The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 "God's kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet 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 Five were silly and five were smart.
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Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
3 The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil.
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For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,
4 The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps.
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but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
5 The bridegroom didn't show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep.
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As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.
6 "In the middle of the night someone yelled out, 'He's here! The bridegroom's here! Go out and greet him!'
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But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him. ’
7 "The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready.
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Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.
8 The silly virgins said to the smart ones, 'Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.'
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And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. ’
9 "They answered, 'There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.'
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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 "They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked.
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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 "Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, 'Master, we're here. Let us in.'
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Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us. ’
12 "He answered, 'Do I know you? I don't think I know you.'
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But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you. ’
13 "So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive.
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Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
14 "It's also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities.
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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 To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left.
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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 Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master's investment.
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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 The second did the same.
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So also he who had the two talents made two talents more.
18 But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master'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 absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them.
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Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment.
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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 master commended him: 'Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.'
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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 "The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master's investment.
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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 master commended him: 'Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.'
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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 "The servant given one thousand said, 'Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error.
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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 I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.'
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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 "The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least?
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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 The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.
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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 the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this "play-it-safe" who won't go out on a limb.
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So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.
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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 Throw him out into utter darkness.'
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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 he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne.
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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 Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and 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 putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.
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And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation.
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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 And here's why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room,
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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 I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to 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 those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a 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 And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?'
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And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
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And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? ’
40 Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me - you did it to 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 he will turn to the 'goats,' the ones on his left, and say, 'Get out, worthless goats! You're good for nothing but the fires of hell.
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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 And why? Because - I was hungry and you gave me no meal, I was thirsty and you 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 homeless and you gave me no bed, I was shivering and you gave me no clothes, Sick and in prison, and you never visited.'
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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 those 'goats' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn't help?'
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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 "He will answer them, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me - you failed to do it 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 "Then those 'goats' will be herded to their eternal doom, but the 'sheep' to their eternal reward."
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And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. ”
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025