Matthew 25
New English Translation
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five[a] of the virgins[b] were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When[c] the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extra[d] olive oil[e] with them. 4 But the wise ones took flasks of olive oil with their lamps. 5 When[f] the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The[g] foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 ‘No,’ they replied.[h] ‘There won’t be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 But while they had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Then[i] the door was shut. 11 Later,[j] the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, lord! Let us in!’[k] 12 But he replied,[l] ‘I tell you the truth,[m] I do not know you!’ 13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour.[n]
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves[o] and entrusted his property to them. 15 To[p] one he gave five talents,[q] to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work[r] and gained five more. 17 In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. 18 But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money in it. 19 After[s] a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. 20 The[t] one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Sir,[u] you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 His master answered,[v] ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 The[w] one with the two talents also came and said, ‘Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more.’ 23 His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed, 25 so[x] I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered,[y] ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter? 27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers,[z] and on my return I would have received my money back with interest![aa] 28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten.[ab] 29 For the one who has will be given more,[ac] and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.[ad] 30 And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness,[ae] where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The Judgment
31 “When[af] the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All[ag] the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He[ah] will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him,[ai] ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When[aj] did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? 39 When[ak] did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the king will answer them,[al] ‘I tell you the truth,[am] just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters[an] of mine, you did it for me.’
41 “Then he will say[ao] to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they too will answer,[ap] ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?’ 45 Then he will answer them,[aq] ‘I tell you the truth,[ar] just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ 46 And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”[as]
Footnotes
- Matthew 25:2 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:2 tn Grk “Five of them.”
- Matthew 25:3 tn Grk “For when.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:3 tn The word “extra” is not in the Greek text but is implied. The point is that the five foolish virgins had only the oil in their lamps, but took along no extra supply from which to replenish them. This is clear from v. 8, where the lamps of the foolish virgins are going out because they are running out of oil.
- Matthew 25:3 tn On the use of olive oil in lamps, see L&N 6.202.
- Matthew 25:5 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:8 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:9 tn Grk “The wise answered, saying, ‘No.’”
- Matthew 25:10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
- Matthew 25:11 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:11 tn Grk “Open to us.”
- Matthew 25:12 tn Grk “But answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
- Matthew 25:12 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
- Matthew 25:13 tc Most later mss (C3 Γ ƒ13 1241 1424c M) add here “in which the Son of Man is coming” (ἐν ᾗ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔρχεται, en |ē ho huios tou anthrōpou erchetai), reproducing almost verbatim the last line of Matt 24:44. The longer reading thus appears to be an explanatory expansion and should not be considered authentic. The earlier and better witnesses (P35 א A B C* D L W Δ Θ ƒ1 33 565 892 1424* al lat co) lack this phrase.
- Matthew 25:14 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
- Matthew 25:15 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:15 sn A talent was equal to 6000 denarii. See the note on this term in 18:24.
- Matthew 25:16 tn Grk “traded with them.”
- Matthew 25:19 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:20 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:20 tn Grk Or “Lord; or “Master” (and so throughout this paragraph).
- Matthew 25:21 tn Grk “His master said to him.”
- Matthew 25:22 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:25 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:26 tn Grk “But answering, his master said to him.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
- Matthew 25:27 tn For the translation “deposited my money with the bankers,” see L&N 57.216.
- Matthew 25:27 sn That is, “If you really feared me you should have done a minimum to get what I asked for.”
- Matthew 25:28 tn Grk “the ten talents.”
- Matthew 25:29 tn Grk “to everyone who has, he will be given more.”sn The one who has will be given more. Faithfulness yields great reward (see Matt 13:12; also Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18; 19:26).
- Matthew 25:29 sn The one who has nothing has even what he seems to have taken from him, ending up with no reward at all (see also Luke 8:18). The exact force of this is left ambiguous, but there is no comfort here for those who are pictured by the third slave as being totally unmoved by the master. Though not an outright enemy, there is no relationship to the master either.
- Matthew 25:30 tn The Greek term translated “darkness” (σκότος) is associated with Tartarus in Aeschylus, Eumenides 72; other references to the darkness of death and the underworld can be found throughout the classical literature as far back as Homer. BDAG 932 s.v. σκότος 1 states: “Of the darkness of the place of punishment far removed fr. the heavenly kingdom (Philo, Exsecr. 152 βαθὺ σκότος. Cf. Wsd 17:20; PsSol 14:9.—σκ. κ. βόρβορος ‘gloom and muck’ await those who are untrue to the Eleusinian Mysteries, Ael. Aristid. 22, 10 K.=19 p. 421 D. Of the darkness of death and the underworld in Hom. and the Trag. As the domain of evil spirits PGM 36, 138; Theoph. Ant. 2, 7 [p. 110, 5]) τὸ σκ. τὸ ἐξώτερον the darkness outside Mt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30.”
- Matthew 25:31 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:32 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:33 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:37 tn Grk “answer him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:38 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:39 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:40 tn Grk “answering, the king will say to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
- Matthew 25:40 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
- Matthew 25:40 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelphoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). In this context Jesus is ultimately speaking of his “followers” (whether men or women, adults or children), but the familial connotation of “brothers and sisters” is also important to retain here.
- Matthew 25:41 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:44 tn Grk “Then they will answer, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:45 tn Grk “answer them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:45 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
- Matthew 25:46 sn Here the ultimate destination of the righteous is eternal life. In several places Matthew uses “life” or “eternal life” in proximity with “the kingdom of heaven” or merely “the kingdom,” suggesting a close relationship between the two concepts (compare Matt 25:34 with v. 46; Matt 19:16, 17, 29 with vv. 23, 24). Matthew consistently portrays “eternal life” as something a person enters in the world to come, whereas the Gospel of John sees “eternal life” as beginning in the present and continuing into the future (cf. John 5:24).
Matthew 25
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
25 “ At that time tote the ho kingdom basileia of ho heaven ouranos will be like homoioō ten deka virgins parthenos who hostis took lambanō · ho their heautou torches lampas and went exerchomai out to eis meet hypantēsis the ho bridegroom nymphios. 2 Now de five pente of ek them autos were eimi foolish mōros and kai five pente were wise phronimos. 3 For gar when the ho foolish mōros took lambanō · ho their autos torches lampas, they did not ou take lambanō oil elaion with meta them heautou. 4 But de the ho wise phronimos took lambanō oil elaion in en · ho containers angeion along with meta · ho their heautou torches lampas. 5 Now de since the ho bridegroom nymphios was slow chronizō in coming , they all pas became drowsy nystazō and kai fell asleep katheudō. 6 But de at mesos midnight nyx there was ginomai a shout kraugē, ‘ Look idou, the ho bridegroom nymphios! Come exerchomai out to eis meet apantēsis him autos.’ 7 Then tote all pas those ekeinos virgins parthenos woke egeirō up · ho and kai prepared kosmeō · ho their heautou torches lampas. 8 The ho · de foolish mōros said legō to the ho wise phronimos, ‘ Give didōmi us hēmeis some ek of ho your hymeis oil elaion, because hoti · ho our hēmeis torches lampas are going sbennymi out .’ 9 But de the ho wise phronimos answered apokrinomai, saying legō, ‘ Perhaps mēpote there will not ou mē be enough arkeō for both us hēmeis and kai you hymeis, so go poreuō rather mallon to pros the ho dealers pōleō and kai buy agorazō some for yourselves heautou.’ 10 And de while they autos were away aperchomai buying agorazō it, the ho bridegroom nymphios came erchomai and kai the ho virgins who were ready hetoimos went eiserchomai in with meta him autos to eis the ho wedding gamos feast , and kai the ho door thura was shut kleiō. 11 Later hysteros · de the ho other loipos virgins parthenos came erchomai, · kai saying legō, ‘ Sir kyrios! Sir kyrios! Open anoigō the door for us hēmeis.’ 12 But de he ho replied apokrinomai, saying legō, ‘ I tell legō you hymeis the truth amēn, I do not ou know oida you hymeis!’ 13 Therefore oun stay grēgoreō alert , because hoti you know oida neither ou the ho day hēmera nor oude the ho hour hōra.
14 “ For gar the kingdom of heaven is like hōsper a man anthrōpos about to leave on a long trip apodēmeō, who called kaleō in · ho his idios servants and kai entrusted paradidōmi his autos money hyparchō to them autos. · ho 15 · kai To one hos he gave didōmi five pente talents talanton, to another hos two dyo, to another hos one heis— to each hekastos according kata to · ho his idios ability dynamis. Then kai he went on his journey apodēmeō. 16 The ho one who had received lambanō · ho five pente talents talanton went poreuō immediately and put ergazomai his autos money to work and kai gained kerdainō another allos five pente. 17 Likewise hōsautōs the ho one who had the ho two dyo gained kerdainō another allos two dyo. 18 But de the ho servant who had received lambanō the ho one heis talent went aperchomai out and dug oryssō a hole in the ground gē and kai hid kryptō his autos master’ s kyrios · ho money argyrion. · ho 19 Now de after meta a long polys time chronos the ho master kyrios of ho those ekeinos servants returned erchomai and kai settled synairō accounts logos with meta them autos. 20 · kai The ho one who had received lambanō the ho five pente talents talanton came proserchomai and brought prospherō another allos five pente, saying legō, ‘ Master kyrios, you entrusted paradidōmi five pente talents talanton to me egō; look ide, I have gained kerdainō five pente more allos.’ 21 His autos master kyrios said phēmi to him autos, · ho ‘Well done, good agathos and kai faithful pistos servant. You have been eimi trustworthy pistos in epi a few oligos things ; I will put kathistēmi you sy in charge kathistēmi of epi many polys things . Enter eiserchomai into eis the ho joy chara of ho your sy master kyrios.’ 22 · de The ho one who had received the ho two dyo talents talanton also kai came proserchomai, saying legō, “ Master kyrios, you entrusted paradidōmi two dyo talents talanton to me egō. Look ide, I have gained kerdainō two dyo more allos.’ 23 His autos master kyrios said phēmi to him autos, · ho ‘Well done, good agathos and kai faithful pistos servant. You have been eimi trustworthy pistos in epi a few oligos things ; I will put kathistēmi you sy in charge kathistēmi of epi many polys things . Enter eiserchomai into eis the ho joy chara of ho your sy master kyrios.’ 24 Then de the ho one who had received lambanō the ho one heis talent talanton also kai came proserchomai, saying legō, ‘ Master kyrios, I knew ginōskō that hoti you were eimi an unscrupulous sklēros man anthrōpos, reaping therizō where hopou you have not ou sown speirō and kai gathering synagō where hothen you scattered no ou seed diaskorpizō; 25 and kai being afraid phobeomai, I went aperchomai off and hid kryptō · ho your sy talent talanton in en the ho ground gē. Look ide, you have echō what ho is yours sos.’ 26 But de his autos master kyrios answered apokrinomai · ho him autos, saying legō, ‘ You wicked ponēros and kai lazy oknēros servant! You knew oida that hoti I reap therizō where hopou I have not ou sown speirō and kai gather synagō where hothen I scattered no ou seed diaskorpizō? 27 Then oun you sy ought dei to have deposited ballō · ho my egō money argyrion with the ho bankers trapezitēs, and kai at my return erchomai I egō would an have recovered komizō what ho was mine emos plus syn interest tokos! 28 So oun take airō the ho talent talanton away from apo him autos, and kai give didōmi it to the ho one who has echō the ho ten deka talents talanton. 29 For gar to ho everyone pas who has echō will more be given didōmi, and kai he will have an abundance perisseuō; but de from him ho who has echō not mē, even kai what hos he has echō will be taken airō from apo him autos. 30 And kai throw ekballō the ho worthless achreios servant into eis the ho outer exōteros darkness skotos, · ho where ekei there will be eimi · ho weeping klauthmos and kai · ho gnashing brygmos of ho teeth odous.’
31 “ When hotan · de the ho Son hyios of ho Man anthrōpos comes erchomai in en · ho his autos glory doxa, and kai all pas the ho angels angelos with meta him autos, then tote he will sit kathizō on epi his autos glorious doxa throne thronos. 32 · kai All pas the ho nations ethnos will be gathered synagō before emprosthen him autos, and kai he will separate aphorizō the people autos one from apo another allēlōn as hōsper a ho shepherd poimēn separates aphorizō the ho sheep probaton from apo the ho goats eriphos; 33 and kai he will place histēmi the ho sheep probaton on ek his autos right dexios, and de the ho goats eriphion on ek the left euōnymos. 34 Then tote the ho King basileus will say legō to those ho on ek his autos right dexios, ‘ Come deute, you who ho are blessed eulogeō by ho my egō Father patēr; inherit klēronomeō the ho kingdom basileia prepared hetoimazō for you hymeis from apo the foundation katabolē of the world kosmos. 35 For gar I was hungry peinaō and kai you gave didōmi me egō food esthiō, I was thirsty dipsaō and kai you gave potizō me egō drink , I was eimi a stranger xenos and kai you invited synagō me egō in , 36 I was naked gymnos and kai you clothed periballō me egō, I was sick astheneō and kai you took episkeptomai care of me egō, I was eimi in en prison phylakē and kai you visited erchomai me egō.’ 37 Then tote the ho righteous dikaios will answer apokrinomai him autos, saying legō, ‘ Lord kyrios, when pote did we see you sy hungry peinaō and kai feed trephō you, or ē thirsty dipsaō and kai give potizō you drink ? 38 And de when pote did we see you sy a stranger xenos and kai invite synagō you in , or ē naked gymnos and kai clothe periballō you? 39 And de when pote did we see you sy sick astheneō or ē in en prison phylakē and kai visit erchomai pros you sy?’ 40 And kai the ho King basileus will answer apokrinomai them autos, saying legō, ‘ I tell legō you hymeis the truth amēn, insofar as epi you did poieō it to one heis of the ho least elachistos of these houtos · ho my egō brothers adelphos, you did poieō it to me egō.’
41 “ Then tote he will say legō · kai to those ho on ek his left euōnymos, ‘ Depart poreuō from apo me egō, you ho cursed kataraomai ones , to eis the ho eternal aiōnios fire pyr · ho · ho prepared hetoimazō for the ho devil diabolos and kai · ho his autos angels angelos. 42 For gar I was hungry peinaō and kai you gave didōmi me egō no ou food esthiō, I was thirsty dipsaō and kai you gave me egō no ou drink potizō, 43 I was eimi a stranger xenos and kai you did not ou invite synagō me egō in , naked gymnos and kai you did not ou clothe periballō me egō, sick asthenēs and kai in en prison phylakē and kai you did not ou visit episkeptomai me egō.’ 44 Then tote they autos also kai will answer apokrinomai, saying legō, ‘ Lord kyrios, when pote did we see you sy hungry peinaō or ē thirsty dipsaō or ē a stranger xenos or ē naked gymnos or ē sick asthenēs or ē in en prison phylakē and kai did not ou help diakoneō you sy?’ 45 Then tote he will answer apokrinomai them autos, saying legō, ‘ I tell legō you hymeis the truth amēn, insofar as epi you did not ou do poieō it to one heis of the ho least elachistos of these houtos, you did poieō not oude do poieō it to me egō.’ 46 And kai these houtos will depart aperchomai to eis eternal aiōnios punishment kolasis, but de the ho righteous dikaios to eis eternal aiōnios life zōē.”
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
The Mounce Reverse Interlinear™ New Testament (MOUNCE)
Copyright © 2011 by William D. Mounce. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
“Reverse Interlinear” is a trademark of William D. Mounce.
