*Matthew 25:1-30
Jesus uses two parables, the ten virgins and the talents, to illustrate the importance of preparedness for the kingdom of heaven.
- Parable of the Ten Virgins:
- Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to ten virgins who take their lamps to meet the bridegroom.
- Five are wise and bring extra oil, while five are foolish and bring only their lamps.
- The bridegroom is delayed, and all ten fall asleep.
- At midnight, the cry announces the bridegroom’s arrival. The virgins wake up to prepare their lamps.
- The foolish virgins realize they don’t have enough oil and ask the wise ones for some, but the wise virgins refuse, directing them to buy their own.
- While the foolish virgins go to buy oil, the bridegroom arrives. The wise virgins enter the banquet, and the door is shut.
- When the foolish virgins return, they plead to be let in, but the bridegroom says he does not know them.
- Jesus concludes with a warning to “keep watch” because no one knows the day or the hour.
- Parable of the Talents:
- A man going on a journey entrusts his property to his servants, giving five talents to one, two to another, and one to a third, each according to their ability.
- The servant with five talents immediately invests them and gains five more.
- The servant with two talents also doubles his amount.
- The servant with one talent, fearing his master, hides the money in the ground.
- After a long time, the master returns and settles accounts with them.
- The servants who doubled their talents are praised for their faithfulness and entrusted with more responsibilities, while being invited to share in their master’s joy.
- The servant who buried his single talent returns it, explaining his fear of his master’s harshness.
- The master rebukes him for his laziness and takes the talent, giving it to the servant with ten.
- He states that those who have will be given more, while those who lack will lose even what they have.
- The unproductive servant is cast into darkness, where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
25:9 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.
25:10 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.
25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
25:14 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.
25:15 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.
25:16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
25:17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
25:18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
25:19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
25:20 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.
25:21 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.
25:22 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.
25:23 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.
25:24 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: 25:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
25:26 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: 25:27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
25:28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
25:29 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.
25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.