1"Then 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 wise, and five were foolish."
3"The foolish ones took their lamps, but they took no oil with them."
4"But the wise ones took jars of oil along with their lamps."
5"The bridegroom was a long time coming, so they all grew sleepy and fell asleep."
6"At midnight there was a shout: 'Look, the bridegroom is coming. Go out to meet him.'"
7"Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps."
8"The foolish ones said to the wise ones, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'"
9"But the wise ones answered, 'No, there may not be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell oil, and buy some for yourselves.'"
10"While they were away buying it, the bridegroom came. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding, and the door was shut."
11"Later the other virgins came too. They said, 'Lord, Lord, open the door to us.'"
12"But he answered, 'I tell you the truth, I do not know you.'"
13"So keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour when the Son of man comes."
14"For the kingdom of heaven is like a man travelling to a far country. He called his own servants and handed his goods over to them."
15"To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each one according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey at once."
16"The one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents."
17"In the same way the one who had received two gained another two."
18"But the one who had received one went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money."
19"After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them."
20"The one who had received five talents came and brought another five talents. He said, 'Master, you handed five talents over to me. Look, I have gained five talents more.'"
21"His master said to him, 'Well done, you good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's joy.'"
22"The one who had received two talents also came. He said, 'Master, you handed two talents over to me. Look, I have gained two talents more.'"
23"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's joy.'"
24"Then the one who had received the one talent came. He said, 'Master, I knew that you are a hard man. You reap where you have not sown, and you gather where you have not scattered seed."
25"'So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, here is what belongs to you.'"
26"His master answered him, 'You wicked and lazy servant. You knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I have not scattered seed."
27"'So you should have put my money with the bankers. Then when I came I would have received my own back with interest."
28"'So take the talent from him, and give it to the one who has ten talents."
29"'For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have plenty. But from the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away."
30"'And throw the useless servant out into the darkness outside. There people will weep and grind their 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 nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them from one another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats."
33"He will put the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on the left."
34"Then the King will say to those on his right hand, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Take as your own the kingdom prepared for you from the making of the world."
35"'For I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was thirsty, and you gave me a 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, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink?"
38"'When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe you?"
39"'When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?'"
40"And the King will answer them, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these my brothers, you did for me.'"
41"Then he will also say to those on the left hand, 'Go away from me, you who are 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. 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 also answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not help you?'"
45"Then he will answer them, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'"
46"These will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."