| 1 | "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. |
| 2 | Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. |
| 3 | Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, |
| 4 | but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. |
| 5 | But 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 | Then all those virgins arose 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 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 | 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 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. |
| 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 | And 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 | Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. |
| 17 | And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. |
| 18 | But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord`s money. |
| 19 | After 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 | His 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 | He 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 | His 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 | And 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 | So 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 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 | And cast the unprofitable 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 holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. |
| 32 | All 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 | And He will set 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, saying, `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 | Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?` |
| 40 | And 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 | 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 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 | Then 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 | And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." |