King James Version KJV
English Standard Version ESV
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
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"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
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Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
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For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
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but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
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As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
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But at midnight there was a cry, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
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Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
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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, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
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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 went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
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And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
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Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.'
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
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But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.'
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
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Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
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"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.
15 And 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.
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To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
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He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
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So also he who had the two talents made two talents more.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
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But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
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Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 And 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.
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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 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.
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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.'
22 He 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.
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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 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.
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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 Then 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:
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He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed,
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
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so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.'
26 His 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:
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But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
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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 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
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So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.
29 For 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.
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For 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 cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
31 When 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:
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"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
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Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
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And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
34 Then 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:
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Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For 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:
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For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
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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 shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
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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 saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
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And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
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And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'
40 And 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.
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And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
41 Then 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:
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"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
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For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
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I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'
44 Then 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?
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Then they also will answer, 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 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.
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Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, 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 life eternal.
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And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
The King James Version is in the public domain.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.