"Then athe kingdom
of heaven
will be comparable
to ten
virgins
, who
took
their blamps
and went
out to meet
the bridegroom
.
"Five of them were foolish
, and five
were aprudent
.
"For when the foolish took
their lamps
, they took
no
oil
with them,
but the aprudent took
oil
in flasks
along with their lamps
.
"Now while the bridegroom
was delaying
, they all
got
drowsy
and began to sleep
.
"But at midnight there was a shout
, `Behold
, the bridegroom
! Come
out to meet
him.'
"Then all
those
virgins
rose
and trimmed
their lamps
.
"The foolish said
to the prudent
, `Give
us some
of your oil
, for our lamps
are going
out.'
"But the aprudent answered
, `No
, there will not be enough
for us and you too; go
instead
to the dealers
and buy
some for yourselves
.'
"And while they were going away
to make
the purchase
, the bridegroom
came
, and those
who were aready
went
in with him to bthe wedding
feast
; and cthe door
was shut
.
"Later the other
virgins
also
came
, saying
, ` aLord
, lord
, open
up for us.'
"But he answered, `Truly
I say
to you, I do not know
you.'
" aBe on the alert then
, for you do not know
the day
nor
the hour
.
" aFor it is just like
a man
babout to go
on a journey
, who called
his own
slaves
and entrusted
his possessions
to them.
"To one he gave
five
1 atalents
, to another
, two
, and to another
, one
, each
according
to his own
ability
; and he bwent
on his journey
.
"Immediately the one who had received
the five
atalents
went
and traded
with them, and gained
five
more
talents.
"In the same manner
the one who had received the two
talents gained
two
more
.
"But he who received the one
talent went
away
, and dug
a hole in the ground
and hid
his 1master's
money
.
"Now after
a long
time
the master
of those
slaves
*came
and * asettled
accounts
with them.
"The one who had received the five
atalents
came
up and brought
five
more
talents
, saying
, `Master
, you entrusted
five
talents
to me. See
, I have gained
five
more
talents
.'
"His master said
to him, `Well
done
, good
and afaithful
slave
. You were faithful
with a few
things
, I will bput
you in charge
of many
things
; enter
into the joy
of your 1master
.'
"Also the one
who
had received the two
atalents
came
up and said
, `Master
, you entrusted
two
talents
to me. See
, I have gained
two
more
talents
.'
"His master said
to him, `Well
done
, good
and afaithful
slave
. You were faithful
with a few
things
, I will put
you in charge
of many
things
; enter
into the joy
of your master
.'
"And the one also who had received
the one
atalent
came
up and said
, `Master
, I knew
you to be a hard
man
, reaping
where
you did not sow
and gathering
where
you scattered
no
seed.
`And I was afraid, and went
away
and hid
your talent
in the ground
. See
, you have
what
is yours
.'
"But his master answered
and said
to him, `You wicked
, lazy
slave
, you knew
that I reap
where
I did not sow
and gather
where
I scattered
no
seed.
`Then you ought
to have put
my money
1in the bank
, and on my arrival
I would have received
my money back
with interest
.
`Therefore take
away
the talent
from him, and give
it to the one who has
the ten
talents
.'
" aFor to everyone who has
, more shall be given
, and he will have
an abundance
; but from the one who does not have
, even
what
he does have
shall be taken
away
.
"Throw out the worthless
slave
into athe outer
darkness
; in that place
there
will be weeping
and gnashing
of teeth
.
"But when athe Son
of Man
comes
in His glory
, and all
the angels
with Him, then
bHe will sit
on His glorious
throne
.
"All the nations
will be agathered
before
Him; and He will separate
them from one
another
, bas the shepherd
separates
the sheep
from the goats
;
and He will put the sheep
aon His right
, and the goats
bon the left
.
"Then the King
will say
to those
on His right
, `Come
, you who are blessed
of My Father
, ainherit
the kingdom
prepared
for you bfrom the foundation
of the world
.
`For aI was hungry, and you gave
Me something to eat
; I was thirsty
, and you gave
Me something to drink
; bI was a stranger
, and you invited
Me in;
anaked, and you clothed
Me; I was sick
, and you bvisited
Me; cI was in prison
, and you came
to Me.'
"Then the righteous
will answer
Him, `Lord
, when
did we see
You hungry
, and feed
You, or
thirsty
, and give
You something to drink
?
`And when did we see
You a stranger
, and invite
You in, or
naked
, and clothe
You?
`When did we see
You sick
, or
in prison
, and come
to You?'
" aThe King will answer
and say
to them, `Truly
I say
to you, bto the extent
that you did
it to one
of these
brothers
of Mine
, even the least
of them, you did
it to Me.'
"Then He will also
say
to those
on His left
, ` aDepart
from Me, accursed
ones, into the beternal
fire
which has been prepared
for cthe devil
and his angels
;
for I was hungry, and you gave
Me nothing to eat
; I was thirsty
, and you gave
Me nothing
to drink
;
I was a stranger, and you did not invite
Me in; naked
, and you did not clothe
Me; sick
, and in prison
, and you did not visit
Me.'
"Then they themselves
also
will answer
, `Lord
, when
did we see
You hungry
, or
thirsty
, or
a stranger
, or
naked
, or
sick
, or
in prison
, and did not 1take
care
of You?'
"Then He will answer
them, `Truly
I say
to you, to the extent
that you did
not do
it to one
of the least
of these
, you did
not do
it to Me.'
"These will go
away
into aeternal
punishment
, but the righteous
into beternal
life
."