1 Then the kingdom of Heaven shall be likened to ten virgins 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 took their lamps and took no oil with them,

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

5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all nodded and fell asleep.

6 And at midnight there was a cry: Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!

7 Then all those virgins arose and prepared their lamps.

8 And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.

9 But the wise answered, saying, No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather 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 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us!

12 But he answered and said, Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.

13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man comes.

14 For the kingdom of Heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.

15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on the journey.

16 Then he who had received the five talents went and did business with them, and made another five talents.

17 And likewise he who had received two, also gained two more.

18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.

19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

20 So he who had received five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents; behold, I have gained another five talents besides them.

21 His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will appoint you administrator over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.

22 He also who had received two talents came and said, Lord, you delivered to me two talents; behold, I have gained another two talents besides them.

23 His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will appoint you administrator over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.

24 Then he who had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter.

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Behold, there you have what is yours.

26 But his lord answered and said to him, You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter.

27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.

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

29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

30 And cast the worthless servant 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 holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.

32 And all the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats.

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

34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from 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 took Me in;

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, saying, 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 take You in, or naked and clothe You?

39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?

40 And the King will answer and say to them, Truly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.

41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire having been prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 for I was hungry and you did not give Me a thing to eat; I was thirsty and you did not give Me a thing to drink;

43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.

44 Then they also will answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?

45 Then He will answer them, saying, Truly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.

46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.