Matthew 25 [NIV]
1"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took
their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish
and five were wise. 3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any
oil with them. 4The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.
5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell
asleep.
6"At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet
him!'
7"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish ones
said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'
9" 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead,
go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'
10"But while they were on their way to buy the 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 others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for
us!'
12"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'
13"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
14"Again, 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[1] of money,
to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability.
Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went
at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with
the two talents gained two more. 18But 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 returned and settled
accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the
other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have
gained five more.'
21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have
been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come
and share your master's happiness!'
22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted
me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have
been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come
and share your master's happiness!'
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 have not sown and gathering
where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your
talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest
where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then,
you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned
I would have received it back with interest.
28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.
29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever
does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless
servant outside, into the 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,
he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All 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. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats
on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed
by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the
creation of the world. 35For 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 invited
me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after
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? 38When did we see
you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When
did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one
of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, '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 nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing
to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes
and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after
me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one
of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal
life."