25:1 Then the kingdom of heaven will be similar to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
25:2 And five out of them were prudent and five were foolish.
25:3 Those who were foolish, having taken their lamps, took no oil with them;
25:4 but the prudent took oil in their containers with their lamps.
25:5 Now the bridegroom while he was delaying, they all slumbered and slept.
25:6 But in the middle of the night there became an outcry, Behold, the bridegroom is coming! Go forth to meet him.
25:7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
25:8 And the foolish said to the prudent, Give us some oil from your* oil, because our lamps are quenched.
25:9 But the prudent answered, saying, No, lest it might not be enough for us and you* too, but rather go to those who sell and buy for yourselves.
25:10 And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were prepared went in with him to the marriage feast and the door was locked.
25:11 Later the rest of the virgins also came, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
25:12 But answering, he said, Assuredly I say to you*, I do not know you*.
25:13 Therefore watch, because you* do not know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
25:14 For* it is like a man, going abroad, who called his own bondservants and gave to them his possessions.
25:15 And to one he gave five silver {F} talants, but to another two, and to another one; to each according to his own ability, and immediately went abroad.
25:16 Immediately he who received the five talants went and took them and worked with them and made* another five talants.
25:17 Likewise* he who also received the two also gained another two.
25:18 But he who received the one, having gone away, shoveled in the soil and hid his lord's silver.
25:19 Now after a long time the lord of those bondservants comes back and settles the account with them.
25:20 And he who received the five talants came and brought the other five talants, saying, Lord, You gave to me five talants. Behold, I have gained in addition to them another five talants.
25:21 But his lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful bondservant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will designate you over many things; enter into the joy of your lord.
25:22 And he who also received the two talants came and said, Lord, You gave to me two talants. Behold, I have gained in addition to them another two talants.
25:23 His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful bondservant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will designate you over many things; enter into the joy of your lord.
25:24 And he who also had received the one talant came and said, Lord, I knew you, that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering from where you did not scatter;
25:25 and I was afraid and went away and hid your talant in the soil. Behold, you have your own.
25:26 But his lord answering, said to him, You evil and lazy bondservant, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter?
25:27 Therefore, you ought to have put my silver with the bankers and at my coming I might get back my own with interest.
25:28 Therefore take away the talant from him and give it to him who has the ten talants.
25:29 For* to everyone who has will be given more and he will abound, but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
25:30 And cast out the useless bondservant into the outer darkness– the weeping and the gnashing of teeth will be there.
25:31 But whenever the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the holy messengers with him. Then he will sit upon the throne of his glory;
25:32 and in front of him will be gathered all the nations and he will separate* them one from another, like the shepherd separates* the sheep from the goats;
25:33 and he will indeed stand the sheep at his right, but the goats at the left.
25:34 Then the King will say to those at his right, Come-here, the blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you* from the conception of the world:
25:35 for* 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* brought me in;
25:36 I was naked and you* dressed me; I was sick and you* visited me; I was in prison and you* came to me.
25:37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and nourish you? Or thirsty and gave you a drink?
25:38 And when did we see you as a stranger and bring you in? Or naked and dressed you?
25:39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and came to you?
25:40 And answering, the King will say to them, Assuredly I say to you*, Inasmuch as you* did it to one of these, my brethren, even the least, you* did it to me.
25:41 Then he will also say to them at the left, Go away from me, you* the cursed into the everlasting fire which is prepared for the Devil and his messengers:
25:42 for* I was hungry and you* did not give me anything to eat; I was thirsty and you* gave me nothing to drink;
25:43 I was a stranger and you* did not bring me in; naked and you* did not dress me; sick and in prison and you* did not visit me.
25:44 Then they will also answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or as a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not serve you?
25:45 Then he will answer them, saying, Assuredly I say to you*, Inasmuch as you* did it not to one of these, the least, neither did you* do it to me.
25:46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life.
{Footnotes: Mt 25:15- A talant is approximately 58-80 pounds of silver. Equal to approximately a million dollars in US money today.}
{Mk 14:1-2 & Mt 26:1-5 & Lk 22:1-2 mountain Olives, Bethany, Jerusalem, Tues. Evening, Wed. for the Jews.}