Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be likened to ten virgins, the which took their torches and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
And five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.
For the foolish took their torches and took no oil with them;
but the prudent took oil in their vessels with their torches.
Now, the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept.
But at midnight a cry was made, Behold, the bridegroom! go ye forth to meet him.
Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their torches.
And the foolish said to the prudent, Give us of your oil; for our torches are going out.
But the prudent answered, saying, Peradventure there be not enough for us and you. Go rather to those that sell, and buy for yourselves.
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and those ready went in with him to the marriage-feast; and the door was shut.
Afterward came also the rest of the virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
But he answering, said, Verily I know you not.
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour.
For [it is] as [if] a man going abroad, called his own bondmen and delivered to them his goods.
And to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his several ability, and went his way.
Straightway he that received the five talents proceeded, and traded with them, and made other five talents.
Likewise also he [that received] the two, and he gained other two.
But he that received the one went off, and dug in the earth, and hid the money of his lord.
After a long time the lord of those bondmen cometh and settleth account with them.
And he that received the five talents came forward and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst to me five talents: behold, I gained five other talents [besides them].
His lord said to him, Well, good and faithful bondman, thou wast faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many: enter into the joy of thy lord.
And he also that [received] the two talents said, Lord, two talents thou deliveredst to me: behold, I gained other two talents.
His lord said to him, Well, good and faithful bondman, thou wast faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many: enter into the joy of thy lord.
And he also that had received the one talent came forward and said, Lord, I knew thee, that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering whence thou didst not scatter;
and being afraid I went off, and hid thy talent in the earth; behold, thou hast that which is thine.
But his lord answering said to him, Wicked and slothful bondman, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather whence I scattered not.
Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have got mine own with interest.
Take away therefore the talent from him, and give [it] to him that hath the ten talents.
For to everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall be in abundance; but from him that hath not, even what he hath shall be taken away [from him].
And cast out the useless bondman into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping, and the gnashing of teeth.
But when the Son of man shall have come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit down upon his throne of glory,
and all the nations shall be gathered before him; and he shall separate them from one another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats;
and he will set the sheep on his right but the goats on the left.
Then shall the King say to those on his right, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the world’s foundation.
For I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in;
naked, and ye clothed me; I was ill, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came to me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungering, and fed thee; or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
and when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in; or naked, and clothed thee?
and when saw we thee sick or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King answering shall say to them, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] to one of the least of these my brethren, ye did [it] to me.
Then shall he say also to those on the left, Go from me, accursed, into the everlasting fire that is prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry, and ye gave me not to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me not to drink;
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Then shall they also answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and ministered not to thee?
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] not to one of these least, ye did [it] not to me.
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life everlasting.