Matthew 25

25 ¹"Then the kingdom of our Father 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. ³The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴But the wise ones took oil in flasks along with their lamps. ⁵When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. ⁶But at midnight a cry rang out: 'Look, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' ⁷Then all the young women woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.' ⁹But the wise answered, 'No, there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' ¹⁰While they went to buy it, the bridegroom came. The ready ones went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door closed. ¹¹Later the other young women came too, saying, 'Lord, lord, open the door for us!' ¹²But he answered, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' ¹³Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Faithful With Every Entrusted Gift

¹⁴"For it will be like a man going abroad, calling his servants and entrusting them with his property. ¹⁵He gave one five bags of silver, another two, another one—each by his own ability—then set out on his journey. ¹⁶The one given five bags of silver went at once, put them to work, and gained five more. ¹⁷In the same way, the one with two bags of silver gained two more. ¹⁸But the one who received one bag of silver went off, dug in the ground, and hid his master's money.

¹⁹"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰The man who received five bags of silver came, adding five more: 'Master, you entrusted me with five bags of silver; see, I've gained five more.'

²¹"His master said, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a little; I'll put you over much. Enter your master's joy!'

²²"The one with two bags of silver also came and said, 'Master, you gave me two bags of silver; look, I've earned two more.'

²³"His master told him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful with a little; I'll put you over much. Enter your master's joy!'

²⁴"Then the one who had received one bag of silver came and said, 'Master, I knew you were a hard man, reaping where you didn't sow, gathering where you didn't scatter seed.' ²⁵Afraid, I went and hid your silver in the ground. Here is what is yours.

²⁶"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! You knew I harvest where I didn't sow and gather where I didn't scatter seed?

²⁷"You should have deposited my money with the bankers, so on my return I'd get it back with interest. ²⁸So take his bag of silver and give it to the one with ten bags of silver. ²⁹For everyone who has will be given more, and he'll overflow; but the one who has nothing will lose even what he has. ³⁰Throw out that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.'

The Son of Man Judges the Nations

³¹"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, with all his angels, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³²All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them from each other as a shepherd separates sheep from 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 blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world.

³⁵"For I was hungry and you fed me; thirsty, and you gave me a drink; a stranger, and you took me in, ³⁶I was naked and you dressed me, sick and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'"

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

³⁸"When did we see you a stranger and shelter you, or naked and dress you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?'"

⁴⁰"And the King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these siblings of mine, you did for me.' ⁴¹Then he'll tell those on his left, 'Away from me, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't dress me; sick and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'"

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

⁴⁵"He will answer, 'Truly I tell you: whatever you didn't do for one of the least of these, you didn't do for me.' ⁴⁶Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."