1“Then the reign of the heavens shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

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

3“Those who were foolish, having taken their lamps, took no oil with them,

4but the wise took oil in their containers with their lamps.

5“Now while the bridegroom took time, they all slumbered and slept.

6“And at midnight a cry was heard, ‘See, the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him!’

7“Then all those maidens rose up and trimmed their lamps.

8“And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’

9“But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, indeed, there would not be enough for us and you. Instead, go to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’

10“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut.

11“And later the other maidens also came, saying, ‘Master, Master, open up for us!’

12“But he answering, said, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

13“Watch therefore, because you do not know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Aḏam is coming,

14for it is like a man going from home, who called his own servants and delivered his possessions to them.

15“And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability, and went from home.

16“And he who had received the five talents went and worked with them, and made another five talents.

17“In the same way, he with the two also, he gained two more.

18“But he who had received the one went away and dug in the ground, and hid the silver of his master.

19“And after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

20“And he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents. See, I have gained five more talents besides them.’

21“And his master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy servant. You were trustworthy over a little, I shall set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

22“Then he who had received two talents came and said, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents. See, I have gained two more talents besides them.’

23“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy servant. You were trustworthy over a little, I shall set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

24“And the one who had received the one talent also came and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed,

25and being afraid, I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

26“And his master answering, said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.

27‘Then you should have put my silver with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.

28‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to him who possesses ten talents.

29‘For to everyone who possesses, more shall be given, and he shall have overflowingly; but from him who does not possess, even what he possesses shall be taken away.a

30‘And throw the worthless servant out into the outer darkness – there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

31“And when the Son of Aḏam comes in His esteem, and all the set-apart messengers with Him, then He shall sit on the throne of His esteem.

32“And all the nations shall be gathered before Him, and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats.

33“And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

34“Then the Sovereign shall say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the reign prepared for you from the foundation of the world –

35for I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in,

36was 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 shall answer Him, saying, ‘Master, when did we see You hungry and we fed You, or thirsty and gave You to drink?

38‘And when did we see You a stranger and took You in, or naked and clothed You?

39‘And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and we came to You?’

40“And the Sovereign shall answer and say to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, in so far as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.’

41“He shall then also say to those on the left hand, ‘Go away from Me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his messengers –

42for 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 take Me in, was naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

44“Then they also shall answer Him, saying, ‘Master, 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 shall answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, in so far as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’

46“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life.”