Matthew 25

¹Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom .

²Five of them were foolish , and five were wise .

³For when the foolish took their lamps , they took no oil with them ,

⁴but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps .

⁵As the bridegroom was delayed , they all became drowsy and slept .

⁶But at midnight there was a cry , Here is the bridegroom ! Come out to meet him .

⁷Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps .

⁸And the foolish said to the wise , Give us some of your oil , for our lamps are going out .

⁹But the wise answered , saying , Since there will not be enough for us and for you , go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves .

¹⁰And while they were going to buy , the bridegroom came , and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast , and the door was shut .

¹¹Afterward the other virgins came also , saying , Lord , lord , open to us .

¹²But he answered , Truly , I say to you , I do not know you .

¹³Watch therefore , for you know neither the day nor the hour .

¹⁴For it will be like a man going on a journey , who called his servants and entrusted to them his property .

¹⁵To one he gave five talents , to another two , to another one , to each according to his ability . Then he went away .

¹⁶He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them , and he made five talents more .

¹⁷So also he who had the two talents made two talents more .

¹⁸But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money .

¹⁹Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them .

²⁰And 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 .

²¹His 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 .

²²And he also who had the two talents came forward , saying , Master , you delivered to me two talents ; here I have made two talents more .

²³His 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 .

²⁴He 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 scattered no seed ,

²⁵so I was afraid , and I went and hid your talent in the ground . Here you have what is yours .

²⁶But his master answered him , You wicked and slothful servant ! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed ?

²⁷Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers , and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest .

²⁸So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents .

²⁹For to everyone who has will more be given , and he will have an abundance . But from the one who has not , even what he has will be taken away .

³⁰And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness . In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth .

³¹When the Son of Man comes in his glory , and all the angels with him , then he will sit on his glorious throne .

³²Before him will be gathered all the nations , and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats .

³³And he will place the sheep on his right , but the goats on the left .

³⁴Then the King will say to those on his right , Come , you who are blessed by my Father , inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world .

³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me food , I was thirsty and you gave me drink , I was a stranger and you welcomed me ,

³⁶I was naked and you clothed me , I was sick and you visited me , I was in prison and you came to me .

³⁷Then the righteous will answer him , saying , Lord , when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink ?

³⁸And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?

³⁹And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you ?

⁴⁰And the King will answer them , Truly , I say to you , as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers , you did it to me .

⁴¹Then he will say to those on his left , Depart from me , you cursed , into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels .

⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me no food , I was thirsty and you gave me no drink ,

⁴³I 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 .

⁴⁴Then they also will answer , 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 ?

⁴⁵Then he will answer them , saying , Truly , I say to you , as you did not do it to one of the least of these , you did not do it to me .

⁴⁶And these will go away into eternal punishment , but the righteous into eternal life .