1»Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4but the wise took oil in their flasks with their lamps. 5While the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6But at midnight there was a cry: ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9But the wise replied, ‘No, there may not be enough for both us and you; go rather to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us!’ 12But he replied, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13Therefore keep watch, for you know neither the day nor the hour. 14»For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. 17So also, he who had the two talents gained two more. 18But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground, and hid his master’s money. 19Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20So he who had received the five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents.’ 21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22He also who had received the two talents came and said, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents.’ 23His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. 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 his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will say to those on his right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, 36I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’ 41»Then he will say to those on his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not take me in, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44Then 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 minister to you?’ 45Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.«