New Testament in a Year

25 Then the kingdom of heavens shall be like to ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went out to meet the husband and the wife^[a];

² and five of them were fools, and five prudent.

³ But the five fools took their lamps, and took not oil with them;

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

⁵ And whiles the husband [the spouse, or husband,] tarried, all they napped and slept.

⁶ But at midnight a cry was made, Lo! the spouse cometh, go ye out to meet with him [go ye out to meet him].

⁷ Then all those virgins rose up, and arrayed their lamps [and adorned their lamps].

⁸ And the fools said to the wise, Give ye to us of your oil, for our lamps be quenched.

⁹ The prudent answered, and said [saying], Lest peradventure it suffice not to us and to you, go ye rather to men that sell, and buy to you.

¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the spouse came; and those that were ready, entered [in] with him to the weddings; and the gate was shut.

¹¹ And at the last the other virgins came, and said, Lord, Lord, open to us.^[b]

¹² And he answered, and said, Truly I say to you, I know you not.

¹³ Therefore wake ye, for ye know not the day nor the hour.

¹⁴ For as a man that goeth in pilgrimage [Soothly as a man going far in pilgrimage], called his servants, and betook to them his goods;

¹⁵ and to one he gave five talents, to another twain [and to one he gave five talents, or bezants, forsooth to another two], and to another one, to each after his own virtue; and he went forth at once [and he went forth anon].

¹⁶ And he that had five bezants [Forsooth and he that had taken five talents], went forth, and wrought in them, and won other five.

¹⁷ Also and he that had taken twain, won other twain. [Also and he that had taken two, won other two.]

¹⁸ But he that had taken one, went forth, and delved in the earth, and hid the money of his lord.

¹⁹ But after long time, the lord of those servants came, and reckoned with them.

²⁰ And he that had taken five bezants, came, and brought other five, and said, Lord, thou betookest to me five bezants, lo! I have gotten above five others.^[c]

²¹ His lord said to him, Well be thou, good servant and faithful; for on few things thou hast been true^[d], I shall ordain thee on many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

²² And he that had taken two talents, came, and said, Lord, thou betookest to me two bezants; lo! I have won over other twain.^[e]

²³ His lord said to him, Well be thou, good servant and true; for on few things thou hast been true^[f], I shall ordain thee on many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

²⁴ But he that had taken one bezant [Forsooth and he that had taken one talent], came, and said, Lord, I know that thou art an hard man; thou reapest where thou hast not sown, and thou gatherest together where thou hast not spreaded abroad;

²⁵ and I dreading went, and hid thy bezant in the earth [and I dreading went, and hid thy talent in the earth]; lo! thou hast that that is thine.

²⁶ His lord answered, and said to him, Evil servant and slow, knewest thou that I reap where I sowed not, and gather together where I spreaded not abroad?

²⁷ Therefore it behooved thee to betake my money to (ex)changers [Therefore it behooved thee to have sent my money to changers], that when I came, I should have received that that is mine with usuries.

²⁸ Therefore take away from him the bezant, and give [ye it] to him that hath ten bezants. [And so take ye away from him the talent, and give ye it to him that hath ten talents.]

²⁹ For to every man that hath me shall give, and he shall increase^[g]; but from him that hath not, also that that he seemeth to have, shall be taken away from him.

³⁰ And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into outer-more darknesses; there shall be weeping, and grinding of teeth. [And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into utter-more darknesses; there shall be weeping, and beating together of teeth.]