| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. | 1“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. |
| 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. | 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. |
| 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, | 3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil. |
| 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. | 4But the wise ones took oil in flasks along with their lamps. |
| 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. | 5When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. |
| 6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ | 6At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ |
| 7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. | 7Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. |
| 8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ | 8The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ |
| 9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ | 9‘No,’ said the wise ones, ‘or there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ |
| 10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. | 10But while they were on their way to buy it, the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. |
| 11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ | 11Later the other virgins arrived and said, ‘Lord, lord, open the door for us!’ |
| 12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ | 12But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ |
| 13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return. Parable of the Three Servants | 13Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. |
| 14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. | 14For it is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions. |
| 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. | 15To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent—each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey. |
| 16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. | 16The servant who had received the five talents went at once and put them to work and gained five more. |
| 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. | 17Likewise, the one with the two talents gained two more. |
| 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. | 18But the servant who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money. |
| 19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. | 19After a long time the master of those servants returned to settle accounts with them. |
| 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ | 20The servant who had received the five talents came and presented five more. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ |
| 21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together! ’ | 21His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’ |
| 22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ | 22The servant who had received the two talents also came and said, ‘Master, you entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more.’ |
| 23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ | 23His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’ |
| 24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. | 24Finally, the servant who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. |
| 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ | 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what belongs to you.’ |
| 26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, | 26‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. |
| 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ | 27Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest. |
| 28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. | 28Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. |
| 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. | 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. |
| 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ The Final Judgment | 30And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ |
| 31 “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. | 31When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. |
| 32 All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. | 32All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. |
| 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. | 33He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. |
| 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. | 34Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. |
| 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. | 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, |
| 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ | 36I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’ |
| 37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? | 37Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? |
| 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? | 38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? |
| 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ | 39When did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’ |
| 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ | 40And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’ |
| 41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. | 41Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. |
| 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. | 42For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, |
| 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ | 43I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ |
| 44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ | 44And they too will reply, ‘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 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ | 45Then the King will answer, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’ |
| 46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” | 46And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” |
|
