Mat 25 | BSB | STEP | At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps [and] went out to meet the bridegroom.

‏ Matthew 25

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

1 At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps [and] went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five [were] wise. 3 The foolish [ones] took their lamps [but did not] take along [any extra] oil. 4 But the wise [ones] took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 [When] the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 ‘No,’ said the wise [ones] , ‘or there may not be enough for [both] us and you. Instead, go to those who sell [oil] and buy [some] for yourselves.’ 10 But [while] they were on their way to buy [it] , the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 11 Later vvv, the other virgins arrived and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open [the door] for us!’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day [or] the hour. ^{▼▼BYZ and TR include when the Son of man comes}

The Parable of the Talents

14 For [it] is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions. 15 To one he gave five talents, ^{▼▼A talent was worth about twenty years' wages for a laborer} to [another] two [talents] , and to [another] one [talent] — each according to his own ability. And he promptly went on his journey. 16 The [servant] who had received the five talents went [and] put them to work and gained five more. 17 Likewise, the [one with] the two [talents] gained two more. 18 But the [servant] who had received the one [talent] went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money. 19 After a long time, the master of those servants returned to settle accounts with them. 20 The [servant] who had received the five talents came [and] presented five more. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me {with} five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you {in charge} of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’ 22 The [servant] [who had received] the two talents also came [and] said, ‘Master, you entrusted me {with} two talents. See, I have gained two more.’ 23 His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you {in charge} of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’ 24 Finally, the [servant] who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So in my fear, I went [and] hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what [belongs] to you.’ 26 ‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it {back} with interest. 28 Therefore take the talent from him and give [it] to the [one] who has ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given [more] , and [he] will have an abundance. But the [one who] {does} not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, [where] there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The Sheep and the Goats

31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate [the people] one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on [His] left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from [the] foundation of [the] world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave Me [something] to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me [something] to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, 36 [I was] naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed [You] , or thirsty and give [You] something to 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 visit You?’ 40 And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’ 41 Then He will say to those on [His] left, ‘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 nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, [I was] naked and you did not clothe Me, [I was] sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ 44 And they too will reply, ‘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 [the King] will answer, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’ 46 And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”