Matthew 25
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 werefoolish.
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
isthine.
26 His lord
answered and said unto him, Thouwicked 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 theein? 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.[1]
[1]Excerpted from The
Complete Multimedia Bible based on the King James Version. Copyright (c)
1994 Compton's NewMedia, Inc.