Matthew

This story sheds light on what will happen in the kingdom of heaven: Ten bridesmaids went out with their lamps to meet the bridegroom.

Five of them were foolish, and five were sensible.

The careless bridesmaids took their lamps as they were and did not bring extra oil.

But those who were wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.

As the bridegroom delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

But at midnight, a cry rang out, ‘The bridegroom is here, come out and meet him!’

All the maidens woke up at once and trimmed their lamps.

Then the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some oil, for our lamps are going out.’

The sensible ones replied, ‘There might not be enough for us and for you. You’d better go to those who sell and buy some for yourselves.’

When the bridegroom arrived, the foolish maidens were out buying oil, but those who were prepared went with him into the wedding feast, and the doors were shut.

Later, the other bridesmaids arrived and called out, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’

But he replied, ‘Truly, I do not know you.’

So stay alert, for you do not know the day or the hour.

Imagine someone who, before traveling abroad, gathers his servants to entrust his property to them.

He gave five talents of silver to one servant, two talents to another, and one talent to a third, each according to his ability; then he went away.

The servant who received five talents immediately went to invest them and earned another five.

The person who received two talents did the same and earned another two.

But the one who received one talent dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

After a long while, the master of those servants returned and demanded an account.

The one who received five talents came forward with another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you entrusted me with five talents, and see, I have gained five more.’

The master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Since you have been faithful in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in your master’s joy.’

Then the one who had received two talents approached and said, ‘Lord, you entrusted me with two talents; with them, I have gained two more.’

The master said, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Since you have been faithful with little, I will entrust you with more. Come and share the joy of your master.’

Finally, the one who had received one talent came and said, ‘Master, I know that you are a hard man. You reap what you have not sown and gather what you have not scattered.

I was scared, so I hid your money in the ground. Here, take what’s yours!

But his master replied, ‘Wicked and worthless servant, you know that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered.

You should have deposited my money in the bank and given it back to me with interest when I returned.

Therefore, take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten.

For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who are unproductive, even what they have will be taken from them.

As for that useless servant, cast him out into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

When the Son of Man arrives in his glory with all his angels, he will sit on his throne of glory.

All the nations will be brought before him; and just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,

so will he do with them, placing the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

The king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, blessed of my Father! Take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world.

For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.

I was a stranger, and you welcomed me into your home. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to see me.

Then the righteous will ask him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food; thirsty and give you something to drink;

or a stranger and welcome you; or naked and clothe you?

When did we see you sick or in prison and go to see you?’

The king will reply, ‘Truly, I say to you: just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Go, cursed people, out of my sight into the eternal fire, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels!

For I was hungry and you did not give me anything to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink;

I was a stranger, and you did not welcome me into your house; I was naked, and you did not clothe me; I was sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.

They, too, will ask, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, naked, or a stranger, sick, or in prison, and did not help you?’

The king will reply, ‘Truly I say to you: just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’

And these will go into eternal punishment; but the just, into eternal life.