25:1  THEN THE kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

25:2  Five of them were foolish (thoughtless, without forethought) and five were wise (sensible, intelligent, and prudent).

25:3  For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them;

25:4  But the wise took flasks of oil along with them [also] with their lamps.

25:5  While the bridegroom lingered {and} was slow in coming, they all began nodding their heads, and they fell asleep.

25:6  But at midnight there was a shout, Behold, the bridegroom! Go out to meet him!

25:7  Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order.

25:8  And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.

25:9  But the wise replied, There will not be enough for us and for you; go instead to the dealers and buy for yourselves.

25:10  But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were prepared went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut.

25:11  Later the other virgins also came and said, Lord, Lord, open [the door] to us!

25:12  But He replied, I solemnly declare to you, I do not know you [I am not acquainted with you].

25:13  Watch therefore [give strict attention and be cautious and active], for you know neither the day nor the hour {when the Son of Man will come.}

25:14  For it is like a man who was about to take a long journey, and he called his servants together and entrusted them with his property.

25:15  To one he gave five talents [probably about $5,000], to another two, to another one--to each in proportion to his own personal ability. Then he departed {and} left the country.

25:16  He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he gained five talents more.

25:17  And likewise he who had received the two talents--he also gained two talents more.

25:18  But he who had received the one talent went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

25:19  Now after a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

25:20  And he who had received the five talents came and brought him five more, saying, Master, you entrusted to me five talents; see, here I have gained five talents more.

25:21  His master said to him, Well done, you upright (honorable, admirable) and faithful servant! You have been faithful {and} trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into {and} share the joy (the delight, the blessedness) which your master enjoys.

25:22  And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, Master, you entrusted two talents to me; here I have gained two talents more.

25:23  His master said to him, Well done, you upright (honorable, admirable) and faithful servant! You have been faithful {and} trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into {and} share the joy (the delight, the blessedness) which your master enjoys.

25:24  He who had received one talent also came forward, saying, Master, I knew you to be a harsh {and} hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you had not winnowed [the grain].

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

25:26  But his master answered him, You wicked {and} lazy {and} idle servant! Did you indeed know that I reap where I have not sowed and gather [grain] where I have not winnowed?

25:27  Then you should have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received what was my own with interest.

25:28  So take the talent away from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.

25:29  For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will be furnished richly so that he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away.

25:30  And throw the good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

25:31  When the Son of Man comes in His glory (His majesty and splendor), and all the {holy} angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.

25:32  All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them [the people] from one another as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats;

25:33  And He will cause the sheep to stand at His right hand, but the goats at His left.

25:34  Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

25:35  For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves {and} welcomed {and} entertained {and} lodged Me,

25:36  I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me with help {and} ministering care, I was in prison and you came to see Me.

25:37  Then the just {and} upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink?

25:38  And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed {and} entertained You, or naked and clothed You?

25:39  And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You?

25:40  And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.

25:41  Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!

25:42  For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,

25:43  I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me {and} entertain Me, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me with help {and} ministering care.

25:44  Then they also [in their turn] will answer, 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?

25:45  And He will reply to them, Solemnly I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least [in the estimation of men] of these, you failed to do it for Me.

25:46  Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just {and} upright {and} in right standing with God into eternal life.