1Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom.

2And five of them were foolish, and five wise.

3For the foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them.

4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5And as the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6But at midnight there was a cry, Lo! the bridegroom! go out to meet him.

7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8And the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are going out.

9But the wise answered, saying, Perhaps there will not be enough for us and you; go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.

10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

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

12But he answering said, Truly do I say to you, I know you not,

13Watch, therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour.

14For it will be as when a man going abroad called his own servants, and intrusted to them his property;

15and to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his ability, and went abroad.

16He that had received the five talents went immediately and traded with the same, and gained five talents more.

17In like manner, he that had received the two gained two more.

18But he that had received the one went and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

19And after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20And he that had received the five talents came and brought five talents more, saying, Lord, thou intrustedst to me five talents; see, I have gained five talents more.

21His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant! thou hast been faithful over a little, I will place thee in charge of much; enter into the joy of thy lord.

22He also that had received the two talents came and said, Lord, thou intrustedst to me two talents; see, I have gained two talents more.

23His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant! thou hast been faithful over a little, I will place thee in charge of much; enter into the joy of thy lord.

24Then he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee to be a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou didst not scatter seed;

25and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth. See! thou hast thine own.

26But his lord answered and said to him, Wicked and slothful servant! Didst thou know that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter seed?

27Thou oughtest then to have put my money with the money-dealers, and on my coming I should have received mine own with interest.

28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who hath the ten talents.

29For to every one that hath will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him that hath not, even that which he hath will be taken away.

30And cast out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness; there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

31And when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then will he sit on the throne of his glory,

32and before him will be gathered all the nations; and he will separate men one from another, as a shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats;

33and he will set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on the left.

34Then will the king say to those on his right hand, Come, ye blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

35For I was hungry, and ye gave me food; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in;

36naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came to me.

37Then will the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38and when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39or when did we see thee sick, or in prison, and come to thee?

40And the king will answer and say to them, Truly do I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it to me.

41Then will he say also to those on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the everlasting fire, which is prepared for the Devil and his angels.

42For I was hungry, and ye gave me no food; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink;

43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44Then will they also answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee?

45Then will he answer them, saying, Truly do I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46And these will go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into everlasting life.