The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins[a] who took their lamps[b] and went out to meet the groom.(A) Five of them were foolish and five were wise.(B) When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take oil with them; but the wise ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. When the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

“In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’

“Then all the virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’

“The wise ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell oil, and buy some for yourselves.’

10 “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.(C) 11 Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’

12 “He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!’

13 “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.[c]

The Parable of the Talents

14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey.(D) He called his own servants and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 To one he gave five talents,[d] to another two talents, and to another one talent, depending on each one’s ability. Then he went on a journey.(E) Immediately 16 the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. 17 In the same way the man with two earned two more. 18 But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I’ve earned five more talents.’

21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’(F)

22 “The man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I’ve earned two more talents.’

23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’

24 “The man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a harsh man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed.(G) 25 So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

26 “His master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy servant!(H) If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, 27 then[e] you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and I would have received my money[f] back with interest when I returned.

28 “‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.(I) 30 And throw this good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness,(J) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The Sheep and the Goats

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels[g](K) with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.(L) 32 All the nations[h](M) will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.(N) 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom(O) prepared for you from the foundation of the world.(P)

35 “‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’(Q)

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or without clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?’

40 “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’(R)

41 “Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!(S) 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 didn’t take me in; I was naked and you didn’t clothe me, sick and in prison and you didn’t take care of me.’

44 “Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help you?’

45 “Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’(T)

46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”(U)

Footnotes

  1. 25:1 Or bridesmaids
  2. 25:1 Or torches, also in vv. 3,4,7,8
  3. 25:13 Other mss add in which the Son of Man is coming.
  4. 25:15 A talent is worth about 6,000 denarii, or twenty years’ wages for a laborer
  5. 25:26–27 Or So you knew... scattered? Then (as a question)
  6. 25:27 Lit received what is mine
  7. 25:31 Other mss read holy angels
  8. 25:32 Or the Gentiles

十童女的比喻

25 「那時,天國好比十個童女拿著燈出去迎接新郎。 其中有五個是愚拙的,五個是聰明的。 愚拙的拿著燈,卻不預備油; 聰明的拿著燈,又預備油在器皿裡。 新郎遲延的時候,她們都打盹睡著了。 半夜有人喊著說:『新郎來了,你們出來迎接他!』 那些童女就都起來收拾燈。 愚拙的對聰明的說:『請分點油給我們,因為我們的燈要滅了。』 聰明的回答說:『恐怕不夠你我用的,不如你們自己到賣油的那裡去買吧。』 10 她們去買的時候,新郎到了,那預備好了的同他進去坐席,門就關了。 11 其餘的童女隨後也來了,說:『主啊,主啊,給我們開門!』 12 他卻回答說:『我實在告訴你們:我不認識你們。』 13 所以,你們要警醒,因為那日子、那時辰,你們不知道。

按才幹受責任

14 「天國又好比一個人要往外國去,就叫了僕人來,把他的家業交給他們, 15 按著各人的才幹給他們銀子,一個給了五千,一個給了二千,一個給了一千,就往外國去了。 16 那領五千的隨即拿去做買賣,另外賺了五千。 17 那領二千的也照樣另賺了二千。 18 但那領一千的去掘開地,把主人的銀子埋藏了。 19 過了許久,那些僕人的主人來了,和他們算帳。 20 那領五千銀子的又帶著那另外的五千來,說:『主啊,你交給我五千銀子,請看,我又賺了五千。』 21 主人說:『好,你這又良善又忠心的僕人,你在不多的事上有忠心,我要把許多事派你管理。可以進來享受你主人的快樂!』 22 那領二千的也來,說:『主啊,你交給我二千銀子,請看,我又賺了二千。』 23 主人說:『好,你這又良善又忠心的僕人,你在不多的事上有忠心,我要把許多事派你管理。可以進來享受你主人的快樂!』 24 那領一千的也來,說:『主啊,我知道你是忍心的人,沒有種的地方要收割,沒有散的地方要聚斂。 25 我就害怕,去把你的一千銀子埋藏在地裡。請看,你的原銀子在這裡。』 26 主人回答說:『你這又惡又懶的僕人!你既知道我沒有種的地方要收割,沒有散的地方要聚斂, 27 就當把我的銀子放給兌換銀錢的人到我來的時候,可以連本帶利收回。 28 奪過他這一千來,給那有一萬的! 29 因為凡有的,還要加給他,叫他有餘;沒有的,連他所有的也要奪過來。 30 把這無用的僕人丟在外面黑暗裡,在那裡必要哀哭切齒了。』

論審判的日子

31 「當人子在他榮耀裡同著眾天使降臨的時候,要坐在他榮耀的寶座上。 32 萬民都要聚集在他面前,他要把他們分別出來,好像牧羊的分別綿羊山羊一般: 33 把綿羊安置在右邊,山羊在左邊。 34 於是,王要向那右邊的說:『你們這蒙我父賜福的,可來承受那創世以來為你們所預備的國。 35 因為我餓了,你們給我吃;渴了,你們給我喝;我做客旅,你們留我住; 36 我赤身露體,你們給我穿;我病了,你們看顧我;我在監裡,你們來看我。』 37 義人就回答說:『主啊,我們什麼時候見你餓了給你吃,渴了給你喝? 38 什麼時候見你做客旅留你住,或是赤身露體給你穿? 39 又什麼時候見你病了或是在監裡,來看你呢?』 40 王要回答說:『我實在告訴你們:這些事你們既做在我這弟兄中一個最小的身上,就是做在我身上了。』 41 王又要向那左邊的說:『你們這被咒詛的人,離開我,進入那為魔鬼和他的使者所預備的永火裡去! 42 因為我餓了,你們不給我吃;渴了,你們不給我喝; 43 我做客旅,你們不留我住;我赤身露體,你們不給我穿;我病了,我在監裡,你們不來看顧我。』 44 他們也要回答說:『主啊,我們什麼時候見你餓了,或渴了,或做客旅,或赤身露體,或病了,或在監裡,不伺候你呢?』 45 王要回答說:『我實在告訴你們:這些事你們既不做在我這弟兄中一個最小的身上,就是不做在我身上了。』 46 這些人要往永刑裡去,那些義人要往永生裡去。」

25 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: 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 neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.