1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 For the foolish took their lamps but took no oil with them. 4 The wise, however, took oil in containers along with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight a cry rang out, ‘Look, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and prepared their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, ‘There may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to those who sell it and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 While they went to buy it, the bridegroom came. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. 11 Later the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 So keep watch, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

14 For it is like a man going away who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his own ability. Then he went away. Immediately, 16 the one who had received the five talents went and put them to work and gained another five. 17 In the same way, the one with two gained another two. 18 But the one who had received the one went away, dug in the ground, and hid his master’s money. 19 After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 The one who had received the five talents came forward and brought another five talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. Look, I have gained another five talents.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful over a few things; I will put you over many. Enter into your master’s joy.’ 22 The one with the two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. Look, I have gained another two talents.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful over a few things; I will put you over many. Enter into your master’s joy.’ 24 The one who had received the one talent also came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter. 25 So I was afraid, went away, and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’ 26 His master answered him, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter? 27 Then you ought to have put my money with the bankers, and when I came I would have received what was mine with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And throw the worthless slave 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. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them from one another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ 40 The King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 41 Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not serve you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, neither did you do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”