1“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who having taken their lamps, went out to meet the bridegroom.
2Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3Those who were foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them,
4but the wise took oil in their vessels along with their lamps.
5But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.
6“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
7Then all those virgins arose, and they trimmed their lamps.
8And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
9But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for you and us; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
10But as they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11“Afterward the remaining virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
12But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly I say to you, I do not know you.’
13“Watch therefore, for you do not know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
14“For it is as if a man leaving on a journey, who called his own servants and handed over his possessions to them.
15And to the one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
16Then the one receiving the five talents went and traded with them, and made five other talents.
17And likewise the one receiving the two gained two more also.
18But the one receiving one went away and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.
19Then after much time, the lord of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.
20“And the one who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I gained five more talents besides them.’
21His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
22And also the one receiving the two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’
23His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
24“Then the one having received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you, that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter.
25And being afraid, I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’
26“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant, you knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter.
27Therefore you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received what is mine with interest.
28Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.
29“ ‘For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but to him who does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.
30And cast the useless servant into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ”
31“And when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then will He sit upon His glorious throne.
32All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on His left.
34Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I 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?
38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
39Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
40And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.’
41“Then He will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
42for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;
43I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, 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 we did not minister to You?’
45Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, neither did you do it to Me.’
46And these shall go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
