1 THEN shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps, went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 But five of them were provident, and five foolish. 3 Those who were taking their lamps, took no oil with them: 4 but the provident took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But as the bridegroom stayed long, they all slumbered and slept.
6 Then at midnight the cry came, Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go forth to meet him.
7 Then all these virgins arose, and set about trimming their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the provident, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the provident replied, saying, No; lest there be not a sufficiency for us and you: but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 But while they were gone away to buy, the bridegroom came; and they who were prepared went in with him to the marriage-feast: and the door was shut.
11 Then came afterwards the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us.
12 But he answering said, Verily, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour in which the Son of man cometh.
14 For the case is like that of a man, who travelling abroad, called his own servants, and delivered to them his goods. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his several capacity; and immediately went abroad. 16 He then who had received the five talents, went and traded with them, and acquired five other talents. 17 In the same manner also he that had the two, gained also himself two others. 18 But he that had received the one talent, went and digged a hole in the ground, and hid the silver of his master.
19 Then after a long absence the master of these servants cometh, and maketh a reckoning with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents, coming to him, brought five other talents, saying, Sir, thou deliveredst to me five talents: I have gained to them five other talents.
21 His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many: enter into the joy of thy master.
22 Then came also he that had received the two talents: and said, Sir, thou deliveredst to me two talents: lo! I have gained to them two other talents.
23 His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many: enter thou into thy master's joy.
24 Then came also he that had received the one talent, and said, Sir, knowing thee, that thou art a severe man, reaping where thou hast not sowed, and gathering from whence thou hast not scattered: 25 and being afraid, I went and hid thy talent in the ground: see here, thou hast thine own.
26 Then his master answering said to him, Thou wicked and idle slave, thou knewest that I reap whence I had not sown, and gather where I had not scattered: 27 thou oughtest then to have placed my money with the bankers, so when I came I should have received my own with interest.
28 Take therefore from him the talent, and give it to him that hath the ten talents. 29 For to every one that hath shall be given, and he shall abound: but from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
31 But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory: 32 and before him shall all the nations be gathered together; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats: 33 and he shall place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. 34 Then shall the King say to those on his right-hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
35 for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink: I was a stranger, and ye received me hospitably: 36 naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye took care of me: I was in prison, and ye came to me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When indeed saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 When indeed saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the king answering shall say to them, Verily I tell you, for as much as ye have done it to one of these my brethren, the very least of them, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also to those on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 for I was hungry, and ye gave me nothing to eat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me nothing to drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye did not clothe me: sick, and in prison, and ye took no care of me.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he reply to them, saying, For as much as ye have not done it to one of the least of these, neither have ye done it to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.