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that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps, but they didn’t take any oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 Since the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7 “Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 But the foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out’.
9 “But the wise ones replied, ‘No, there may not be enough for both us and for you. Go instead to those who sell oil, and buy some for yourselves’.
10 “But when they had gone to buy some oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.
11 “Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I do not know you’.
13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents immediately put his money to work and earned another five talents. 17 In the same way, the man with the two talents made two talents more also. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought five more talents. ‘Master’, he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. Look, I have earned five more talents’.
21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things, so I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in the joy of your master!’
22 “The man who had received the two talents came and said, ‘Master, you entrusted me with two talents. Look, I have earned two more talents’.
23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things, so I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in the joy of your master!’
24 “Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master’, he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed. 25 So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what belongs to you’.
26 “But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! You knew that I harvest where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you should have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest.
28 ‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And throw this worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’.
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at His right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 “Then the King will say to those at His right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, 36 I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you took care of Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me’.
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger and welcome You, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison and visit You?’
40 “The King will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did it to Me’.
41 “Then He will say to those at His left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you did not feed Me. I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, sick and in prison, and you did not visit Me’.
44 “Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not help You?’
45 “Then He will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me also’.
46 “Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”