Parable of Ten Virgins

25 “Then ^(A)the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their ^(B)lamps and went out to meet the groom. ² Five of them were foolish, and five were ^(C)prudent. ³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take extra oil with them; ⁴ but the ^(D)prudent ones took oil in flasks with their lamps. ⁵ Now while the groom was delaying, they all became drowsy and began to sleep. ⁶ But at midnight ^[a]there finally was a shout: ‘Behold, the groom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ But the foolish virgins said to the prudent ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ However, the ^(E)prudent ones answered, ‘No, there most certainly would not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ But while they were ^[b]on their way to buy the oil, the groom came, and those who were ^(F)ready went in with him to ^(G)the wedding feast; and ^(H)the door was shut. ¹¹ Yet later, the other virgins also came, saying, ‘^(I)Lord, lord, open up for us.’ ¹² But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ ^13 (J)Be on the alert then, because you do not know the day nor the hour.

Instruction for the Church

^20 (A)Brothers and sisters, ^(B)do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil ^(C)be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

¹⁵ For all things are ^(A)for your sakes, so that grace, having ^[a](B)spread to more and more people, will cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

¹⁶ Therefore we ^(C)do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our ^(D)inner person is ^(E)being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our momentary, ^(F)light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ while we ^(G)look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

¹⁵ For all things are ^(A)for your sakes, so that grace, having ^[a](B)spread to more and more people, will cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

¹⁶ Therefore we ^(C)do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our ^(D)inner person is ^(E)being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our momentary, ^(F)light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ while we ^(G)look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

^11 (A)Do not participate in the useless ^(B)deeds of ^(C)darkness, but instead even ^(D)expose them; ¹² for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. ¹³ But all things become visible ^(E)when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. ¹⁴ For this reason ^[a]it says,

¹⁵ So then, ^[b]be careful how you ^(I)walk, not ^(J)as unwise people but as wise, ^16 [c](K)making the most of your time, because ^(L)the days are evil.

¹⁹ And ^(A)my God will supply ^[a]all your needs according to His ^(B)riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

¹³ Therefore, ^[a](A)prepare your minds for action, ^[b](B)keep sober in spirit, set your ^(C)hope completely on the ^(D)grace to be brought to you at ^(E)the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Salutation

1 Paul, ^(A)a bond-servant of God and an ^(B)apostle of Jesus Christ, ^[a]for the faith of those ^(C)chosen of God and ^(D)the knowledge of the truth which is ^(E)according to godliness, ² in ^(F)the hope of eternal life, which God, ^(G)who cannot lie, ^(H)promised ^[b](I)long ages ago, ³ but ^(J)at the proper time revealed His word in ^(K)the proclamation ^(L)with which I was entrusted ^(M)according to the commandment of ^(N)God our Savior;

⁴ To ^(O)Titus, ^(P)my true ^[c]son ^[d]in a ^(Q)common faith: ^(R)Grace and peace from God the Father and ^(S)Christ Jesus our Savior.

Qualifications of Elders

⁵ For this reason I left you in ^(T)Crete, that you would set in order what remains and ^(U)appoint ^(V)elders in every city as I directed you, ⁶ namely, ^(W)if any man is beyond reproach, the ^(X)husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of ^(Y)indecent behavior or ^(Z)rebellion. ⁷ For the ^[e](AA)overseer must be beyond reproach as ^(AB)God’s steward, not ^(AC)self-willed, not quick-tempered, not ^(AD)overindulging in wine, not ^[f]a bully, ^(AE)not greedy for money, ⁸ but ^(AF)hospitable, ^(AG)loving what is good, self-controlled, righteous, holy, disciplined, ^9 (AH)holding firmly the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to ^[g]exhort in ^(AI)sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.

^10 (AJ)For there are many ^(AK)rebellious people, ^(AL)empty talkers and deceivers, especially ^(AM)those of the circumcision, ¹¹ who must be silenced because they are upsetting ^(AN)whole families, teaching ^(AO)things they should not teach ^(AP)for the sake of ^[h]dishonest gain. ¹² One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “^(AQ)Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” ¹³ This testimony is true. For this reason ^(AR)reprimand them ^(AS)severely so that they may be ^(AT)sound in the faith, ¹⁴ not paying attention to Jewish ^(AU)myths and ^(AV)commandments of men who ^(AW)turn away from the truth. ^15 (AX)To the pure, all things are pure; but ^(AY)to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their ^(AZ)mind and their conscience are defiled. ^16 (BA)They profess to know God, but by their deeds they ^(BB)deny Him, being ^(BC)detestable and ^(BD)disobedient and ^(BE)worthless ^(BF)for any good deed.

Proclaim Sound Doctrine

2 But as for you, proclaim the things which are fitting for ^(A)sound doctrine. ^2 (B)Older men are to be ^[a](C)temperate, dignified, self-controlled, ^(D)sound ^(E)in faith, in love, in ^[b]perseverance.

³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, ^(F)not malicious gossips nor ^(G)enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, ⁴ so that they may ^[c]encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be sensible, pure, ^(H)workers at home, kind, being ^(I)subject to their own husbands, ^(J)so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

⁶ Likewise urge ^(K)the young men to be ^[d]sensible; ⁷ in all things show yourself to be ^(L)an example of good deeds, with ^[e]purity in doctrine, dignified, ⁸ sound in speech which is beyond reproach, ^(M)so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

⁹ Urge ^[f](N)slaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be pleasing, not ^[g]argumentative, ¹⁰ not stealing, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of ^(O)God our Savior in every respect.

¹¹ For the grace of God has ^(P)appeared, ^[h](Q)bringing salvation to all people, ^12 [i]instructing us to deny ungodliness and ^(R)worldly desires and ^(S)to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner ^(T)in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and the ^(U)appearing of the glory of ^[j](V)our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, ¹⁴ who ^(W)gave Himself for us ^(X)to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to ^(Y)purify for Himself a ^(Z)people for His own possession, ^(AA)eager for good deeds.

¹⁵ These things speak and ^(AB)[k]exhort, and ^(AC)rebuke with all authority. ^(AD)No one is to disregard you.