Matthew 25

Common^{(i) 1} "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; ⁴ but the wise took oil in their flasks with their lamps. ⁵ While the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. ⁶ But at midnight there was a cry: 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' ⁷ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' ⁹ But the wise replied, 'No, there may not be enough for both us and you; go rather to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.' ¹⁰ And 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 But he replied, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' ¹³ Therefore keep watch, for you know neither the day nor the hour. ¹⁴ "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. ¹⁷ So also, he who had the two talents gained two more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground, and hid his master's money. ¹⁹ Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ So he who had received the five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents.' ²¹ His master 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 master.' ²² He also who had received the two talents came and said, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents.' ²³ His master 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 master.' ²⁴ Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' ²⁶ But his master answered 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 Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. ²⁸ Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. ²⁹ For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' ³¹ "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then 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 for 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, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' ⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' ⁴¹ "Then he will say to those on his left hand, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels: ⁴² for 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, '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 Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' ⁴⁶ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."