Mat 25 | ESV | STEP | Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom .

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ^aten virgins who took their lamps ^{▼▼Or torches} and went to meet ^cthe bridegroom. ^{▼▼Some manuscripts add and the bride} 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were ^ewise. 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 ^fwas delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But ^gat midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and ^htrimmed 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, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and ⁱthose who were ready went in with him to ^jthe marriage feast, and ^kthe door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ^l‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 ^mBut he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, ⁿI do not know you.’ 13 ^oWatch therefore, for you ^pknow neither the day nor the hour.

The Parable of the Talents

14 ^q“For ^rit will be like a man ^sgoing on a journey, who called his servants ^{▼▼Greek bondservants; also verse 19} and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five ^utalents, ^{▼▼A talent was a monetary unit worth about twenty years’ wages for a laborer} to another two, to another one, ^wto each according to his ability. Then he ^xwent 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 ^ydug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now ^zafter a long time the master of those servants came and ^aasettled 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 ^abfaithful servant. ^{▼▼Greek bondservant; also verses 23, 26, 30} ^adYou have been faithful over a little; ^aeI will set you over much. Enter into ^afthe 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 ^aga hard man, reaping ^ahwhere you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, ^aiyou have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You ^ajwicked and ^akslothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 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 ^alFor 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. 30 And ^amcast ^anthe worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place ^aothere will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The Final Judgment

31 ^ap“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, ^aqthen he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him ^arwill be gathered ^asall the nations, and ^athe will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates ^authe sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then ^avthe King will say to ^awthose on his right, ‘Come, you ^axwho are blessed by my Father, ^ayinherit ^azthe kingdom ^baprepared for you ^bbfrom the foundation of the world. 35 For ^bcI was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you ^bdgave me drink, ^beI was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 ^bfI was naked and you clothed me, ^bgI was sick and you ^bhvisited me, ^biI 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 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And ^bjthe King will answer them, ^bk‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these ^blmy brothers, ^{▼▼Or brothers and sisters} you did it to me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ^bn‘Depart from me, you ^bocursed, into ^bpthe eternal fire prepared for ^bqthe devil and his angels. 42 For ^brI 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, 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, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, ^bsyou did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away ^btinto eternal punishment, but the righteous ^buinto ^bveternal life.”