Matthew 25
25
Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids
1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids # 25:1 Or virgins; also in 25:7, 11. who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’
7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’
9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’
12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’
13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.
Parable of the Three Servants
14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15He gave five bags of silver#25:15 Greek talents; also throughout the story. A talent is equal to 75 pounds or 34 kilograms. to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.
16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.
19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’
21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together! # 25:21 Greek Enter into the joy of your master [or your Lord ]; also in 25:23. ’
22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’
23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’
26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’
28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The Final Judgment
31 “But when the Son of Man # 25:31 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself. comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32All the nations#25:32 Or peoples. will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
34 “Then 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 creation of the world. 35For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, # 25:40 Greek my brothers. you were doing it to me!’
41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. # 25:41 Greek his angels. 42For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”
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Matthew 25: NLT
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Matthew 25
25
Matthew 25
1¶ Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be likened unto ten virgins who, taking their lamps, went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2And five of them were prudent, and five were foolish.
3Those that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them;
4but the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go ye out to meet him.
7Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8And the foolish said unto the prudent, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are going out.
9But the prudent answered, saying, Lest there be not enough for us and you, but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves.
10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and those that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut.
11Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man comes.
14¶ For it is like a man travelling into a far country, who called his own slaves and delivered unto them his goods.
15And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each one according to his faculty, and straightway took his journey.
16And after he was gone, he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same and made another five talents.
17And likewise he that had received two, he also gained another two.
18But he that had received one went and dug in the earth and hid his lord’s money.
19And after a long time the lord of those slaves came and reckoned accounts with them.
20And so he that had received five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, Lord, thou didst deliver unto me five talents; behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful slave; thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou didst deliver unto me two talents; behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful slave; thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24Then he who had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown and gathering where thou hast not scattered;
25therefore, I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the earth; behold, thou hast what is thine.
26His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful slave, thou knewest that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I have not scattered;
27therefore, it was expedient for thee to have put my money to the bankers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with interest.
28Take, therefore, the talent from him and give it unto him who has ten talents.
29For unto every one that has shall be given, and he shall have abundance, but from him that has not shall be taken away even that which he has.
30And cast ye the unprofitable slave into the outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
31¶ When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then he shall sit upon the throne of his glory,
32and before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats,
33and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34Then shall the King say unto those on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
35for I was hungry, and ye gave me food; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in;
36naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee? or thirsty and give thee drink?
38When did we see thee a stranger and take thee in? or naked and clothe thee?
39Or when did we see thee sick or in prison and come unto thee?
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brothers, ye have done it unto me.
41Then he shall also say unto those who shall be on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels;
42for I was hungry, and ye gave me no food; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink;
43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44Then they shall also answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister unto thee?
45Then he shall answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of my brothers, ye did it not to me.
46And they shall go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
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