1: “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
2: Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
3: For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them;
4: but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
5: As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6: But at midnight there was a cry, `Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’
7: Then all those maidens rose 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 replied, `Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers 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 marriage feast; and the door was shut.
11: Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, `Lord, lord, open to us.’
12: But he replied, `Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13: Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
14: “For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property;
15: to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
16: He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more.
17: So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more.
18: But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19: Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20: And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, `Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’
21: His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’
22: And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, `Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’
23: His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’
24: He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, `Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow;
25: so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’
26: But his master answered him, `You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed?
27: Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.
28: So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.
29: For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
30: And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.’
31: “When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
32: Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,
33: and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left.
34: Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O 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 welcomed me,
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, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?
38: And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee?
39: And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’
40: And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’
41: Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal 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 welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’
44: Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?’
45: Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’
46: And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
