"But be on your guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap.

The kingdom

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

He presented them with another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field.

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

"The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.

In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever.

Ten

In embroidered robes she is escorted to the king. Her attendants, the maidens of honor who follow her, are led before you.

The fragrance of your colognes is delightful; your name is like the finest perfume. No wonder the young women adore you!

The Beloved to the Maidens: O maidens of Jerusalem, I command you -- If you find my beloved, what will you tell him? Tell him that I am lovesick!

The Maidens to the Beloved: Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? Where has your beloved turned? Tell us, that we may seek him with you.

I praise you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions just as I passed them on to you.

These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from humanity as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb,

Which

In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.

"Get dressed for service and keep your lamps burning;

so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world

Went

Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award it to me in that day -- and not to me only, but also to all who have set their affection on his appearing.

as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Indeed, as long as I am in this tabernacle, I consider it right to stir you up by way of a reminder,

while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze!

The bridegroom

Jesus said to them, "The wedding guests cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.

"The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.

Princesses are among your honored guests, your bride stands at your right hand, wearing jewelry made with gold from Ophir.

For your husband is the one who made you -- the Lord who commands armies is his name. He is your protector, the Holy One of Israel. He is called "God of the entire earth."

You will no longer be called, "Abandoned," and your land will no longer be called "Desolate." Indeed, you will be called "My Delight is in Her," and your land "Married." For the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married to him.

Jesus said to them, "The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they do not fast.

So Jesus said to them, "You cannot make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you?

The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly when he hears the bridegroom's voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete.

For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her

Let us rejoice and exult and give him glory, because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

And I saw the holy city -- the new Jerusalem -- descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband.