Matthew 25

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

1Jesus said, God's kingdom is like this story. Ten young women took their lamps. They went out to meet the man who was getting married.

NoteIn this story, "the kingdom of heaven" means God's rule as King, not a place in the sky.

2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

2Five of the women were wise. Five of them were not.

3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

3The foolish women took their lamps. But they took no extra oil.

4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

4The wise women brought little jars of oil with their lamps.

5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

5The groom was slow to come. So all ten women got sleepy and fell asleep.

6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

6In the middle of the night, someone shouted. "Look, the groom is coming! Come out and meet him!"

7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

7All ten women woke up. They got their lamps ready to burn.

NoteLamps back then were small clay bowls with a cloth wick. "Trimming" meant snipping the burnt end of the wick so it burned bright again.

8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

8The foolish women said to the wise ones, "Give us some oil. Our lamps are going out."

9But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

9The wise women said, "No. Then there might not be enough for you or for us. Go buy some oil from the people who sell it."

10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

10While they were gone buying oil, the groom came. The women who were ready went in with him to the wedding party. Then the door was shut.

11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

11Later the other women came. They said, "Sir, sir, open the door for us!"

12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

12But he answered, "I tell you the truth. I do not know you."

13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

13So keep watching. You do not know the day or the hour when the Son of Man will come.

14For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

14God's kingdom is also like a man going on a long trip. He called his servants and put his money in their care.

15And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

15He gave one servant five bags of money. He gave another two bags. He gave another one bag. He gave each one what that servant could handle. Then he left.

NoteA "talent" was a huge amount of money. One talent was worth about twenty years of pay for a worker.

16Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

16The servant with five bags went right to work. He used the money and earned five more bags.

17And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

17The servant with two bags did the same. He earned two more bags.

18But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

18But the servant with one bag went and dug a hole. He hid his master's money in the ground.

19After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

19A long time later, the master came home. He asked each servant what he had done with the money.

20And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

20The servant with five bags brought five more. He said, "Sir, you gave me five bags. Look, I earned five more."

21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

21His master said, "Well done! You are a good servant, and I can trust you. You took good care of a little. Now I will put you in charge of much more. Come and be glad with me."

22He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

22The servant with two bags came too. He said, "Sir, you gave me two bags. Look, I earned two more."

23His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

23His master said, "Well done! You are a good servant, and I can trust you. You took good care of a little. Now I will put you in charge of much more. Come and be glad with me."

24Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

24Then the servant with one bag came. He said, "Sir, I knew you were a hard man. You take grain from fields you did not plant. You gather where you did not scatter seed.

25And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

25So I was afraid. I went and hid your money in the ground. Here it is. It is yours."

26His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

26His master answered, "You are a bad, lazy servant. You knew I take grain from fields I did not plant. You knew I gather where I did not scatter seed.

27Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

27Then you should have put my money in the bank. When I came home, I would have gotten it back with extra.

28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

28Take his bag of money away. Give it to the servant who has ten.

29For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

29Everyone who has will be given more, and will have plenty. But the one who has nothing will lose even the little he has.

30And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

30Throw that useless servant outside into the dark. There people cry and grind their teeth."

31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

31When the Son of Man comes in his shining glory, all the angels will come with him. Then he will sit on his royal seat.

32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

32People from every nation will be brought before him. He will sort them into two groups. He will do it like a shepherd sorting sheep from goats.

33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

33He will put the sheep on his right side. He will put the goats on his left side.

34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

34Then the King will speak to those on his right. "Come, my Father has blessed you. This kingdom was made ready for you before the world began. Come and take it.

35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

35I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was far from home, and you took me in.

NoteThe old English word "meat" here means food of any kind, not just meat from animals.

36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

36I had no clothes, and you gave me some. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in jail, and you came to see me."

37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

37Then the good people will answer him. "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you? When did we see you thirsty and give you a drink?

38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

38When did we see you far from home and take you in? When did we see you with no clothes and give you some?

39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

39When did we see you sick or in jail and come to visit you?"

40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

40The King will answer, "I tell you the truth. When you helped one of my brothers here, even the smallest one, you helped me."

41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

41Then he will speak to those on his left. "Go away from me. You are under a curse. Go into the fire that never goes out. It was made ready for the devil and his angels.

42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

42I was hungry, and you gave me no food. I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink.

43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

43I was far from home, and you did not take me in. I had no clothes, and you gave me none. I was sick and in jail, and you did not come see me."

44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

44Then they will answer him. "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty? When did we see you far from home, or with no clothes, or sick, or in jail? When did we not help you?"

45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

45He will answer, "I tell you the truth. When you did not help one of these, even the smallest one, you did not help me."

46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

46These people will go away to be punished forever. But the good people will go into life that lasts forever.