Matthew 24:37-25:30

American Standard Version

³⁷ And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the ^[a]coming of the Son of man. ³⁸ For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, ³⁹ and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the ^[b]coming of the Son of man. ⁴⁰ Then shall two men be in the field; one is taken, and one is left: ⁴¹ two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is left. ⁴² Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh. ^43 [c]But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be ^[d]broken through. ⁴⁴ Therefore be ye also ready; for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh.

⁴⁵ Who then is the faithful and wise ^[e]servant, whom his lord hath set over his household, to give them their food in due season? ⁴⁶ Blessed is that ^[f]servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. ⁴⁷ Verily I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath. ⁴⁸ But if that evil ^[g]servant shall say in his heart, My lord tarrieth; ⁴⁹ and shall begin to beat his fellow-servants, and shall eat and drink with the drunken; ⁵⁰ the lord of that ^[h]servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not, ⁵¹ and shall ^[i]cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

25 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who took their ^[j]lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. ² And five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³ For the foolish, when they took their ^[k]lamps, took no oil with them: ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their ^[l]lamps. ⁵ Now while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. ⁶ But at midnight there is a cry, Behold, the bridegroom! Come ye forth to meet him. ⁷ Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their ^[m]lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our ^[n]lamps are going out. ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, Peradventure there will not be enough for us and you: go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. ¹⁰ And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast: 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 not the day nor the hour.

¹⁴ For it is as when a man, going into another country, called his own ^[o]servants, and delivered unto them his goods. ¹⁵ And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey. ¹⁶ Straightway he that received the five talents went and traded with them, and made other five talents. ¹⁷ In like manner he also that received the two gained other two. ¹⁸ But he that received the one went away and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. ¹⁹ Now after a long time the lord of those ^[p]servants cometh, and maketh a reckoning with them. ²⁰ And he that received the five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: lo, I have gained other five talents. ²¹ His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful ^[q]servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. ²² And he also that received the two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: lo, I have gained other two talents. ²³ His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful ^[r]servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. ²⁴ And he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou didst not scatter; ²⁵ and I was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast thine own. ²⁶ But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful ^[s]servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter; ²⁷ thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest. ²⁸ Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath the ten talents. ²⁹ For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away. ³⁰ And cast ye out the unprofitable ^[t]servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.