¹⁵ And Jesus said to them, “Can ^(A)the ^[a]friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and ^(B)then they will fast.

⁹ Then he said to me, “Write: ^(A)‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, ^(B)“These are the true sayings of God.”

^29 (A)He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but ^(B)the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.

² Then I, ^[a]John, saw ^(A)the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared ^(B)as a bride adorned for her husband.

²³ So when they had ^(A)appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Paul and Barnabas Are Sent to the Gentiles

13 Now ^(A)in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: ^(B)Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, ^(C)Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. ² As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ^(D)“Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work ^(E)to which I have called them.” ³ Then, ^(F)having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

²⁰ Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and ^(A)lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into ^(B)joy. ^21 (C)A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. ²² Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and ^(D)your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet ^(A)the bridegroom. ^2 (B)Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. ³ Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵ But while the bridegroom was delayed, ^(C)they all slumbered and slept.

⁶ “And at midnight ^(D)a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom ^[a]is coming; go out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all those virgins arose and ^(E)trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and ^(F)the door was shut.

^5 (A)Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that ^(B)Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.