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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; [fn] 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 [fn] in which the Son of Man is coming.

¹⁴ [xr] "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 So 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 [fn] 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, [fn] 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."