Bible verses about "opportunities" | Moffatt

²⁵ The disciple just leant back on the breast of Jesus and said, "Lord, who is it?" ²⁶ Jesus answered, "The man I am going to give this piece of bread to, when I dip it in the dish." Then he took the piece of bread, dipped it, and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot; ²⁷ and when he took the bread, at that moment Satan entered him. Then Jesus told him, "Be quick with what you have to do." ²⁸ (None of those at table understood why he said this to him;

³⁸ "Repent," said Peter, "let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins; then you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.

⁴⁷ The servant who knew his lord and master's orders and did not prepare for them, will receive many lashes;

¹¹ Have nothing to do with the fruitless enterprises of the darkness; rather expose them.

¹² "A nobleman," he said, "went abroad to obtain royal power for himself and then return. ¹³ He first called his ten servants, giving them each a five-pound note, and telling them, 'Trade with this till I come back.' ¹⁴ Now his people hated him and sent envoys after him to say, 'We object to him having royal power over us.' ¹⁵ However he secured the royal power and came home. Then he ordered the servants to be called who had been given the money, that he might find out what business they had done. ¹⁶ The first came up saying, 'Your five pounds has made other fifty, sir.' ¹⁷ 'Capital,' he said, 'you excellent servant! because you have proved trustworthy in a trifle, you are placed over ten towns.' ¹⁸ Then the second came and said, 'Your five pounds has made twenty-five, sir.' ¹⁹ To him he said, 'And you are set over five towns.' ²⁰ Then the next came and said, 'Here is your five pounds, sir; I kept it safe in a napkin, ²¹ for I was afraid of you, you are such a hard man — picking up what you never put down, and reaping what you never sowed.' ²² He replied, 'You rascal of a servant, I will convict you by what you have said yourself. You knew, did you, that I was a hard man, picking up what I never put down, and reaping what I never sowed! ²³ Why then did you not put my money into the bank, so that I could have got it with interest when I came back?' ²⁴ Then he said to the bystanders, 'Take the five pounds from him and give it to the man with fifty.' ²⁵ 'Sir,' they said, 'he has fifty already!' ²⁶ 'I tell you, to everyone who has shall more be given, but from him who has nothing, even what he has shall be taken. ²⁷ And now for these enemies of mine who objected to me reigning over them — bring them here and slay them in my presence.' "

¹ Do not believe every spirit, beloved, but test the spirits to see if they come from God; for many false prophets have emerged in the world.

¹⁶ Jesus said to him, "There was a man who was giving a large supper, to which he had invited a number of guests. ¹⁷ At the hour for supper he sent his servant to tell the guests, 'Come, things are all ready.' ¹⁸ But they all alike proceeded to decline. The first said to him, 'I have bought a farm and I am obliged to go and look at it. Pray consider me excused.' ¹⁹ The second said, 'I have bought five pair of oxen and I am going to try them. Pray consider me excused.' ²⁰ Another said, 'I have married a wife; that is why I cannot come.' ²¹ The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house was enraged, and said to his servant, 'Quick, go out to the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the maimed, the blind, and the lame.' ²² When the servant announced, 'Your order has been carried out, sir, but there is still room,' ²³ the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the roads and hedges and make people come in, to fill up my house. ²⁴ For I tell you that not one of those who were invited shall taste my supper.'"

⁹ The Lord is not slow with what he promises, according to certain people's idea of slowness; no, he is longsuffering for your sake, he does not wish any to perish but all to betake them to repentance.

¹⁶ make the very most of your time, for these are evil days.

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."