“At that time the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who, having taken their lamps, went out to meet the groom.
Now five of them were foolish, and five were sensible.
For the foolish ones, when they took their lamps, did not take oil with them,
but the sensible ones took oil in flasks with their lamps.
Now while the groom was a long time in coming, they all became drowsy and began to sleep.
But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! The groom! Go out to meet him!’
Then all those virgins awoke, and trimmed their lamps.
And the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
But the sensible ones answered, saying, ‘No, lest there will not be enough for you and us too. Go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’
But while they were going away to buy some, the groom came, and the ones who were prepared went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.
And later the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us.’
But he answered and said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’
Therefore, stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour.
The Parable of the Talents
“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like when a man going on a journey called his own slaves and entrusted his property to them.
And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one; to each according to his own ability. And then he went on his journey.
Immediately the one who received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents.
Likewise the one who received the two, gained two more.
But the one who received the one talent, having gone out, dug in the earth and hid his lord’s money.
“Now after a long time the lord of those slaves comes and settles accounts with them.
And the one who received the five talents came and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Lord, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’
His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
And the one who received the two talents also came and said, ‘Lord, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’
His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
And the one who had received the one talent also came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter,
and I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. See, you have that which is yours.’
But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy slave. You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and I gather where I did not scatter,
then you needed to deposit my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
Therefore take away the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.
For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance. But from the one that does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
And cast the worthless slave out into the darkness outside; there will be sobbing and gnashing of teeth.’
The Final Judgment
“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
And he will put the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
Then the King will say to the ones on his right, ‘Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom that has been prepared for you from the foundation of the world,
for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you invited me in;
naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.’
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and fed you? Or thirsty, and gave you a drink?
And when did we see you a stranger, and took you in? Or naked, and clothed you?
And when did we see you sick, or in prison, and came to you?’
And the King, answering, will say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of these my brothers, even the least, you did it to me.’
Then he will also say to the ones on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the fire in the age to come, which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels.
For I was hungry, and you did not give me anything to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink;
I was a stranger, and you did not invite me in; naked, and you did not clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me.’
Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not serve you?’
Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly I say to you, in so far as you did not do it to one of these least, you did not do it to me.’
And these will go away into punishment in the age to come, but the righteous into life in the age to come.”