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¹ "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.² Five of them were foolish, and five were 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 was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.⁶ But at midnight there was a cry, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'⁷ Then all those maidens rose 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 replied, 'Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers 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 marriage feast; and the door was shut.¹¹ Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.'¹² But he replied, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.'¹³ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

¹⁴ "For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property;¹⁵ to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he 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 dug in the ground and hid his master's money.¹⁹ Now after a long time the master of those servants came and 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 faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into 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 a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow;²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.'²⁶ But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed?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 For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.³⁰ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.'

³¹ "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.³² Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,³³ and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left.³⁴ Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O 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 welcomed me,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, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?³⁸ And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee?³⁹ And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?'⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'⁴¹ Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal 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 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, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?'⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.'⁴⁶ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."