lord, open to us!

12 B ut he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

But He replied, I solemnly declare to you, I do not know you.

13 W atch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man comes.

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come.

14 ¶ For it is like a man travelling into a far country, who called his own slaves and delivered unto them his goods.

For it is like a man who was about to take a long journey, and he called his servants together and entrusted them with his property.

15 A nd unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each one according to his faculty, and straightway took his journey.

To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one—to each in proportion to his own personal ability. Then he departed and left the country.

16 A nd after he was gone, he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same and made another five talents.

He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he gained five talents more.

17 A nd likewise he that had received two, he also gained another two.

And likewise he who had received the two talents—he also gained two talents more.

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

But he who had received the one talent went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 A nd after a long time the lord of those slaves came and reckoned accounts with them.

Now after a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

20 A nd so he that had received five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, Lord, thou didst deliver unto me five talents; behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

And he who had received the five talents came and brought him five more, saying, Master, you entrusted to me five talents; see, here I have gained five talents more.

21 H is lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful slave; thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

His master said to him, Well done, you upright (honorable, admirable) and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into and share the joy (the delight, the blessedness) which your master enjoys.

22 H e also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou didst deliver unto me two talents; behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, Master, you entrusted two talents to me; here I have gained two talents more.

23 H is lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful slave; thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

His master said to him, Well done, you upright (honorable, admirable) and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into and share the joy (the delight, the blessedness) which your master enjoys.

24 T hen he who had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown and gathering where thou hast not scattered;

He who had received one talent also came forward, saying, Master, I knew you to be a harsh and hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you had not winnowed.

25 t herefore, I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the earth; behold, thou hast what is thine.

So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is your own.

26 H is lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful slave, thou knewest that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I have not scattered;

But his master answered him, You wicked and lazy and idle servant! Did you indeed know that I reap where I have not sowed and gather where I have not winnowed?

27 t herefore, it was expedient for thee to have put my money to the bankers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with interest.

Then you should have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received what was my own with interest.

28 T ake, therefore, the talent from him and give it unto him who has ten talents.

So take the talent away from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.

29 F or unto every one that has shall be given, and he shall have abundance, but from him that has not shall be taken away even that which he has.

For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will be furnished richly so that he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away.

30 A nd cast ye the unprofitable slave into the outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And throw the good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

31 ¶ When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then he shall sit upon the throne of his glory,

When the Son of Man comes in His glory (His majesty and splendor), and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.

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

All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them from one another as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats;

33 a nd he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

And He will cause the sheep to stand at His right hand, but the goats at His left.

34 T hen shall the King say unto those on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;

Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father '> favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

35 f or I was hungry, and ye gave me food; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in;

For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me,

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

I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me with help and ministering care, I was in prison and you came to see Me.

37 T hen shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee? or thirsty and give thee drink?

Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink?

38 W hen did we see thee a stranger and take thee in? or naked and clothe thee?

And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You?

39 O r when did we see thee sick or in prison and come unto thee?

And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You?

40 A nd 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 brothers, ye have done it unto me.

And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least '> in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.

41 T hen he shall also say unto those who shall be on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels;

Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!

42 f or I was hungry, and ye gave me no food; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink;

For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,

43 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.

I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me and entertain Me, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me with help and ministering care.

44 T hen they shall also answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister unto thee?

Then they also will answer, 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?

45 T hen he shall answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of my brothers, ye did it not to me.

And He will reply to them, Solemnly I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least '> in the estimation of men] of these, you failed to do it for Me.

46 A nd they shall go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just and upright and in right standing with God into eternal life.