Matthew 25
25
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five#tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. of the virgins#tn Grk “Five of them.” were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When#tn Grk “For when.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated. the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extra#tn The word “extra” is not in the Greek text but is implied. The point is that the five foolish virgins had only the oil in their lamps, but took along no extra supply from which to replenish them. This is clear from v. 8, where the lamps of the foolish virgins are going out because they are running out of oil. olive oil#tn On the use of olive oil in lamps, see L&N 6.202. with them. 4 But the wise ones took flasks of olive oil with their lamps. 5 When#tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him.’#tc ‡ Most witnesses have αὐτοῦ (autou, “[with] him”) after ἀπάντησιν (apanthsin, “meeting”), a reading which makes explicit what is already implied in the shorter text (as found in א B 700). The translation likewise adds “him” for clarity’s sake even though the word is not considered part of the original text. NA27 has αὐτοῦ in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity. 7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The#tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 ‘No,’ they replied.#tn Grk “The wise answered, saying, ‘No.’” ‘There won’t be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 But while they had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Then#tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. the door was shut. 11 Later,#tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, lord! Let us in!’#tn Grk “Open to us.” 12 But he replied,#tn Grk “But answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. ‘I tell you the truth,#tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.” I do not know you!’ 13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour.#tc Most later mss (C3 Ë13 1424c Ï) also read here “in which the Son of Man is coming” (ἐν ᾗ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔρχεται, en |h Jo Juio" tou anqrwpou ercetai), reproducing almost verbatim the last line of Matt 24:44. The longer reading thus appears to be an explanatory expansion and should not be considered authentic. The earlier and better witnesses ({Ì35 א A B C* D L W Δ Θ Ë1 33 565 892 1424* lat co}) lack this phrase.
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves#tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9. and entrusted his property to them. 15 To#tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated. one he gave five talents,#sn A talent was equal to 6000 denarii. See the note on this term in 18:24. to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work#tn Grk “traded with them.” and gained five more. 17 In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. 18 But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money in it. 19 After#tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. 20 The#tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated. one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Sir,#tn Grk Or “Lord; or “Master” (and so throughout this paragraph). you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 His master answered,#tn Grk “His master said to him.” ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 The#tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. one with the two talents also came and said, ‘Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more.’ 23 His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed, 25 so#tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated. I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered,#tn Grk “But answering, his master said to him.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter? 27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers,#tn For the translation “deposited my money with the bankers,” see L&N 57.216. and on my return I would have received my money back with interest!#sn That is, “If you really feared me you should have done a minimum to get what I asked for.” 28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten.#tn Grk “the ten talents.” 29 For the one who has will be given more,#tn Grk “to everyone who has, he will be given more.”sn The one who has will be given more. Faithfulness yields great reward (see Matt 13:12; also Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18, 19:26). and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.#sn The one who has nothing has even what he seems to have taken from him, ending up with no reward at all (see also Luke 8:18). The exact force of this is left ambiguous, but there is no comfort here for those who are pictured by the third slave as being totally unmoved by the master. Though not an outright enemy, there is no relationship to the master either. 30 And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The Judgment
31 “When#tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All#tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated. the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He#tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated. will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 Then 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. 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 invited me in, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him,#tn Grk “answer him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When#tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? 39 When#tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the king will answer them,#tn Grk “answering, the king will say to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. ‘I tell you the truth,#tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.” just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters#tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). In this context Jesus is ultimately speaking of his “followers” (whether men or women, adults or children), but the familial connotation of “brothers and sisters” is also important to retain here. of mine, you did it for me.’
41 “Then he will say#tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated. to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they too will answer,#tn Grk “Then they will answer, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?’ 45 Then he will answer them,#tn Grk “answer them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. ‘I tell you the truth,#tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.” just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ 46 And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
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Matthew 25: NET
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Matthew 25
25
A story about ten girls
Jesus said:
1The kingdom of heaven is like what happened one night when ten girls took their oil lamps and went to a wedding to meet the groom.#25.1 to meet the groom: Some manuscripts add “and the bride”. It was the custom for the groom to go to the home of the bride's parents to get his bride. Young girls and other guests would then go with them to the home of the groom's parents, where the wedding feast would take place.#Lk 12.35. 2Five of the girls were foolish and five were wise. 3The foolish ones took their lamps, but no extra oil. 4The ones who were wise took along extra oil for their lamps.
5The groom was late arriving, and the girls became drowsy and fell asleep. 6Then in the middle of the night someone shouted, “Here's the groom! Come to meet him!”
7When the girls got up and started getting their lamps ready, 8the foolish ones said to the others, “Let us have some of your oil! Our lamps are going out.”
9The girls who were wise answered, “There's not enough oil for all of us! Go and buy some for yourselves.”
10While the foolish girls were on their way to get some oil, the groom arrived. The girls who were ready went into the wedding, and the doors were closed. 11Later the other girls returned and shouted, “Sir, sir! Open the door for us!”#Lk 13.25.
12But the groom replied, “I don't even know you!”
13So, my disciples, always be ready! You don't know the day or the time when all this will happen.
A story about three servants
(Luke 19.11-27)
Jesus continued:
14The kingdom is also like what happened when a man went away and put his three servants in charge of all he owned.#Lk 19.11-27. 15The man knew what each servant could do. So he handed five thousand coins to the first servant, two thousand to the second, and one thousand to the third. Then he left the country.
16As soon as the man had gone, the servant with the five thousand coins used them to earn five thousand more. 17The servant who had two thousand coins did the same with his money and earned two thousand more. 18But the servant with one thousand coins dug a hole and hid his master's money in the ground.
19Some time later the master of those servants returned. He called them in and asked what they had done with his money. 20The servant who had been given five thousand coins brought them in with the five thousand that he had earned. He said, “Sir, you gave me five thousand coins, and I have earned five thousand more.”
21“Wonderful!” his master replied. “You are a good and faithful servant. I left you in charge of only a little, but now I will put you in charge of much more. Come and share in my happiness!”
22Next, the servant who had been given two thousand coins came in and said, “Sir, you gave me two thousand coins, and I have earned two thousand more.”
23“Wonderful!” his master replied. “You are a good and faithful servant. I left you in charge of only a little, but now I will put you in charge of much more. Come and share in my happiness!”
24The servant who had been given one thousand coins then came in and said, “Sir, I know that you are hard to get along with. You harvest what you don't plant and gather crops where you haven't scattered seed. 25I was frightened and went out and hid your money in the ground. Here is every single coin!”
26The master of the servant told him, “You are lazy and good-for-nothing! You know that I harvest what I don't plant and gather crops where I haven't scattered seed. 27You could have at least put my money in the bank, so that I could have earned interest on it.”
28Then the master said, “Now your money will be taken away and given to the servant with ten thousand coins! 29Everyone who has something will be given more, and they will have more than enough. But everything will be taken from those who don't have anything.#Mt 13.12; Mk 4.25; Lk 8.18. 30You are a worthless servant, and you will be thrown out into the dark where people will cry and grit their teeth in pain.”#Mt 8.12; 22.13; Lk 13.28.
The final judgment
Jesus continued:
31When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all his angels, he will sit on his royal throne.#Mt 16.27; Mt 19.28. 32The people of all nations will be brought before him, and he will separate them, as shepherds separate their sheep from their goats.
33He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34Then the king will say to those on his right, “My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. 35When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, 36and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.”
37Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink? 38When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear 39or visit you while you were sick or in jail?”
40The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.”
41Then the king will say to those on his left, “Get away from me! You are under God's curse. Go into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels! 42I was hungry, but you did not give me anything to eat, and I was thirsty, but you did not give me anything to drink. 43I was a stranger, but you did not welcome me, and I was naked, but you did not give me any clothes to wear. I was sick and in jail, but you did not take care of me.”
44Then the people will ask, “Lord, when did we fail to help you when you were hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in jail?”
45The king will say to them, “Whenever you failed to help any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do it for me.”
46Then Jesus said, “Those people will be punished for ever. But the ones who pleased God will have eternal life.”#Dn 12.2.
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