Matthew 25

1At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

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

3When the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take any oil with them.

4But the wise ones took flasks of oil along with their lamps.

5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep.

6At midnight there was a shout: ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

7Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.

8The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’

9But the wise ones answered, ‘No, there might not be enough for both us and you. Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

10While they were on their way to buy it, the bridegroom arrived. The ones who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut.

11Later the other virgins came too and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’

12But he answered, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’

13So stay awake, because you do not know the day or the hour.

14For it is like a man going on a journey, who called his own servants and entrusted his property to them.

15To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. Right away,

16the one who had received the five talents went and put them to work and gained five more.

17In the same way, the one who had the two gained two more.

18But the one who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

19After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.

20The one who had received the five talents came forward and brought five more talents. He said, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’

21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s joy.’

22The one with the two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’

23His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s joy.’

24Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter seed.

25So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’

26But his master answered him, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter seed?

27Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and when I came back I would have received what is mine with interest.

28So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.

29For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

30And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and grinding of teeth there.’

31When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.

32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people from one another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

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

34Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

35For 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 welcomed me;

36I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you looked after me; I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?

38When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?

39When did we see you sick or in prison and come to visit you?’

40The King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Go away from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink;

43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me; naked and you did not clothe me; sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not serve you?’

45Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”