King James Version KJV
Good News Translation GNT
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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"At that time the Kingdom of heaven will be like this. Once there were ten young women who took their oil lamps and went out 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 the other five were wise.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
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The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any extra oil with them,
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
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while the wise ones took containers full of oil for their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
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The bridegroom was late in coming, so they began to nod and fall asleep.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
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"It was already midnight when the cry rang out, "Here is the bridegroom! Come and meet him!'
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
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The ten young women woke up 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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Then the foolish ones said to the wise ones, "Let us have some of your oil, because 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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"No, indeed,' the wise ones answered, "there is not enough for you and for us. Go to the store and buy some 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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So the foolish ones went off to buy some oil; and while they were gone, the bridegroom arrived. The five who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was closed.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
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"Later the others arrived. "Sir, sir! Let us in!' they cried out.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
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"Certainly not! I don't know you,' the bridegroom answered."
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
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And Jesus concluded, "Watch out, then, because you do not know the day or 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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"At that time the Kingdom of heaven will be like this. Once there was a man who was about to leave home on a trip; he called his servants and put them in charge of 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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He gave to each one according to his ability: to one he gave five thousand gold coins, to another he gave two thousand, and to another he gave one thousand. Then he left on his trip.
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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The servant who had received five thousand coins went at once and invested his money and earned another five thousand.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
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In the same way the servant who had received two thousand coins earned another two thousand.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
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But the servant who had received one thousand coins went off, dug a hole 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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"After a long time the master of those servants came back 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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The servant who had received five thousand coins came in and handed over the other five thousand. "You gave me five thousand coins, sir,' he said. "Look! Here are another five thousand that I have earned.'
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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"Well done, you good and faithful servant!' said his master. "You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!'
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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Then the servant who had been given two thousand coins came in and said, "You gave me two thousand coins, sir. Look! Here are another two thousand that I have earned.'
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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"Well done, you good and faithful servant!' said his master. "You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!'
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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Then the servant who had received one thousand coins came in and said, "Sir, I know you are a hard man; you reap harvests where you did not plant, and you gather crops where you did not scatter 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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I was afraid, so I went off and hid your money in the ground. Look! Here is what belongs to you.'
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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"You bad and lazy servant!' his master said. "You knew, did you, that I reap harvests where I did not plant, and gather crops where I did not scatter 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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Well, then, you should have deposited my money in the bank, and I would have received it all back with interest when I returned.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
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Now, take the money away from him and give it to the one who has ten thousand coins.
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 every person who has something, even more will be given, and he will have more than enough; but the person who has nothing, even the little that he has will be taken away from him.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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As for this useless servant - throw him outside in the darkness; there he will cry and gnash his 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 as King and all the angels with him, he will sit on his royal 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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and the people of all the nations will be gathered before him. Then he will divide them into two groups, just 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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He will put the righteous people at his right and the others at his 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 the people on his right, "Come, you that are blessed by my Father! Come and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you ever since the creation 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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I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you received me in your homes,
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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naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited 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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The righteous will then answer him, "When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
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When did we ever see you a stranger and welcome you in our homes, or naked and clothe you?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
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When did we ever 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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The King will reply, "I tell you, whenever you did this for one of the least important of these followers of mine, you did it for 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, "Away from me, you that are under God's curse! Away to the eternal fire which has been 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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I was hungry but you would not feed me, thirsty but you would not give me a 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 but you would not welcome me in your homes, naked but you would not clothe me; I was sick and in prison but you would not take care of 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 will answer him, "When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and we would not help 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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The King will reply, "I tell you, whenever you refused to help one of these least important ones, you refused to help me.'
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
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These, then, will be sent off to eternal punishment, but the righteous will go to eternal life."
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.