Read the Bible

¹ Then may the kingdom of heaven be shadowed forth by ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom and bride.² And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.³ And the foolish took their lamps, but took no oil with them.⁴ But the wise took oil in vessels, with their lamps.⁵ And while the bridegroom delayed, they all became sleepy and fell asleep.⁶ And at midnight there was an outcry: Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.⁷ Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.⁸ And the foolish said to the wise; Give us of your oil; for, behold, our lamps have gone out.⁹ The wise answered and said: [fn] lest there should not be enough for us and for you: but go ye to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. ¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready, went with him into the house of the nuptials, and the door was shut.¹¹ And at length came also the other virgins, and said: Our lord, our lord, open to us.¹² But he answered, and said to them: Verily I say to you, I know you not.¹³ Watch, therefore, seeing ye know not the day nor the hour.

¹⁴ For, as a man that took a journey, called his servants and delivered to them his property;¹⁵ to one he gave five talents; to another, two; and to another, one: to each, according to his ability: and he immediately departed.¹⁶ Then he that received five talents, went and traded with them, and gained five more.¹⁷ And likewise: the one of two [fn] , by trading gained two more. ¹⁸ But he that received one, went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.¹⁹ And after a long time, the lord of those servants came, and received account from them.²⁰ And he who had received the five talents, came and brought five others; and said, My lord, thou gavest me five talents; behold, I have gained by trading five more to them.²¹ His lord said to him: Well done! good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful with a little; I will set thee over much: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.²² And he of the two talents came, and said: My lord, thou gavest me two talents; behold, I have by trading gained two more to them.²³ His lord said to him: Well done! good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful with a little; I will set thee over much: enter thou into the Joy of thy lord.²⁴ And he also that received the one talent, came and said: My lord, I knew thee, that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sowed, and gathering where thou hast not scattered;²⁵ and I was afraid, and I went and hid thy talent in the earth. Behold, thou hast what is thine.²⁶ His lord answered, and said to him: Wicked and slothful servant ! Thou knewest me, that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not scattered!²⁷ Thou oughtest to have cast my money into the exchange; and I might have come and demanded my property with its interest.²⁸ Take therefore the talent from him, and give it to him that hath ten talents.²⁹ For, to him that hath, shall be given, and he shall have more; but from him that hath not, even what he hath shall be taken away.³⁰ And cast ye the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

³¹ And when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all his holy angels with him, then will he sit upon the throne of his glory.³² And before him will be gathered all nations; and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd severeth the sheep from the goats.³³ And he will place the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left.³⁴ Then will the king say to those on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father; inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you from the foundation of the world.³⁵ For I was hungry, and ye gave me food; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me home;³⁶ I was naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came to me.³⁷ Then will the righteous say to him: Our Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?³⁸ And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee home? or naked, and clothed thee?³⁹ And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came to thee?⁴⁰ And the king will answer, and say to them: Verily I Say to you, That inasmuch as ye did so to one of these my little brothers, ye did so to me.⁴¹ Then will he say also to them on his left hand: Go from me, ye accursed, into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the Calumniator and his angels,⁴² For I was hungry, and ye gave me no food; and I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink;⁴³ and I was a stranger, and ye took me not home; and I was naked, and ye clothed me not; and I was sick and in prison, and ye did not visit me.⁴⁴ Then will they also answer and say: Our Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee?⁴⁵ Then will he answer, and say to them: Verily I say to you, That in as much as ye did not so to one of these little ones, ye did not so to me.⁴⁶ And these will go into everlasting torment, and the righteous into everlasting life.