Matthew 25

Moffatt^{(i) 1} Then shall the Realm of heaven be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. ² Five of them were stupid and five were sensible. ³ For although the stupid took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴ whereas the sensible took oil in their vessels as well as their lamps. ⁵ As the bridegroom was long of coming, they all grew drowsy and went to sleep. ⁶ But at midnight the cry arose, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' ⁷ Then all the maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The stupid said to the sensible, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' ⁹ But the sensible replied, 'No, there may not be enough for us and for you. Better go to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' ¹⁰ Now while they were away buying oil, the bridegroom arrived; those maidens who were ready accompanied him to the marriage-banquet, and the door was shut. ¹¹ Afterwards the rest of the maidens came and said, 'Oh sir, oh sir, open the door for us!' ¹² but he replied, 'I tell you frankly, I do not know you.' ¹³ Keep on the watch then, for you know neither the day nor the hour. ¹⁴ For the case is that of a man going abroad, who summoned his servants and handed over his property to them; ¹⁵ to one he gave twelve hundred pounds, to another five hundred, and to another two hundred and fifty; each got according to his capacity. Then the man went abroad. ¹⁶ The servant who had got the twelve hundred pounds went at once and traded with them, making another twelve hundred. ¹⁷ Similarly the servant who had got the five hundred pounds made another five hundred. ¹⁸ But the servant who had got the two hundred and fifty pounds went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. ¹⁹ Now a long time afterwards the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ Then the servant who had got the twelve hundred pounds came forward, bringing twelve hundred more; he said, 'You handed me twelve hundred pounds, sir; here I have gained another twelve hundred.' ²¹ His master said to him, 'Capital, you excellent and trusty servant! You have been trusty in charge of a small sum: I will put you in charge of a large sum. Come and share your master's feast.' ²² Then the servant with the five hundred pounds came forward. He said, 'You handed me five hundred pounds, sir; here I have gained another five hundred.' ²³ His master said to him, 'Capital, you excellent and trusty servant! You have been trusty in charge of a small sum: I will put you in charge of a large sum. Come and share your master's feast.' ²⁴ Then the servant who had got the two hundred and fifty pounds came forward. He said, 'I knew you were a hard man, sir, reaping where you never sowed and gathering where you never winnowed. ²⁵ So I was afraid; I went and hid your two hundred and fifty pounds in the earth. There's your money!' ²⁶ His master said to him in reply, 'You rascal, you idle servant! You knew, did you, that I reap where I have never sowed and gather where I have never winnowed! ²⁷ Well then, you should have handed my money to the bankers and I would have got my capital with interest when I came back. ²⁸ Take therefore the two hundred and fifty pounds away from him, give it to the servant who had the twelve hundred. ²⁹ For to everyone who has shall more be given and richly given; but from him who has nothing, even what he has shall be taken. ³⁰ Throw the good-for-nothing servant into the darkness outside; there men will wail and gnash their teeth. ³¹ When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory, ³² and all nations will be gathered in front of him; he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, ³³ setting the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left. ³⁴ Then shall the King say to those on his right, 'Come, you whom my Father has blessed, come into your inheritance in the realm prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you entertained me, ³⁶ I was unclothed and you clothed me, I was ill and you looked after me, I was in prison and you visited me.' ³⁷ Then the just will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and fed you? or thirsty and gave you drink? ³⁸ when did we see you a stranger and entertain you? or unclothed and clothed you? ³⁹ when did we see you ill or in prison and visit you?' ⁴⁰ The King will answer them, 'I tell you truly, in so far as you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even to the least of them, you did it to me.' ⁴¹ Then he will say to those on the left, 'Begone from me, you accursed ones, to the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels! ⁴² For I was hungry but you never fed me, I was thirsty but you never gave me drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger but you never entertained me, I was unclothed but you never clothed me, I was ill and in prison but you never looked after me.' ⁴⁴ Then they will answer too, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or unclothed or ill or in prison, and did not minister to you?' ⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, 'I tell you truly, in so far as you did not do it to one of these, even the least of them, you did not do it to me.' ⁴⁶ So they shall depart to eternal punishment, and the just to eternal life."