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Jeremiah 24-26
New International Version
Jeremiah 24-26
New International Version
Two Baskets of Figs
24 After Jehoiachin[a](A) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the officials, the skilled workers and the artisans of Judah were carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Lord showed me two baskets of figs(B) placed in front of the temple of the Lord. 2 One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early;(C) the other basket had very bad(D) figs, so bad they could not be eaten.
3 Then the Lord asked me, “What do you see,(E) Jeremiah?”
“Figs,” I answered. “The good ones are very good, but the bad ones are so bad they cannot be eaten.”
4 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 5 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent(F) away from this place to the land of the Babylonians.[b] 6 My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back(G) to this land. I will build(H) them up and not tear them down; I will plant(I) them and not uproot them. 7 I will give them a heart to know(J) me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people,(K) and I will be their God, for they will return(L) to me with all their heart.(M)
8 “‘But like the bad(N) figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,’ says the Lord, ‘so will I deal with Zedekiah(O) king of Judah, his officials(P) and the survivors(Q) from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt.(R) 9 I will make them abhorrent(S) and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword,(T) a curse[c](U) and an object of ridicule, wherever I banish(V) them. 10 I will send the sword,(W) famine(X) and plague(Y) against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their ancestors.(Z)’”
Seventy Years of Captivity
25 The word came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim(AA) son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar(AB) king of Babylon. 2 So Jeremiah the prophet said to all the people of Judah(AC) and to all those living in Jerusalem: 3 For twenty-three years—from the thirteenth year of Josiah(AD) son of Amon king of Judah until this very day—the word of the Lord has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again,(AE) but you have not listened.(AF)
4 And though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets(AG) to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention.(AH) 5 They said, “Turn(AI) now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land(AJ) the Lord gave to you and your ancestors for ever and ever. 6 Do not follow other gods(AK) to serve and worship them; do not arouse my anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you.”
7 “But you did not listen to me,” declares the Lord, “and you have aroused(AL) my anger with what your hands have made,(AM) and you have brought harm(AN) to yourselves.”
8 Therefore the Lord Almighty says this: “Because you have not listened to my words, 9 I will summon(AO) all the peoples of the north(AP) and my servant(AQ) Nebuchadnezzar(AR) king of Babylon,” declares the Lord, “and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy[d](AS) them and make them an object of horror and scorn,(AT) and an everlasting ruin.(AU) 10 I will banish from them the sounds(AV) of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom,(AW) the sound of millstones(AX) and the light of the lamp.(AY) 11 This whole country will become a desolate wasteland,(AZ) and these nations will serve(BA) the king of Babylon seventy years.(BB)
12 “But when the seventy years(BC) are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon(BD) and his nation, the land of the Babylonians,[e] for their guilt,” declares the Lord, “and will make it desolate(BE) forever. 13 I will bring on that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written(BF) in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations. 14 They themselves will be enslaved(BG) by many nations(BH) and great kings; I will repay(BI) them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.”
The Cup of God’s Wrath
15 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup(BJ) filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send(BK) you drink it. 16 When they drink(BL) it, they will stagger(BM) and go mad(BN) because of the sword(BO) I will send among them.”
17 So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations to whom he sent(BP) me drink it: 18 Jerusalem(BQ) and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a ruin(BR) and an object of horror and scorn,(BS) a curse[f](BT)—as they are today;(BU) 19 Pharaoh king(BV) of Egypt,(BW) his attendants, his officials and all his people, 20 and all the foreign people there; all the kings of Uz;(BX) all the kings of the Philistines(BY) (those of Ashkelon,(BZ) Gaza,(CA) Ekron, and the people left at Ashdod); 21 Edom,(CB) Moab(CC) and Ammon;(CD) 22 all the kings of Tyre(CE) and Sidon;(CF) the kings of the coastlands(CG) across the sea; 23 Dedan,(CH) Tema,(CI) Buz(CJ) and all who are in distant places[g];(CK) 24 all the kings of Arabia(CL) and all the kings of the foreign people(CM) who live in the wilderness; 25 all the kings of Zimri,(CN) Elam(CO) and Media;(CP) 26 and all the kings of the north,(CQ) near and far, one after the other—all the kingdoms(CR) on the face of the earth. And after all of them, the king of Sheshak[h](CS) will drink it too.
27 “Then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Drink, get drunk(CT) and vomit, and fall to rise no more because of the sword(CU) I will send among you.’ 28 But if they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink(CV), tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: You must drink it! 29 See, I am beginning to bring disaster(CW) on the city that bears my Name,(CX) and will you indeed go unpunished?(CY) You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword(CZ) on all(DA) who live on the earth,(DB) declares the Lord Almighty.’
30 “Now prophesy all these words against them and say to them:
“‘The Lord will roar(DC) from on high;
he will thunder(DD) from his holy dwelling(DE)
and roar mightily against his land.
He will shout like those who tread(DF) the grapes,
shout against all who live on the earth.
31 The tumult(DG) will resound to the ends of the earth,
for the Lord will bring charges(DH) against the nations;
he will bring judgment(DI) on all(DJ) mankind
and put the wicked to the sword,(DK)’”
declares the Lord.
32 This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“Look! Disaster(DL) is spreading
from nation to nation;(DM)
a mighty storm(DN) is rising
from the ends of the earth.”(DO)
33 At that time those slain(DP) by the Lord will be everywhere—from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned or gathered(DQ) up or buried,(DR) but will be like dung lying on the ground.
34 Weep and wail, you shepherds;(DS)
roll(DT) in the dust, you leaders of the flock.
For your time to be slaughtered(DU) has come;
you will fall like the best of the rams.[i](DV)
35 The shepherds will have nowhere to flee,
the leaders of the flock no place to escape.(DW)
36 Hear the cry(DX) of the shepherds,(DY)
the wailing of the leaders of the flock,
for the Lord is destroying their pasture.
37 The peaceful meadows will be laid waste
because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
38 Like a lion(DZ) he will leave his lair,
and their land will become desolate(EA)
because of the sword[j] of the oppressor(EB)
and because of the Lord’s fierce anger.(EC)
Jeremiah Threatened With Death
26 Early in the reign of Jehoiakim(ED) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the Lord: 2 “This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard(EE) of the Lord’s house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the house of the Lord.(EF) Tell(EG) them everything I command you; do not omit(EH) a word. 3 Perhaps they will listen and each will turn(EI) from their evil ways. Then I will relent(EJ) and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done. 4 Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen(EK) to me and follow my law,(EL) which I have set before you, 5 and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened(EM)), 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh(EN) and this city a curse[k](EO) among all the nations of the earth.’”
7 The priests, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the Lord. 8 But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded(EP) him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized(EQ) him and said, “You must die!(ER) 9 Why do you prophesy in the Lord’s name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?”(ES) And all the people crowded(ET) around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.
10 When the officials(EU) of Judah heard about these things, they went up from the royal palace to the house of the Lord and took their places at the entrance of the New Gate(EV) of the Lord’s house. 11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man should be sentenced to death(EW) because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!”(EX)
12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials(EY) and all the people: “The Lord sent me to prophesy(EZ) against this house and this city all the things you have heard.(FA) 13 Now reform(FB) your ways and your actions and obey(FC) the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent(FD) and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you. 14 As for me, I am in your hands;(FE) do with me whatever you think is good and right. 15 Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood(FF) on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words(FG) in your hearing.”
16 Then the officials(FH) and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man should not be sentenced to death!(FI) He has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”
17 Some of the elders of the land stepped forward and said to the entire assembly of people, 18 “Micah(FJ) of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“‘Zion(FK) will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,(FL)
the temple hill(FM) a mound overgrown with thickets.’[l](FN)
19 “Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah(FO) fear the Lord and seek(FP) his favor? And did not the Lord relent,(FQ) so that he did not bring the disaster(FR) he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster(FS) on ourselves!”
20 (Now Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim(FT) was another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord; he prophesied the same things against this city and this land as Jeremiah did. 21 When King Jehoiakim(FU) and all his officers and officials(FV) heard his words, the king was determined to put him to death.(FW) But Uriah heard of it and fled(FX) in fear to Egypt. 22 King Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan(FY) son of Akbor to Egypt, along with some other men. 23 They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him struck down with a sword(FZ) and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.)(GA)
24 Furthermore, Ahikam(GB) son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 24:1 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
- Jeremiah 24:5 Or Chaldeans
- Jeremiah 24:9 That is, their names will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that they are cursed.
- Jeremiah 25:9 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
- Jeremiah 25:12 Or Chaldeans
- Jeremiah 25:18 That is, their names to be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, to be seen by others as cursed
- Jeremiah 25:23 Or who clip the hair by their foreheads
- Jeremiah 25:26 Sheshak is a cryptogram for Babylon.
- Jeremiah 25:34 Septuagint; Hebrew fall and be shattered like fine pottery
- Jeremiah 25:38 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 46:16 and 50:16); most Hebrew manuscripts anger
- Jeremiah 26:6 That is, its name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that it is cursed.
- Jeremiah 26:18 Micah 3:12
Jeremiah 24-26
King James Version
Jeremiah 24-26
King James Version
24 The Lord shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the Lord, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.
2 One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.
3 Then said the Lord unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
4 Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
5 Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.
6 For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.
7 And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.
8 And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the Lord, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:
9 And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.
10 And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.
25 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon;
2 The which Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying,
3 From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that is the three and twentieth year, the word of the Lord hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened.
4 And the Lord hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.
5 They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever:
6 And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.
7 Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the Lord; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.
8 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words,
9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.
10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.
11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.
13 And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations.
14 For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands.
15 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.
16 And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.
17 Then took I the cup at the Lord's hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the Lord had sent me:
18 To wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as it is this day;
19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;
20 And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod,
21 Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon,
22 And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea,
23 Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that are in the utmost corners,
24 And all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert,
25 And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes,
26 And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.
27 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.
28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink.
29 For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts.
30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord.
32 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
33 And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.
34 Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.
35 And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.
36 A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the Lord hath spoiled their pasture.
37 And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
38 He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.
26 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the Lord, saying,
2 Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:
3 If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.
4 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,
5 To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;
6 Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.
7 So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord.
8 Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.
9 Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.
10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's house unto the house of the Lord, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the Lord's house.
11 Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.
12 Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.
13 Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.
14 As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.
15 But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.
16 Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.
17 Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying,
18 Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.
19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the Lord, and besought the Lord, and the Lord repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.
20 And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the Lord, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah.
21 And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt;
22 And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt.
23 And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.
24 Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.
Matthew 25:1-30
New International Version
Matthew 25:1-30
New International Version
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like(A) ten virgins who took their lamps(B) and went out to meet the bridegroom.(C) 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise.(D) 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.(E)
6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’(F)
9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet.(G) And the door was shut.
11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’(H)
13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.(I)
The Parable of the Bags of Gold(J)
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey,(K) who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability.(L) Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.(M) 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.(N) Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.(O) Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.(P) 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’(Q)
Footnotes
- Matthew 25:15 Greek five talents … two talents … one talent; also throughout this parable; a talent was worth about 20 years of a day laborer’s wage.
Matthew 25:1-30
King James Version
Matthew 25:1-30
King James Version
25 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not 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 marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward 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 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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