
# Chapter 25
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.*The Parable of the Talents

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. *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.'*The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations

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."*


