1Then the kingdom of heavens shall be like to ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went out to meet the husband and the wife;

2and five of them were fools, and five prudent.

3But the five fools took their lamps, and took not oil with them;

4but the prudent took oil in their vessels with the lamps.

5And whiles the husband tarried, all they napped and slept.

6But at midnight a cry was made, Lo! the spouse cometh, go ye out to meet with him [or to meet him].

7Then all those virgins rose up, and arrayed their lamps.

8And the fools said to the wise, Give ye to us of your oil, for our lamps be quenched.

9The prudent answered, and said, Lest peradventure it suffice not to us and to you, go ye rather to men that sell, and buy to you.

10And while they went to buy, the spouse came; and those that were ready, entered with him to the weddings; and the gate was shut.

11And at the last the other virgins came, and said, Lord, lord, open to us.

12And he answered, and said, Truly I say to you, I know you not.

13Therefore wake ye, for ye know not the day nor the hour.

14For as a man that goeth [far] in pilgrimage, called his servants, and betook to them his goods;

15and to one he gave five bezants or talents, to another twain, and to another one, to each after his own virtue; and he went forth anon.

16And he that had five bezants [or talents] went forth, and wrought in them, and won other five.

17Also and he that had taken twain, won other twain.

18But he that had taken one, went forth, and delved in the earth, and hid the money of his lord.

19But after long time, the lord of those servants came, and reckoned with them.

20And he that had taken five bezants [or talents], came, and brought other five, and said, Lord, thou betookest to me five bezants [or talents], lo! I have gotten above five others.

21His lord said to him, Well be thou, good servant and faithful; for on few things thou hast been true [or faithful], I shall ordain thee on many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

22And he that had taken two bezants, or two talents, came, and said, Lord, thou betookest to me two bezants [or talents]; lo! I have won [or gotten] over other twain.

23His lord said to him, Well be thou, good servant and true [or faithful]; for on few things thou hast been true [or faithful], I shall ordain thee on many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24But he that had taken one bezant [or talent], came, and said, Lord, I know that thou art an hard man; thou reapest where thou hast not sown, and thou gatherest together where thou hast not spread abroad;

25and I dreading, went, and hid thy bezant [or talent] in the earth; lo! thou hast that that is thine.

26His lord answered, and said to him, Evil servant and slow, knewest thou that I reap where I sowed not, and gather together where I spreaded not abroad?

27Therefore it behooved thee to betake my money to exchangers, that when I came, I should have received that that is mine with usuries.

28Therefore take away from him the bezant [or talent], and give to him that hath ten bezants [or talents].

29For to every man that hath me shall give, and he shall increase [+or For to every man having it shall be given, and he shall have plenty, or increase]; but from him that hath not, also that that he seemeth to have, shall be taken away from him.

30And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into outer-more [or uttermore] darknesses; there shall be weeping, and grinding of teeth.

31When man’s Son shall come in his majesty, and all his angels with him, then he shall sit on the seat of his majesty;

32and all folks shall be gathered before him, and he shall separate [or part] them atwain, as a shepherd separateth [or parteth] sheep from kids;

33and he shall set the sheep on his right half, and the kids on the [or his] left half.

34Then the king shall say to them, that shall be on his right half, Come ye, the blessed of my Father, take ye in possession the kingdom made ready to you from the making [or the beginning] of the world.

35For I hungered [or I was hungry], and ye gave me to eat; I thirsted, and ye gave me to drink; I was harbour-less, and ye harboured me;

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

37Then just men shall answer to him, and say, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and we fed thee; thirsty, and we gave to thee [or we gave thee] drink?

38and when saw we thee harbour-less, and we harboured thee [or we gathered thee to harbour]; or naked, and we covered thee?

39or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and we came to thee?

40And the king answering shall say to them, Truly I say to you, as long as ye did to one of these my least brethren, ye did to me.

41Then the king shall say also to them, that shall be on his left half, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, that is made ready to the devil and his angels.

42For I hungered, and ye gave not [to] me to eat; I thirsted, and ye gave not [to] me to drink;

43I was harbourless, and ye harboured not me [or ye gathered not me to harbour]; naked, and ye covered not me; sick, and in prison, and ye visited not me.

44Then and they shall answer to him, and shall say, Lord, when saw we thee hungering, or thirsting, or harbourless, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and we served not to thee?

45Then he shall answer to them, and say, Truly I say to you, as long as ye did not to one of these least, neither ye did to me [or ye did not to me].

46And these shall go into ever-lasting torment; but the just men shall go into everlasting life.