| New Living Translation | NET 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 the virgins were foolish, and five were wise. |
| 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, | 3When the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extra olive oil with them. |
| 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. | 4But the wise ones took flasks of olive oil with their lamps. |
| 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. | 5When the bridegroom was delayed a long time, 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!’ | 6But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look, the bridegroom is here! 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, because 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.’ | 9No,' they replied. 'There won't be enough for you and for us. Go instead 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 had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Then 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 came too, saying, 'Lord, lord! Let us in!' |
| 12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ | 12But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, 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 stay alert, 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. | 14"For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property 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. | 15To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then 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 one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work and gained five more. |
| 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. | 17In the same way, the one who had two 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 one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money in it. |
| 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 slaves came and settled his 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 one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, 'Sir, 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 answered, 'Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in 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 one with the two talents also came and said, 'Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. 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 answered, 'Well done, good and faithful slave! 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. | 24Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, 'Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter 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 I went 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, | 26But his master answered, 'Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn't sow and gather where I didn't scatter? |
| 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 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. | 28Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten. |
| 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 the one who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken 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 slave 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. | 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 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 assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like 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 put 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 food, 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.’ | 36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of 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 invite 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 answer them, 'I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it 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. | 41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that 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 receive me as a guest, 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?’ | 44Then they too will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?' |
| 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 he will answer them, 'I tell you the truth, just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.' |
| 46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” | 46And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." |
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