[1] Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, the friends of the
bride, who took their lights, and went out with the purpose of meeting the
husband. [2] And five of them were foolish, and five were wise. [3] For the
foolish, when they took their lights, took no oil with them. [4] But the
wise took oil in their vessels with their lights. [5] Now the husband was a
long time in coming, and they all went to sleep. [6] But in the middle of
the night there is a cry, The husband comes! Go out to him. [7] Then all
those virgins got up, and made ready their lights. [8] And the foolish said
to the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lights are going out. [9] But the
wise made answer, saying, There may not be enough for us and you; it would
be better for you to go to the traders and get oil for yourselves. [10] And
while they went to get oil, the master came; and those who were ready went
in with him to the feast: and the door was shut. [11] After that the other
virgins came, saying, Lord, Lord, let us in. [12] But he made answer and
said, Truly I say to you, I have no knowledge of you. [13] Keep watch,
then, because you are not certain of the day or of the hour. [14] For it is
as when a man, about to take a journey, got his servants together, and gave
them his property. [15] And to one he gave five talents, to another two, to
another one; to everyone as he was able; and he went on his journey. [16]
Straight away he who had been given the five talents went and did trade
with them, and made five more. [17] In the same way he who had been given
the two got two more. [18] But he who was given the one went away and put
it in a hole in the earth, and kept his lord's money in a secret place.
[19] Now after a long time the lord of those servants comes, and makes up
his account with them. [20] And he who had the five talents came with his
other five talents, saying, Lord, you gave into my care five talents: see,
I have got five more. [21] His lord said to him, Well done, good and true
servant: you have been true in a small thing, I will give you control over
great things: take your part in the joy of your lord. [22] And he who had
the two talents came and said, Lord, you gave into my care two talents:
see, I have got two more. [23] His lord said to him, Well done, good and
true servant: you have been true in a small thing, I will give you control
over great things: take your part in the joy of your lord. [24] And he who
had had the one talent came and said, Lord, I had knowledge that you are a
hard man, getting in grain where you have not put seed, and making profits
for which you have done no work: [25] And I was in fear, and went away, and
put your talent in the earth: here is what is yours. [26] But his lord in
answer said to him, You are a bad and unready servant; if you had knowledge
that I get in grain where I did not put seed, and make profits for which I
have done no work, [27] Why, then, did you not put my money in the bank,
and at my coming I would have got back what is mine with interest? [28]
Take away, then, his talent and give it to him who has the ten talents.
[29] For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have more: but from
him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. [30] And put out the
servant who is of no profit into the outer dark: there will be weeping and
cries of sorrow. [31] But when the Son of man comes in his glory, and all
the angels with him, then will he be seated in his glory: [32] And before
him all the nations will come together; and they will be parted one from
another, as the sheep are parted from the goats by the keeper. [33] And he
will put the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. [34] Then will
the King say to those on his right, Come, you who have the blessing of my
Father, into the kingdom made ready for you before the world was: [35] For
I was in need of food, and you gave it to me: I was in need of drink, and
you gave it to me: I was wandering, and you took me in; [36] I had no
clothing, and you gave it to me: when I was ill, or in prison, you came to
me. [37] Then will the upright make answer to him, saying, Lord, when did
we see you in need of food, and give it to you? or in need of drink, and
give it to you? [38] And when did we see you wandering, and take you in? or
without clothing, and give it to you? [39] And when did we see you ill, or
in prison, and come to you? [40] And the King will make answer and say to
them, Truly I say to you, Because you did it to the least of these my
brothers, you did it to me. [41] Then will he say to those on the left, Go
from me, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire which is ready for the Evil
One and his angels: [42] For I was in need of food, and you gave it not to
me; I was in need of drink, and you gave it not to me: [43] I was
wandering, and you took me not in; without clothing, and you gave me no
clothing; ill, and in prison, and you came not to me. [44] Then will they
make answer, saying, Lord, when did we see you in need of food or drink, or
wandering, or without clothing, or ill, or in prison, and did not take care
of you? [45] Then will he make answer to them, saying, Truly I say to you,
Because you did it not to the least of these, you did it not to me. [46]
And these will go away into eternal punishment; but the upright into
eternal life.
