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 (A)Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

^14 (A)“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

^44 (A)How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek ^(B)the honor that comes from the only God?

The Imperative of Love^(A)

¹⁰ In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

¹¹ For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, ^(A)that we should love one another,

¹³ Do not marvel, my brethren, if ^(A)the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love ^[a]his brother abides in death. ^15 (B)Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that ^(C)no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

⁶ I saw ^(A)the woman, drunk ^(B)with the blood of the saints and with the blood of ^(C)the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.

Do Not Love the World

^15 (A)Do not love the world or the things in the world. ^(B)If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

⁴ Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.