1 "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2 Five of them were sensible, and five were foolish.
3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take oil along with them,
4 while the sensible ones took oil in flasks along with their lamps.
5 Since the bridegroom was taking a long time, they all nodded off and were sleeping.
6 But in the middle of the night a shout went up: 'Look, the bridegroom is coming! Go out to meet him!'
7 Then all those virgins got up and put their lamps in order.
8 The foolish ones said to the sensible ones, 'Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.'
9 But the sensible ones answered, 'No, there may not be enough for both us and you. Go instead to the sellers and buy some for yourselves.'
10 While they were off buying it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was closed.
11 Later the rest of the virgins came too and said, 'Lord, lord, open the door for us!'
12 But he answered, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.'
13 So keep watch, because you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
14 "For it is just like a man about to go abroad, who summoned his own servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each in keeping with his own ability, and he went abroad at once.
16 The one who had received the five talents went off and did business with them, and he made another five talents.
17 In the same way, the one with the two also gained another two.
18 But the one who had received one went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's silver.
19 After a long time the master of those servants came back 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; see, I have gained five more talents in addition to them.'
21 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come into the joy of your master.'
22 The one with the two talents also came forward and said, 'Master, you entrusted two talents to me; see, I have gained two more talents in addition to them.'
23 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come into the joy of your master.'
24 Then the one who had received the one talent came forward too and said, 'Master, I knew that you are a harsh man, harvesting where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter.
25 So I was afraid, and I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.'
26 His master answered him, 'You evil and idle servant! You knew that I harvest where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter?
27 Then you should have deposited my silver with the bankers, and when I came I would have gotten back what is mine with interest.
28 Take the talent away from him, then, 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 more than enough; but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.
30 And throw the useless servant out into the darkness outside. There will be weeping and grinding of teeth.'
31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, he will then take his seat on the throne of his glory.
32 All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people from one another just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
34 Then the King will say to those at his right, 'Come, you who have been blessed by my Father; take possession of the kingdom made ready for you since the foundation of the world.
35 For 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 welcomed me in;
36 naked, and you clothed me; I was sick and you looked after me; I was in prison and you came to see 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?
38 When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you in, or naked and clothe you?
39 When did we see you sick or in prison and come to see you?'
40 And the King will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of these brothers of mine, the least of them, you did it for me.'
41 Then he will also say to those at his left, 'Go away from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels.
42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink;
43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me in; naked, and you did not clothe me; sick and in prison, and you did not look after 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 did not serve you?'
45 Then he will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of these, the least, you did not do it for me.'
46 And these will go off into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."