Read the Bible

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

¹ "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ^(a)ten virgins who took their lamps^[a] and went to meet ^(b)the bridegroom.^{[b] 2} Five of them were foolish, and five were ^(c)wise. ³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵ As the bridegroom ^(d)was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. ⁶ But ^(e)at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' ⁷ Then all those virgins rose and ^(f)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, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' ¹⁰ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and ^(g)those who were ready went in with him to ^(h)the marriage feast, and ⁽ⁱ⁾the door was shut. ¹¹ Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ^(j)‘Lord, lord, open to us.' ^12 (k)But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, ^(l)I do not know you.' ^13 (m)Watch therefore, for you ⁽ⁿ⁾know neither the day nor the hour.

The Parable of the Talents

^14 (o)"For ^(p)it will be like a man ^(q)going on a journey, who called his servants^[c] and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five ^(r)talents,^[d] to another two, to another one, ^(s)to each according to his ability. Then he ^(t)went away. 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 made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and ^(u)dug in the ground and hid his master's money. ¹⁹ Now ^(v)after a long time the master of those servants came and ^(w)settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.' ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and ^(x)faithful servant.^{[e] (y)}You have been faithful over a little; ^(z)I will set you over much. Enter into ^(aa)the joy of your master.' ²² And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.' ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' ²⁴ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be ^(ab)a hard man, reaping ^(ac)where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, ^(ad)you have what is yours.' ²⁶ But his master answered him, ‘You ^(ae)wicked and ^(af)slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ^29 (ag)For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And ^(ah)cast ^(ai)the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place ^(aj)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

The Final Judgment

^31 (ak)"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, ^(al)then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² Before him ^(am)will be gathered ^(an)all the nations, and ^(ao)he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates ^(ap)the sheep from the goats. ³³ And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then ^(aq)the King will say to ^(ar)those on his right, ‘Come, you ^(as)who are blessed by my Father, ^(at)inherit ^(au)the kingdom ^(av)prepared for you ^(aw)from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For ^(ax)I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you ^(ay)gave me drink, ^(az)I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ^36 (ba)I was naked and you clothed me, ^(bb)I was sick and you ^(bc)visited me, ^(bd)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 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' ⁴⁰ And ^(be)the King will answer them, ^(bf)‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these ^(bg)my brothers,^[f] you did it to me.'

⁴¹ "Then he will say to those on his left, ^(bh)‘Depart from me, you ^(bi)cursed, into ^(bj)the eternal fire prepared for ^(bk)the devil and his angels. ⁴² For ^(bl)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 welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' ⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, 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, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, ^(bm)you did not do it to me.' ⁴⁶ And these will go away ^(bn)into eternal punishment, but the righteous ^(bo)into ^(bp)eternal life."