Matthew 25
Common English Bible
Parable of the ten young bridesmaids
25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten young bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and the other five were foolish. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but didn’t bring oil for them. 4 But the wise ones took their lamps and also brought containers of oil.
5 “When the groom was late in coming, they all became drowsy and went to sleep. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Look, the groom! Come out to meet him.’
7 “Then all those bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8 But the foolish bridesmaids said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps have gone out.’
9 “But the wise bridesmaids replied, ‘No, because if we share with you, there won’t be enough for our lamps and yours. We have a better idea. You go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 But while they were gone to buy oil, the groom came. Those who were ready went with him into the wedding. Then the door was shut.
11 “Later the other bridesmaids came and said, ‘Lord, lord, open the door for us.’
12 “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’
13 “Therefore, keep alert, because you don’t know the day or the hour.
Parable of the valuable coins
14 “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was leaving on a trip. He called his servants and handed his possessions over to them. 15 To one he gave five valuable coins,[a] and to another he gave two, and to another he gave one. He gave to each servant according to that servant’s ability. Then he left on his journey.
16 “After the man left, the servant who had five valuable coins took them and went to work doing business with them. He gained five more. 17 In the same way, the one who had two valuable coins gained two more. 18 But the servant who had received the one valuable coin dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money.
19 “Now after a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The one who had received five valuable coins came forward with five additional coins. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five valuable coins. Look, I’ve gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Excellent! You are a good and faithful servant! You’ve been faithful over a little. I’ll put you in charge of much. Come, celebrate with me.’
22 “The second servant also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two valuable coins. Look, I’ve gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done! You are a good and faithful servant. You’ve been faithful over a little. I’ll put you in charge of much. Come, celebrate with me.’
24 “Now the one who had received one valuable coin came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man. You harvest grain where you haven’t sown. You gather crops where you haven’t spread seed. 25 So I was afraid. And I hid my valuable coin in the ground. Here, you have what’s yours.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You evil and lazy servant! You knew that I harvest grain where I haven’t sown and that I gather crops where I haven’t spread seed? 27 In that case, you should have turned my money over to the bankers so that when I returned, you could give me what belonged to me with interest. 28 Therefore, take from him the valuable coin and give it to the one who has ten coins. 29 Those who have much will receive more, and they will have more than they need. But as for those who don’t have much, even the little bit they have will be taken away from them. 30 Now take the worthless servant and throw him out into the farthest darkness.’
“People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth.
Judgment of the nations
31 “Now when the Human One[b] comes in his majesty and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his majestic throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them from each other, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right side. But the goats he will put on his left.
34 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who will receive good things from my Father. Inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world began. 35 I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. 36 I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’
37 “Then those who are righteous will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and give you clothes to wear? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me, you who will receive terrible things. Go into the unending fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 I was hungry and you didn’t give me food to eat. I was thirsty and you didn’t give me anything to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you didn’t welcome me. I was naked and you didn’t give me clothes to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn’t do anything to help you?’ 45 Then he will answer, ‘I assure you that when you haven’t done it for one of the least of these, you haven’t done it for me.’ 46 And they will go away into eternal punishment. But the righteous ones will go into eternal life.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 25:15 Or talantas (talents)
- Matthew 25:31 Or Son of Man
Matthew 25
1599 Geneva Bible
25 1 The virgins looking for the Bridegroom. 13 We must watch. 14 The talents delivered unto the servants. 24 The evil servants. 30 After what sort the last judgment shall be. 41 The cursed.
1 Then [a]the kingdom of heaven shall be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and [b]went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five foolish.
3 The foolish took their lamps, but took no oil with them.
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 Now while the bridegroom tarried long, all [c]slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh: go out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there will not be 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 wedding, and the gate was shut.
11 Afterwards 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 (A)Watch therefore: for ye know neither the day, nor the hour, when the son of man will come.
14 (B)[d]For the kingdom of heaven is as a man that going into a strange country, called his servants, and delivered to them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to every man after his own [e]ability, and straightway went from home.
16 Then he that had received the five talents, went and occupied with them, and gained other five talents.
17 Likewise also he that received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that received that one, went and dug it in the earth, and hid his master’s money.
19 But after a long season, the master of those servants came, and reckoned with them.
20 Then came he that had received five talents, and brought other five talents, saying, Master, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained with them other five talents.
21 Then his master said unto him, It is well done good servant and faithful, Thou hast been faithful in little, I will make thee ruler over much: [f]enter into thy master’s joy.
22 Also he that had received two talents, came, and said, Master, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents more.
23 His master said unto him, It is well done good servant, and faithful, Thou hast been faithful in little, I will make thee ruler over much: enter into thy master’s joy.
24 Then he that had received the one talent, came, and said, Master, I knew that thou wast an hard man, which reapest where thou sowedst not, and gatherest where thou strawedst not:
25 I was therefore afraid, and went, and hid thy talent in the earth: behold, thou hast thine own.
26 And his master answered, and said unto him, Thou evil servant, and slothful, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I strawed not.
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the [g]exchangers, and then at my coming should I have received mine own with vantage.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 (C)For unto every man that hath, it shall be given, and he shall have abundance, and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away.
30 Cast therefore that unprofitable servant into utter (D)darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
31 ¶ [h]And when the Son of man cometh 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 separateth the sheep from the goats.
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the king say to them on his right hand, Come ye [i]blessed of my father: take the inheritance of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 (E)For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I thirsted, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in unto you.
36 I was naked, and ye clothed me: I was (F)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 hungered, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink?
38 And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in unto us? 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 to me.
41 Then shall he say to them on the left hand, (G)Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels.
42 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I thirsted, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in unto you: I was 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 hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, and say, 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 (H)And these shall go into everlasting pain, and the righteous into life eternal.
Footnotes
- Matthew 25:1 We must desire strength at God’s hand, which may serve us as a torch while we walk through this darkness, to bring us to our desired end: otherwise if we become slothful and negligent as weary of our pains and travail, we shall be shut out of the doors.
- Matthew 25:1 The pomp of bridals was wont for the most part to be kept in the night seasons, and that by damsels.
- Matthew 25:5 Their eyes being heavy with sleep.
- Matthew 25:14 Christ witnesseth that there shall be a long time between his departure to his father, and his coming again to us, but yet notwithstanding that, he will at that day take an account not only of the rebellious and obstinate, how they have bestowed that which they received of him, but also of his household servants, which have not through slothfulness employed those gifts which he bestowed upon them.
- Matthew 25:15 According to the wisdom and skill in dealing, which was given them.
- Matthew 25:21 Come, and receive the fruit of goodness, now the Lord’s joy is doubled, John 15:11, that my joy may remain in you, and your joy be fulfilled.
- Matthew 25:27 Table mates which have their shop bulks or tables set abroad, where they let out money to usury.
- Matthew 25:31 A lively setting forth of the everlasting judgment which is to come.
- Matthew 25:34 Blessed and happy, upon whom my Father hath most abundantly bestowed his benefits.
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Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
