Matthew 25

₁“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lampsand went to meet the bridegroom. ₂Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ₃For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ₄but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ₅As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. ₆But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ₇Then all those virgins rose and 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, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ ₁₀And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. ₁₁Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ ₁₂But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ ₁₃Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

₁₄“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servantsand entrusted to them his property. ₁₅To one he gave five talents,to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ₁₆He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ₁₇So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ₁₈But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. ₁₉Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ₂₀And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ ₂₁His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ₂₂And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ ₂₃His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ₂₄He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no 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 and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ₂₇Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ₂₈So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ₂₉For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ₃₀And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

₃₁“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ₃₂Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ₃₃And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the 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 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 welcomed me, ₃₆I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ₃₇Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ₃₈And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ₃₉And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ₄₀And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,you did it to me.’

₄₁“Then he will say to those on his 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 welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ₄₄Then 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 did not minister to you?’ ₄₅Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ ₄₆And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”