Matthew 25
25
The Parable of the 10 Virgins
1“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like 10 virgins # Or bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. # Mt 13:24; Ac 20:8; Rv 4:5; 19:7; 21:2,9 2Five of them were foolish and five were sensible. # Mt 7:24; 10:16; 24:45 3When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take olive oil with them. 4But the sensible ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. 5Since the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6“In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’
7“Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8But the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’
9“The sensible ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell, and buy oil for yourselves.’
10“When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived. Then those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. # Mt 22:2; Lk 13:25
11“Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us! ’
12“But he replied, ‘I assure you: I do not know you! ’
13“Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour. # Other mss add in which the Son of Man is coming.
The Parable of the Talents
14“For it is just like a man going on a journey. # Lk 19:12-27 He called his own slaves and turned over his possessions to them. 15To one he gave five talents; # Worth a very large sum of money; a talent = 6,000 denarii to another, two; and to another, one — to each according to his own ability. Then he went on a journey. # Mt 18:24; Lk 19:13; Rm 12:6; 1Co 12:11; Eph 4:7 Immediately 16the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. 17In the same way the man with two earned two more. 18But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
19“After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I’ve earned five more talents.’
21“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy! ’ # Mt 24:45,47; Lk 12:44; 22:28; Heb 12:2
22“Then the man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. Look, I’ve earned two more talents.’
23“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy! ’
24“Then the man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a difficult man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. # 1Sm 25:3; 2Co 8:12 25So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’
26“But his master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy slave! # Pr 20:4; Mt 18:32; Rm 12:11 If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, 27then # Or So you knew . . . scattered? Then (as a question) you should have deposited my money with the bankers. And when I returned I would have received my money # Lit received what is mine back with interest.
28“ ‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 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 from him. # Mt 13:12; Mk 4:25; Lk 8:18; 19:26; Jn 15:2 30And throw this good-for-nothing slave into the outer darkness. # Mt 8:12; 22:13; Lk 13:28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The Sheep and the Goats
31“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels # Other mss read holy angels # Gn 16:7; Mt 5:34; 13:49; Lk 1:11; Ac 5:19; Rv 14:6 with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. # Mt 16:27; 19:28; 2Th 1:7; Jd 14; Rv 1:7 32All the nations # Or the Gentiles # Jl 3:12; Mt 24:14; 28:19; Rm 1:5; Gl 1:16 will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. # Ezk 34:17,20; Mt 13:49 33He will put the sheep on His right and 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 # Mt 19:29; Lk 12:32; 1Co 15:50; Gl 5:21; Jms 2:5; 1Pt 3:9; Rv 21:7 prepared for you from the foundation of the world. # Mt 13:35; 20:23; 1Co 2:9; Heb 4:3; 9:26; 11:16; Rv 13:8; 17:8
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 took Me in;
36I was naked and you clothed Me;
I was sick and you took care of Me;
I was in prison and you visited Me.’ # Jb 31:32; Is 58:7; Ezk 18:7; 2Tm 1:16; Heb 13:2; Jms 1:27; 2:15-16
37“Then 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 take You in, or without clothes and clothe You? 39When did we see You sick, or in prison, and visit You? ’
40“And the King will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’ # Pr 19:17; Mt 10:42; 25:34; Heb 6:10 41Then He will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels! # Mt 7:23; 13:40,42; Mk 9:48; 2Pt 2:4; Jd 6-7
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 didn’t take Me in;
I was naked
and you didn’t clothe Me,
sick and in prison
and you didn’t take care of Me.’
44“Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help You? ’
45“Then He will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me either.’ # Pr 14:31; 17:5; Ac 9:5
46“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” # Dn 12:2; Jn 5:21; Ac 24:15; Rm 2:7
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Matthew 25: HCSB
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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Matthew 25
25
A Story About Ten Bridesmaids
1“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to wait for the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3The five foolish bridesmaids took their lamps, but they did not take more oil for the lamps to burn. 4The wise bridesmaids took their lamps and more oil in jars. 5Because the bridegroom was late, they became sleepy and went to sleep.
6“At midnight someone cried out, ‘The bridegroom is coming! Come and meet him!’ 7Then all the bridesmaids woke up and got their lamps ready. 8But the foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9The wise bridesmaids answered, ‘No, the oil we have might not be enough for all of us. Go to the people who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10“So while the five foolish bridesmaids went to buy oil, the bridegroom came. The bridesmaids who were ready went in with the bridegroom to the wedding feast. Then the door was closed and locked.
11“Later the others came back and said, ‘Sir, sir, open the door to let us in.’ 12But the bridegroom answered, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t want to know you.’
13“So always be ready, because you don’t know the day or the hour the Son of Man will come.
A Story About Three Servants
14“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was going to another place for a visit. Before he left, he called for his servants and told them to take care of his things while he was gone. 15He gave one servant five bags of gold, another servant two bags of gold, and a third servant one bag of gold, to each one as much as he could handle. Then he left. 16The servant who got five bags went quickly to invest the money and earned five more bags. 17In the same way, the servant who had two bags invested them and earned two more. 18But the servant who got one bag went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.
19“After a long time the master came home and asked the servants what they did with his money. 20The servant who was given five bags of gold brought five more bags to the master and said, ‘Master, you trusted me to care for five bags of gold, so I used your five bags to earn five more.’ 21The master answered, ‘You did well. You are a good and loyal servant. Because you were loyal with small things, I will let you care for much greater things. Come and share my joy with me.’
22“Then the servant who had been given two bags of gold came to the master and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of gold to care for, so I used your two bags to earn two more.’ 23The master answered, ‘You did well. You are a good and loyal servant. Because you were loyal with small things, I will let you care for much greater things. Come and share my joy with me.’
24“Then the servant who had been given one bag of gold came to the master and said, ‘Master, I knew that you were a hard man. You harvest things you did not plant. You gather crops where you did not sow any seed. 25So I was afraid and went and hid your money in the ground. Here is your bag of gold.’ 26The master answered, ‘You are a wicked and lazy servant! You say you knew that I harvest things I did not plant and that I gather crops where I did not sow any seed. 27So you should have put my gold in the bank. Then, when I came home, I would have received my gold back with interest.’
28“So the master told his other servants, ‘Take the bag of gold from that servant and give it to the servant who has ten bags of gold. 29Those who have much will get more, and they will have much more than they need. But those who do not have much will have everything taken away from them.’ 30Then the master said, ‘Throw that useless servant outside, into the darkness where people will cry and grind their teeth with pain.’
The King Will Judge All People
31“The Son of Man will come again in his great glory, with all his angels. He will be King and sit on his great throne. 32All the nations of the world will be gathered before him, and he will separate them into two groups as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33The Son of Man will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34“Then the King will say to the people on his right, ‘Come, my Father has given you his blessing. Receive the kingdom God has prepared for you since the world was made. 35I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you invited me into your house. 36I was without clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37“Then the good people will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you alone and away from home and invite you into our house? When did we see you without clothes and give you something to wear? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and care for you?’
40“Then the King will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, anything you did for even the least of my people here, you also did for me.’
41“Then the King will say to those on his left, ‘Go away from me. You will be punished. Go into the fire that burns forever that was prepared for the devil and his angels. 42I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. 43I was alone and away from home, and you did not invite me into your house. I was without clothes, and you gave me nothing to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you did not care for me.’
44“Then those people will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or alone and away from home or without clothes or sick or in prison? When did we see these things and not help you?’
45“Then the King will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, anything you refused to do for even the least of my people here, you refused to do for me.’
46“These people will go off to be punished forever, but the good people will go to live forever.”
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.