十個伴娘的比喻

25 「那時,天國就像十個伴娘提著燈去迎接新郎, 其中五個是糊塗的,五個是聰明的。 五個糊塗的只顧拿著燈,卻不預備油; 那些聰明的不但拿著燈,還用器皿預備了足夠的油。 新郎遲遲未到,她們等得困倦,便打盹睡著了。

「到了半夜,忽然聽見有人喊道,『新郎來了!出來迎接吧!』 伴娘們醒來,把燈點亮。 糊塗的伴娘對聰明的伴娘說,『請給我們一些油吧,因為我們的燈快要滅了!』

「聰明的伴娘回答說,『不行,我們的油不夠大家用的,你們去油店買吧!』

10 「當糊塗的伴娘去買油的時候,新郎來了。那些預備好的伴娘跟他一同進去參加婚宴,門就關了。 11 後來,其他伴娘回來了,喊道,『主啊!主啊!請給我們開門吧!』

12 「新郎卻說,『我實在告訴你們,我不認識你們。』

13 「所以,你們要警醒,因為你們不知道我回來的日子和時辰。

才幹的比喻

14 「天國就像一個人即將遠行,他召來自己的奴僕,把產業託付給他們, 15 按各人的才幹分別交給一個人五千銀幣,一個人兩千銀幣,一個人一千銀幣,然後便離開了。 16 得到五千銀幣的立刻去做買賣,結果賺了五千; 17 得到兩千銀幣的也賺了兩千; 18 可是得到一千銀幣的卻挖了一個洞,把主人的錢藏在地裡。 19 過了很久,這些奴僕的主人回來了,要跟他們結帳。 20 得到五千銀幣的奴僕帶來了另外的五千,說,『主人,你交給我五千銀幣,請看,我又賺了五千。』

21 「主人說,『做得好!你真是個又良善又忠心的奴僕。既然你在小事上忠心,我要把更大的事交給你。進來分享你主人的快樂吧!』

22 「得到兩千銀幣的奴僕也上前說,『主人,你交給我兩千銀幣,請看,我又賺了兩千。』

23 「主人說,『做得好!你真是個又良善又忠心的奴僕,既然你在小事上忠心,我要把更大的事交給你。進來分享你主人的快樂吧!』

24 「得到一千銀幣的奴僕也上前說,『主人,我知道你為人苛刻,沒有播種的地方也要收割,沒有撒種的地方也要收穫。 25 我很害怕,就去把你的錢藏在地裡。請看,這是你的錢。』

26 「主人說,『你這又可惡又懶惰的奴僕!既然你知道我沒有播種的地方也要收割,沒有撒種的地方也要收穫, 27 就應該把錢存入錢莊,等我回來時,可以連本帶利還給我。』

28 「主人接著說,『收回他的一千銀幣,賞給那個有一萬銀幣的奴僕。 29 因為凡有的,還要給他更多,使他豐富有餘;凡沒有的,連他僅有的,也要奪去。 30 把這沒用的奴僕扔進外邊的黑暗裡,他必在那裡哀哭切齒。』

末日的審判

31 「當人子在祂的榮耀中與眾天使降臨的時候,祂要坐在榮耀的寶座上, 32 萬民要聚集在祂面前。祂要把他們分開,就像牧人把綿羊和山羊分開一樣。 33 祂要把綿羊放在右邊,山羊放在左邊。 34 那時,王會對右邊的人說,『我父所賜福的人啊,來承受創世以來為你們預備的國度吧。 35 因為我饑餓時,你們給我吃的;我口渴時,你們給我喝的;我身在異鄉時,你們接待我; 36 我赤身露體時,你們給我穿的;我生病時,你們照顧我;我坐牢時,你們來看我。』

37 「那些義人會回答說,『主啊!我們什麼時候見你餓了就給你吃的?見你渴了就給你喝的? 38 見你身在異鄉就接待你?見你赤身露體就給你穿的呢? 39 我們又什麼時候見你生病或坐牢,就去看你呢?』

40 「王會回答說,『我實在告訴你們,你們幫助我最卑微的一個弟兄,就是幫助我了。』

41 「王又對左邊的人說,『你們這些被咒詛的人,走開!到專為魔鬼及其使者預備的永遠不滅的火裡去吧! 42 因為我饑餓時,你們不給我吃的;我口渴時,你們不給我喝的; 43 我身在異鄉時,你們不接待我;我赤身露體時,你們不給我衣服;我生病時,你們不照顧我;我坐牢時,你們不來看我。』

44 「他們會問,『主啊,我們什麼時候見你餓了,或渴了,或身在異鄉,或赤身露體,或病了,或坐牢,卻沒有幫助你呢?』

45 「王會回答說,『我實在告訴你們,你們沒有幫助我最卑微的一個弟兄,就是沒有幫助我。』 46 這些人要受永遠的刑罰,但義人要得到永遠的生命。」

25 1 The virgins looking for the Bridegroom. 13 We must watch. 14 The talents delivered unto the servants. 24 The evil servants. 30 After what sort the last judgment shall be. 41 The cursed.

Then [a]the kingdom of heaven shall be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and [b]went forth to meet the bridegroom.

And five of them were wise, and five foolish.

The foolish took their lamps, but took no oil with them.

But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Now while the bridegroom tarried long, all [c]slumbered and slept.

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh: go out to meet him.

Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.

And the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are out.

But the wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there will not be enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that were ready, went in with him to the wedding, and the gate was shut.

11 Afterwards came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

12 But he answered, and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

13 (A)Watch therefore: for ye know neither the day, nor the hour, when the son of man will come.

14 (B)[d]For the kingdom of heaven is as a man that going into a strange country, called his servants, and delivered to them his goods.

15 And unto one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to every man after his own [e]ability, and straightway went from home.

16 Then he that had received the five talents, went and occupied with them, and gained other five talents.

17 Likewise also he that received two, he also gained other two.

18 But he that received that one, went and dug it in the earth, and hid his master’s money.

19 But after a long season, the master of those servants came, and reckoned with them.

20 Then came he that had received five talents, and brought other five talents, saying, Master, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained with them other five talents.

21 Then his master said unto him, It is well done good servant and faithful, Thou hast been faithful in little, I will make thee ruler over much: [f]enter into thy master’s joy.

22 Also he that had received two talents, came, and said, Master, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents more.

23 His master said unto him, It is well done good servant, and faithful, Thou hast been faithful in little, I will make thee ruler over much: enter into thy master’s joy.

24 Then he that had received the one talent, came, and said, Master, I knew that thou wast an hard man, which reapest where thou sowedst not, and gatherest where thou strawedst not:

25 I was therefore afraid, and went, and hid thy talent in the earth: behold, thou hast thine own.

26 And his master answered, and said unto him, Thou evil servant, and slothful, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I strawed not.

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the [g]exchangers, and then at my coming should I have received mine own with vantage.

28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29 (C)For unto every man that hath, it shall be given, and he shall have abundance, and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away.

30 Cast therefore that unprofitable servant into utter (D)darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

31 [h]And when the Son of man cometh in his glory and all the holy Angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory,

32 And before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats.

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on the left.

34 Then shall the king say to them on his right hand, Come ye [i]blessed of my father: take the inheritance of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

35 (E)For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I thirsted, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in unto you.

36 I was naked, and ye clothed me: I was (F)sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink?

38 And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in unto us? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the king shall answer, and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me.

41 Then shall he say to them on the left hand, (G)Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels.

42 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I thirsted, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in unto you: I was naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, and say, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 (H)And these shall go into everlasting pain, and the righteous into life eternal.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 25:1 We must desire strength at God’s hand, which may serve us as a torch while we walk through this darkness, to bring us to our desired end: otherwise if we become slothful and negligent as weary of our pains and travail, we shall be shut out of the doors.
  2. Matthew 25:1 The pomp of bridals was wont for the most part to be kept in the night seasons, and that by damsels.
  3. Matthew 25:5 Their eyes being heavy with sleep.
  4. Matthew 25:14 Christ witnesseth that there shall be a long time between his departure to his father, and his coming again to us, but yet notwithstanding that, he will at that day take an account not only of the rebellious and obstinate, how they have bestowed that which they received of him, but also of his household servants, which have not through slothfulness employed those gifts which he bestowed upon them.
  5. Matthew 25:15 According to the wisdom and skill in dealing, which was given them.
  6. Matthew 25:21 Come, and receive the fruit of goodness, now the Lord’s joy is doubled, John 15:11, that my joy may remain in you, and your joy be fulfilled.
  7. Matthew 25:27 Table mates which have their shop bulks or tables set abroad, where they let out money to usury.
  8. Matthew 25:31 A lively setting forth of the everlasting judgment which is to come.
  9. Matthew 25:34 Blessed and happy, upon whom my Father hath most abundantly bestowed his benefits.