New Living Translation

New American Standard Bible 1995

1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

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

2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

2"Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.

3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps,

3"For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,

4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil.

4but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps.

5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

5"Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.

6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’

6"But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'

7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps.

7"Then all those virgins rose 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.’

8"The foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for 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"But the prudent answered, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers 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.

10"And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.

11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’

11"Later the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, lord, open up for us.'

12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’

12"But he answered, 'Truly I say to 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

13"Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor 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.

14"For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them.

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.

15"To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, 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.

16"Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents.

17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more.

17"In the same manner the one who had received 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.

18"But he who received the one talent went away, and 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.

19"Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled 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.’

20"The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, 'Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.'

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! ’

21"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were 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.’

22"Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, 'Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.'

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!’

23"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were 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.

24"And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.

25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

25'And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.'

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"But his master answered and said to him, 'You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.

27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

27Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money 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.

28'Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the 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.

29"For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.

30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ The Final Judgment

30"Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place 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.

31"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then 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.

32"All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;

33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

33and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the 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.

34"Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of 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 invited 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.’

36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to 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?

37"Then 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?

38'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?

39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

39'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to 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!’

40"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to 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.

41"Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been 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 invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; 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?’

44"Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of 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.’

45"Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'

46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”

46"These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org