Matthew 25:1-30

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ¹ten virgins who took their lamps^[a] and went to meet ²the bridegroom. ^[b]

2 Five of them were foolish, and five were ³wise.

3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,

4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.

5 As the bridegroom ⁴was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.

6 But ⁵at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him. ’

7 Then all those virgins rose and ⁶trimmed 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, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves. ’

10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and ⁷those who were ready went in with him to ⁸the marriage feast, and ⁹the door was shut.

11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ¹⁰‘Lord, lord, open to us. ’

12 ¹¹But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, ¹²I do not know you. ’

13 ¹³Watch therefore, for you ¹⁴know neither the day nor the hour.

The Parable of the Talents

14 ¹⁵“For ¹⁶it will be like a man ¹⁷going on a journey, who called his servants^[c] and entrusted to them his property.

15 To one he gave five ¹⁸talents, ^[d] to another two, to another one, ¹⁹to each according to his ability. Then he ²⁰went away.

16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.

17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more.

18 But he who had received the one talent went and ²¹dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 Now ²²after a long time the master of those servants came and ²³settled accounts with them.

20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more. ’

21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and ²⁴faithful servant. ^{[e] 25}You have been faithful over a little; ²⁶I will set you over much. Enter into ²⁷the joy of your master. ’

22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more. ’

23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. ’

24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be ²⁸a hard man, reaping ²⁹where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed,

25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here ³⁰you have what is yours. ’

26 But his master answered him, ‘You ³¹wicked and ³²slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?

27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.

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

29 ³³For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

30 And ³⁴cast ³⁵the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place ³⁶there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ’

Cross References

• 1. 25:1 Luke 19:13
• 2. 25:1 ch. 9:15; John 3:29; Rev. 19:7; 21:2, 9
• 3. 25:2 [See ch. 24:45 above]
• 4. 25:5 ch. 24:48; [ver. 19; Heb. 10:37; 2 Pet. 3:4, 9]
• 5. 25:6 Mark 13:35
• 6. 25:7 [Luke 12:35]
• 7. 25:10 ch. 24:44
• 8. 25:10 ch. 22:2
• 9. 25:10 For ver. 10-12, [Luke 13:25-27]
• 10. 25:11 [ch. 7:22, 23]
• 11. 25:12 [See ver. 11 above]
• 12. 25:12 ch. 10:33; [2 Tim. 2:19]
• 13. 25:13 ch. 24:42
• 14. 25:13 [ch. 24:50]
• 15. 25:14 For ver. 14-30, [Luke 19:12-27]
• 16. 25:14 [Mark 13:34]
• 17. 25:14 ch. 21:33
• 18. 25:15 ch. 18:24
• 19. 25:15 [Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:11; Eph. 4:7; 1 Pet. 4:10]
• 20. 25:15 [See ver. 14 above]
• 21. 25:18 [ch. 13:44]
• 22. 25:19 [ver. 5]
• 23. 25:19 ch. 18:23; Rom. 14:12; [Luke 16:2]
• 24. 25:21 ver. 23; ch. 24:45
• 25. 25:21 Luke 16:10; 1 Cor. 4:2; [1 Tim. 3:13]
• 26. 25:21 ch. 24:47
• 27. 25:21 Heb. 12:2; [John 15:11]
• 28. 25:24 1 Sam. 25:3
• 29. 25:24 [2 Cor. 8:12]
• 30. 25:25 ch. 20:14
• 31. 25:26 ch. 18:32; Prov. 20:4; Rom. 12:11
• 32. 25:26 ch. 18:32; Prov. 20:4; Rom. 12:11
• 33. 25:29 [Luke 12:48]; See ch. 13:12
• 34. 25:30 See ch. 8:12
• 35. 25:30 [Luke 17:10]
• 36. 25:30 See ch. 8:12

Footnotes

• [a] 25:1 Or 'torches'
• [b] 25:1 Some manuscripts add 'and the bride'
• [c] 25:14 Greek 'bondservants'; also verse 19
• [d] 25:15 A 'talent' was a monetary unit worth about twenty years’ wages for a laborer
• [e] 25:21 Greek 'bondservant'; also verses 23, 26, 30