25 ¶ Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be likened unto ten virgins who, taking their lamps, went forth to meet the bridegroom.

² And five of them were prudent, and five were foolish.

³ Those that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them;

⁴ but the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

⁵ While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

⁶ And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go ye out to meet him.

⁷ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.

⁸ And the foolish said unto the prudent, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are going out.

⁹ But the prudent answered, saying, 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 those that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut.

¹¹ Afterward the other virgins also came, 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 comes.

¹⁴ ¶ For it is like a man travelling into a far country, who called his own slaves and delivered unto them his goods.

¹⁵ And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each one according to his faculty, and straightway took his journey.

¹⁶ And after he was gone, he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same and made another five talents.

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

¹⁸ But he that had received one went and dug in the earth and hid his lord’s money.

¹⁹ And after a long time the lord of those slaves came and reckoned accounts with them.

²⁰ And so he that had received five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, Lord, thou didst deliver 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 slave; thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

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

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

²⁴ Then he who had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown and gathering where thou hast not scattered;

²⁵ therefore, I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the earth; behold, thou hast what is thine.

²⁶ His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful slave, thou knewest that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I have not scattered;

²⁷ therefore, it was expedient for thee to have put my money to the bankers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with interest.

²⁸ Take, therefore, the talent from him and give it unto him who has ten talents.

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

³⁰ And cast ye the unprofitable slave into the 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 he shall 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 divides 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 those 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 hungry, and ye gave me food; 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 did we see thee hungry and feed thee? or thirsty and give thee drink?

³⁸ When did we see thee a stranger and take thee in? or naked and clothe thee?

³⁹ Or when did we see thee sick or in prison and come 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 brothers, ye have done it unto me.

⁴¹ Then he shall also say unto those who shall be on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels;

⁴² for I was hungry, and ye gave me no food; 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 they shall also answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister unto thee?

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

⁴⁶ And they shall go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.