Matthew 25
1THEN shall the kingdom of heaven be likened to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2And five of them were wise, and five foolish.
3The foolish, taking their lamps, took no oil with them;
4but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6And at midnight a cry was made: Behold, the bridegroom! Go out to meet him.
7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are going out.
9But the wise answered, saying: Not so; there will not be enough for us and you. Go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.
10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they who were ready went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut.
11And afterward come also the rest of the virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us.
12But he answering said: Verily I say to you, I know you not.
13Watch, therefore; because ye know not the day, nor the hour!
14For as a man going abroad called his own servants, and delivered to them his goods;
15and to one gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and straightway went abroad.
16And he that received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained other five talents.
17Likewise also he that received the two gained other two.
18But he that received the one went away and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19After a long time the lord of those servants comes, and reckons with them.
20And he that received the five talents came and brought other five talents, saying: Lord, thou deliveredst to me five talents; behold, I gained other five talents beside them.
21His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant; thou wast faithful over a little, I will set thee over much. Enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22And he also that received the two talents came and said: Lord, thou deliveredst to me two talents; behold, I gained other two talents beside them.
23His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant; thou wast faithful over a little, I will set thee over much. Enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24And he also that received the one talent came and said: Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou strewedst not.
25And fearing, I went and hid thy talent in the earth. Lo, thou hast thine own.
26And his lord answering said to him: Wicked and slothful servant! Thou knewest that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I strewed not?
27Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers; and when I came, I should have received my own with interest.
28Take therefore the talent from him, and give to him that has the ten talents.
29For to every one that has shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him that has not, even what he has shall be taken away.
30And cast forth the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be the weeping, and the gnashing of teeth!
31And when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then will he sit on his throne of glory.
32And before him shall be gathered all the nations; and he will divide them one from another, as the shepherd divides the sheep from the goats.
33And he will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34Then will the King say to those on his right hand: Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35For I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took me in,
36naked and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came to me.
37Then will the righteous answer him, saying: Lord, when saw we thee hungering and fed thee, or thirsting and gave thee drink?
38And when saw we thee a stranger and took thee in, or naked and clothed thee?
39And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came to thee?
40And the King will answer and say to them: Verily I say to you, inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it to me.
41Then will he say also to those on the left hand: Depart from me, accursed, into the everlasting fire; prepared for the Devil and his angels.
42For I was hungry, and ye did not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye did not give me drink;
43I was a stranger, and ye did not take me in; naked, and ye did not clothe me; sick, and in prison, and ye did not visit me.
44Then will they also answer, saying: Lord, when saw we thee hungering, or thirsting, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee?
45Then will he answer them, saying: Verily I say to you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life.