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¹ "Then the kingdom of heaven shall 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 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
⁶ "And at midnight a cry was heard: "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, for our lamps are going out.'
⁹ But the wise answered, saying, "No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather 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 answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'
¹³ "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
¹⁴ "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered 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 another five talents.
¹⁷ And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
¹⁸ But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.
¹⁹ After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
²⁰ "So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, "Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'
²¹ His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were 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 delivered 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 "But his lord answered 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 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
²⁸ So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
²⁹ "For 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 cast the unprofitable servant into the 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 on the throne of His glory.
³² All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as 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 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
³⁶ I was 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 answer Him, saying, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
³⁸ When did we see You a stranger 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, "Assuredly, 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 the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
⁴² for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;
⁴³ I was a stranger 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 answer Him, saying, "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?'
⁴⁵ Then He will answer them, saying, "Assuredly, 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 go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."