Gift from Creator Tells the Good Story 25
25
WISE AND FOOLISH YOUNG WOMEN
1“When that time comes, the ones who are walking Creator’s good road from above will be like ten young, unmarried women who took their ceremonial torches and went out to welcome the groom. 2Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3-4The wise women took an extra clay pot of oil along for their torches, but the foolish ones did not bother to bring any.
5“The groom did not come when expected, and they all fell asleep as they waited. 6Then suddenly, in the dark of the night, someone cried out, ‘Look! The groom is coming, let us go welcome him!’
7“All the women woke up to prepare their torches, but the oil in the torches had run out.
8“The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil so our torches will not go out.’
9“The wise ones answered back, ‘There is not enough for all of us. Hurry, go to the village and trade for some more.’
10“They hurried away to get more oil. But while they were gone, the groom came and all the guests went into the lodge for the wedding feast, and the gate was closed.
11“A while later the other women came to the gate and said to the gatekeeper, ‘Honored one, O honored one, open the door and let us come in.’
12“But he said to them, ‘I truly do not even know who you are—why should I let you in?’”
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) finished the story with these words of wisdom.
13“Here is what I am saying to you: be prepared like the wise women in this story and always be ready, for you do not know the time of day or night that the True Human Being will appear.”
STORY OF THE TRUSTED TRIBAL MEMBERS
14“Here is another way to see how the Creator’s good road from above will come: It is like a tribal headman preparing for a long journey. He gathered three trusted tribal members together to give them charge of his goods during his journey.
15“He gave five herds of horses#25:15 Lit. five talents. A talent was worth at least fifteen years of wages. to one, two herds to another, and one herd to the third man, giving each one according to his ability to make a good trade. After that he left on his journey.
16“The man with five herds of horses went to work right away, traded well, and earned five more herds. 17In the same way the one with two herds used them to gain two more. 18But the one who had only one kept the herd well hidden and safe from thieves.
19“Many moons passed before the headman returned from his journey. He gathered the trusted tribal members together to see how well they had traded.
20“The one given five herds came forward and said, ‘Look, I have gained five more!’
21“‘You have served me well, my good and trusted friend,’ the headman said, ‘You have done well with a small amount, now I will give you much more. Come and live with my family and enjoy all I have.’
22“Then the man to whom he gave two herds came forward and said, ‘You gave me two herds, but I have four to give back to you.’ 23The headman honored him and did the same for him as the one with ten.
24“Then the man to whom he had given one herd came to him and said, ‘Headman, I know you have a reputation of being a harsh man, taking what you did not plant and gathering what is not yours. 25I was afraid, so I hid the herd away to keep them safe for you. Here they are!’
26“The headman said to him, ‘You have broken the trust I gave you and have proven you are lazy and no good. If you knew I was a harsh man, 27why did you not ask the trading post to trade for them so there would be something to show for them when I returned?’
28“So he told them to take the herd from him and give it to the one who had ten 29and said, ‘The ones who do well with what they are given will be given more, but the ones who do nothing with it will lose even what they have been given.’ 30Then he had the man thrown out of his house into the darkness outside, the place where they weep and grind their teeth together in anger and frustration.
FATE OF THE NATIONS
31“When the True Human Being comes in all of his power and shining-greatness, along with all of his spirit-messengers, he will sit down in his seat of honor. 32All nations will be gathered and come before him. He will choose between them like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right side and the goats to his left.
34“Then the Chief will say to the sheep on his right, ‘The blessing of my Father rests upon you. Come into the Land of Creator’s good road that has been prepared for you from the beginning of the world. 35For I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was hungry and you fed me. I was a stranger and you gave me lodging. 36When I needed clothes, you gave me something to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in prison, you visited me.’
37-39“‘When did we do all these things for you?’ the good-hearted ones asked.
40“‘I speak from my heart,’ he answered them, ‘whatever you did for the least important of my fellow human beings#25:40 Lit. my brothers who needed help, you did for me.’
41“Then the Chief will say to the goats on his left, ‘Go away from me, you who have bad hearts,#25:41 Lit. cursed ones into the fire that burns everything up, made for the evil trickster snake and his messengers. 42For when I was hungry, you gave me nothing to eat. When I was thirsty, you gave me no drink, 43and when I was a stranger, you turned me away. When I needed clothes, you gave me nothing to wear, and when I was sick and in prison, you failed to visit me.’
44“‘Honored One,’ they questioned, ‘when was it that we saw you like this and did nothing?’
45“‘I speak from my heart,’ he answered back, ‘when you did not help the ones who needed it most, you failed to help me.’
46“Then the goats will go away to the punishment of the world to come that never fades away, and the sheep will enter the life of the world to come that never fades away, full of beauty and harmony.”
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Gift from Creator Tells the Good Story 25: FNVNT
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