25]
25:1 Then the kingdom of heaven will be similar to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 25:2 And five out of them were prudent and five were foolish.25:3 Those who were foolish, having taken their lamps, took no oil with them: 25:4 but the prudent took oil in their containers with their lamps. 25:5 Now as the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 25:6 But in the middle of the night there is an outcry, Behold, the bridegroom is coming! Go forth to meet him. 25:7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 25:8And the foolish said to the prudent, Give us some oil from your* oil; because our lamps are quenched. 25:9 But the prudent answered, saying, No, lest it will not be enough for us and you too: but rather go to those who sell and buy for yourselves. 25:10 And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast and the door was shut. 25:11 Afterward the rest of the virgins also came, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 25:12 But he answered and said, Truly I say to you, I do not know you*. 25:13 Therefore watch, because you*do not know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
25:14 For* it is as when a man, leaving the country, called his own bond-slaves and delivered to them his possessions. 25:15 And to one he gave five silver {F} talants, to another two, to another one; to each according to his own ability, and immediately left the country. 25:16Immediately he who received the five talants went and traded with them and made another five talants. 25:17 Likewise he also who received the two gained also another two. 25:18 But he who received the one, having gone away, dug in the earth and hid his lord's silver. 25:19 Now after a long time the lord of those bond-slaves comes back and settles the account with them. 25:20 And he who received the five talants came and brought the other five talants, saying, Lord, You delivered to me five talants: behold, I have gained in addition to them another five talants.
25:21 But his lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful bond-slave: you have been faithful over a few things, I will designate you over many things; enter into the joy of your lord.
25:22 And he also who received the two talants came and said, Lord, You delivered to me two talants: behold, I have gained in addition to them another two talants.
25:23 His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful bond-slave: you have been faithful over a few things, I will designate you over many things; enter into the joy of your lord.
25:24 And he also who had received the one talant came and said, Lord, I knew you, that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering from where you did not scatter;25:25 and I was afraid and went away and hid your talant in the earth: behold, you have your own.
25:26 But his lord answered and said to him, You evil and slothful bond-slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter. 25:27 Therefore, you ought to have put my silver with the bankers and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest. 25:28 Therefore you* take away the talant from him and give it to him who has the ten talants. 25:29 For* to everyone who has more will be given and he will abound: but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 25:30 And cast out the useless bond-slave into the outer darkness: the weeping and the gnashing of teeth will be there.
25:31 But when the Son of Man will come in his glory and all the holy angels with him. Then he will sit on the throne of his glory: 25:32 and before him will be gathered all the nations and he will separate them one from another, like the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 25:33and he will stand the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 25:34 Then the King will say to those on his right, you* come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 25:35 for* I was hungry and you* gave me food to eat; I was thirsty and you* gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you* brought me in; 25:36 naked and you* dressed me; I was sick and you* visited me; I was in prison and you* came to me.
25:37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and fed you? Or thirsty and gave you a drink? 25:38 And when did we see you as a stranger and bring you in? Or naked and dressed you? 25:39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and came to you?
25:40 And the King will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you* did it to one of these my brethren, even these least, you* did it to me. 25:41 Then he will say also to them on the left, Depart from me, you* the cursed into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels: 25:42 for* I was hungry and you* did not give me anything to eat; I was thirsty and you* gave me no drink; 25:43 I was a stranger and you* did not bring me in; naked and you*did not dress me; sick and in prison and you* did not visit me.
25:44 Then they will also answer him, saying, 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?
25:45 Then he will answer them, saying, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you* did it not to one of these least, you* did it not to me. 25:46 And these will go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.
{ Footnotes: Mt 25:15- A talant is about 58-80 pounds of silver. Equal to about a million dollars in US money today. }
[Matthew
Modern Literal Version Preface & Appendix , copyright 1987, 1999, 2011 by G. Allen Walker for the MLV New Testament Committee.