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1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
 3 Those who were foolish took their

lamps and took no oil with them,

 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
 5 while the bridegroom was de-layed, they all slumbered and slept.
 6 “And at midnight a shout was made, ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give  us  some  of  your  oil, because, 

our lamps have gone out.’

 9 But the wise replied, saying, ‘No, lest there shall not be enough for us and you; but rather go to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
 11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
 12 But he replied and said, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
 13 “Watch therefore, because, you know neither the day nor the hour 

in which the Son of Man is coming.

 14 “Because, the kingdom of heaven is like a man travelling into a far country, who called his own ser-vants and distributed his goods to them.
 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made those into another five talents.
 17 And likewise he who had received two, he gained two more also.
 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
 20 “And so he who had received five 

talents came and brought another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you distributed to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.

 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, you good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you distributed to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’
 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
 24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
 26 “His lord replied and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.
 27 Therefore you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and then at my coming I would  have  received  back my  own 

with interest.

 28 Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
 29 ‘Because, to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
 30 And throw the unprofitable servant into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
 31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit upon the throne of His glory.
 32 And all the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, like a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
 35 because, I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me a drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’
 37 “Then the righteous will reply to Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and gave You a drink?’
 38 When did we see You a foreigner and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
 41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
 42 because, I was hungry and you did not give Me food; I was thirsty and you did not give Me a drink;
 43 I was a foreigner and you did not take Me in, naked, and you did not clothe Me, sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’
 44 “Then they also will reply to Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a foreigner or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to You?’
 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’
 46 And these will depart into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.”