Matthew 24:37-25:30

New American Standard Bible 1995

³⁷ For ^[a]the ^(A)coming of the Son of Man will be ^(B)just like the days of Noah. ³⁸ For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, ^(C)marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that ^(D)Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and they did not ^[b]understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the ^(E)coming of the Son of Man be. ⁴⁰ Then there will be two men in the field; one ^[c]will be taken and one ^[d]will be left. ^41 (F)Two women will be grinding at the ^[e](G)mill; one ^[f]will be taken and one ^[g]will be left.

Be Ready for His Coming

⁴² “Therefore ^(H)be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. ⁴³ But ^[h]be sure of this, that ^(I)if the head of the house had known ^(J)at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be ^[i]broken into. ⁴⁴ For this reason ^(K)you also must be ready; for ^(L)the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

⁴⁵ “^(M)Who then is the ^(N)faithful and ^(O)sensible slave whom his ^[j]master ^(P)put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶ Blessed is that slave whom his ^[k]master finds so doing when he comes. ⁴⁷ Truly I say to you that ^(Q)he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁸ But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My ^[l]master ^[m]is not coming for a long time,’ ⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; ⁵⁰ the ^[n]master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, ⁵¹ and will ^[o]cut him in pieces and ^[p]assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be ^(R)weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Parable of Ten Virgins

25 “Then ^(S)the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their ^(T)lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish, and five were ^(U)prudent. ³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴ but the ^(V)prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. ⁵ Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. ⁶ But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the ^(W)prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ^(X)ready went in with him to ^(Y)the wedding feast; and ^(Z)the door was shut. ¹¹ Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘^(AA)Lord, lord, open up for us.’ ¹² But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ ^13 (AB)Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “^(AC)For it is just like a man ^(AD)about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five ^[q](AE)talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he ^(AF)went on his journey. ¹⁶ Immediately the one who had received the five ^(AG)talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. ¹⁷ In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. ¹⁸ But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his ^[r]master’s money.

¹⁹ “Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *^(AH)settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The one who had received the five ^(AI)talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and ^(AJ)faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will ^(AK)put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your ^[s]master.’

²² “Also the one who had received the two ^(AL)talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and ^(AM)faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

²⁴ “And the one also who had received the one ^(AN)talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. ²⁵ And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

²⁶ “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. ²⁷ Then you ought to have put my money ^[t]in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. ²⁸ Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

²⁹ “^(AO)For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. ³⁰ Throw out the worthless slave into ^(AP)the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.