Matthew 25:1-13
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]
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- 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 25:1-13
International Standard Version
The Parable about the Ten Bridesmaids
25 “At that time, the kingdom from[a] heaven will be comparable to ten bridesmaids[b] who took their oil lamps and went out to meet the groom.[c] 2 Now five of them were foolish, and five were wise, 3 because when the foolish ones took their lamps, they didn’t take any oil with them. 4 But the wise ones took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 Since the groom was late, all of them became sleepy and lay down. 6 But at midnight there came a shout: ‘The groom is here! Come out to meet him!’ 7 Then all the bridesmaids[d] woke up and got their lamps ready.
8 “But the foolish ones told the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out!’
9 “But the wise ones replied, ‘No! There will never be enough for us and for you. You’d better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “While they were away buying it, the groom arrived. Those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was closed. 11 Later, the other bridesmaids[e] arrived and said, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘I tell all of you[f] with certainty, I don’t know you!’ 13 So keep on watching, because you don’t know the day or the hour.”[g]
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- Matthew 25:1 Lit. of
- Matthew 25:1 Lit. virgins
- Matthew 25:1 Other mss. read the groom and the bride
- Matthew 25:7 Lit. virgins
- Matthew 25:11 Lit. virgins
- Matthew 25:12 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
- Matthew 25:13 Other mss. read the hour when the Son of Man will come
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