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

2 N ow five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3 T hose who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,

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

5 B ut while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

6 “ And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’

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

8 A nd the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’

9 B ut the wise answered, saying, ‘ No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’

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

11 “ Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’

12 B ut he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

13 “ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. The Parable of the Talents

14 “ For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.

15 A nd to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.

16 T hen he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

17 A nd likewise he who had received two gained two more also.

18 B ut he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.

19 A fter a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

20 “ So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’

21 H is lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

22 H e also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’

23 H is lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

24 “ Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

25 A nd I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

26 “ But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.

27 S o you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.

28 T herefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

29 ‘ For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

30 A nd cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations

31 “ When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.

32 A ll the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.

33 A nd He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 T hen the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 f or I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;

36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37 “ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?

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

39 O r when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’

40 A nd the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

41 “ Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 f or I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;

43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

44 “ Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘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 will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’

46 A nd these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”