Matthäus 25 | King James Version

1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

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

3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

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

12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into 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 shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And 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 brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

King James Bible (1769). Public Domain. Please note the following exceptions for use and publication in the United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press

New International Reader’s Version

The story of ten bridesmaids

1 ‘Here is what the kingdom of heaven will be like at that time. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went out to meet the groom.

2 Five of them were foolish. Five were wise.

3 The foolish ones took their lamps but didn’t take any olive oil with them.

4 The wise ones took oil in jars along with their lamps.

5 The groom did not come for a long time. So the bridesmaids all grew tired and fell asleep.

6 ‘At midnight someone cried out, “Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him!”

7 ‘Then all the bridesmaids woke up and got their lamps ready.

8 The foolish ones said to the wise ones, “Give us some of your oil. Our lamps are going out.”

9 ‘ “No”, they replied. “There may not be enough for all of us. Instead, go to those who sell oil. Buy some for yourselves.”

10 ‘So they went to buy the oil. But while they were on their way, the groom arrived. The bridesmaids who were ready went in with him to the wedding dinner. Then the door was shut.

11 ‘Later, the other bridesmaids also came. “Sir! Sir!” they said. “Open the door for us!”

12 ‘But he replied, “What I’m about to tell you is true. I don’t know you.”

13 ‘So keep watch. You do not know the day or the hour that the groom will come.

The story of three slaves

14 ‘Again, here is what the kingdom of heaven will be like. A man was going on a journey. He sent for his slaves and put them in charge of his money.

15 He gave five bags of gold to one. He gave two bags to another. And he gave one bag to the third. The man gave each slave the amount of money he knew the slave could take care of. Then he went on his journey.

16 The slave who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work. He earned five bags more.

17 The one with the two bags of gold earned two more.

18 But the man who had received one bag went and dug a hole in the ground. He hid his master’s money in it.

19 ‘After a long time the master of those slaves returned. He wanted to collect all the money they had earned.

20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. “Master”, he said, “you trusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have earned five more.”

21 ‘His master replied, “You have done well, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

22 ‘The man with two bags of gold also came. “Master”, he said, “you trusted me with two bags of gold. See, I have earned two more.”

23 ‘His master replied, “You have done well, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

24 ‘Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. “Master”, he said, “I knew that you are a hard man. You harvest where you have not planted. You gather crops where you have not scattered seed.

25 So I was afraid. I went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.”

26 ‘His master replied, “You evil, lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I have not planted? You knew that I gather crops where I have not scattered seed?

27 Well then, you should have put my money in the bank. When I returned, I would have received it back with interest.”

28 ‘Then his master commanded the other slaves, “Take the bag of gold from him. Give it to the one who has ten bags.

29 Everyone who has will be given more. They will have more than enough. And what about anyone who doesn’t have? Even what they have will be taken away from them.

30 Throw that worthless slave outside. There in the darkness, people will weep and grind their teeth.”

The sheep and the goats

31 ‘The Son of Man will come in all his glory. All the angels will come with him. Then he will sit in glory on his throne.

32 All the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate the people into two groups. He will be like a shepherd who separates the sheep from the goats.

33 He will put the sheep to his right and the goats to his left.

34 ‘Then the King will speak to those on his right. He will say, “My Father has blessed you. Come and take what is yours. It is the kingdom prepared for you since the world was created.

35 I was hungry. And you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty. And you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger. And you invited me in.

36 I needed clothes. And you gave them to me. I was ill. And you took care of me. I was in prison. And you came to visit me.”

37 ‘Then the people who have done what is right will answer him. “Lord”, they will ask, “when did we see you hungry and feed you? When did we see you thirsty and give you something to drink?

38 When did we see you as a stranger and invite you in? When did we see you needing clothes and give them to you?

39 When did we see you ill or in prison and go to visit you?”

40 ‘The King will reply, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Anything you did for one of the least important of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

41 ‘Then he will say to those on his left, “You are cursed! Go away from me into the fire that burns for ever. It has been prepared for the devil and his angels.

42 I was hungry. But you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty. But you gave me nothing to drink.

43 I was a stranger. But you did not invite me in. I needed clothes. But you did not give me any. I was ill and in prison. But you did not take care of me.”

44 ‘They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty and not help you? When did we see you as a stranger or needing clothes or ill or in prison and not help you?”

45 ‘He will reply, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Anything you didn’t do for one of the least important of these, you didn’t do for me.”

46 ‘Then they will go away to be punished for ever. But those who have done what is right will receive eternal life.’

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