Matthew 25:5
New International Version
The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

New Living Translation
When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

English Standard Version
As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.

Berean Standard Bible
When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

Berean Literal Bible
And the bridegroom tarrying, they all became drowsy and were sleeping.

King James Bible
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

New King James Version
But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

New American Standard Bible
Now while the groom was delaying, they all became drowsy and began to sleep.

NASB 1995
“Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.

NASB 1977
“Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.

Amplified Bible
Now while the bridegroom was delayed, they all began to nod off, and they fell asleep.

Christian Standard Bible
When the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Since the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

American Standard Version
Now while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But when the groom delayed, all of them grew tired and slept.

Contemporary English Version
The groom was late arriving, and the young women became drowsy and fell asleep.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept.

English Revised Version
Now while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Since the groom was late, all the bridesmaids became drowsy and fell asleep.

Good News Translation
The bridegroom was late in coming, so they began to nod and fall asleep.

International Standard Version
Since the groom was late, all of them became sleepy and lay down.

Literal Standard Version
And the bridegroom lingering, they all nodded and were sleeping,

Majority Standard Bible
When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

New American Bible
Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

NET Bible
When the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

New Revised Standard Version
As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept.

New Heart English Bible
Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

Webster's Bible Translation
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

Weymouth New Testament
The bridegroom was a long time in coming, so that meanwhile they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

World English Bible
Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

Young's Literal Translation
'And the bridegroom tarrying, they all nodded and were sleeping,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
4But the wise ones took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’…

Cross References
Matthew 24:48
But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, 'My master will be away a long time.'

Matthew 25:4
But the wise ones took oil in flasks along with their lamps.

Matthew 25:6
At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'

Luke 1:21
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.


Treasury of Scripture

While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

the.

Matthew 25:19
After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

Matthew 24:48
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

Habakkuk 2:3
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

they.

Matthew 26:40,43
And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? …

Song of Solomon 3:1
By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

Song of Solomon 5:2
I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.

Jump to Previous
Asleep Bridegroom Delayed Delaying Drowsy Fell Grew Heavy Husband Meanwhile Sleep Sleeping Slept Slumbered Tarried Tarrying Time
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Asleep Bridegroom Delayed Delaying Drowsy Fell Grew Heavy Husband Meanwhile Sleep Sleeping Slept Slumbered Tarried Tarrying Time
Matthew 25
1. The parable of the ten virgins,
14. and of the talents.
31. Also the description of the last judgment.














(5) While the bridegroom tarried.--Strictly speaking, the time thus described includes the whole interval between our Lord's Ascension and His final Advent; but looking to the law of "springing and germinant accomplishments," which we have recognised as applicable to the whole subject, we may see in it that which answers to any period in the history of any church, or, indeed, in the life of any member of a church, in which things go smoothly and as after the routine of custom. At such a time even the wise and good are apt to slumber, and the crisis, which is to them, if not to the world at large, as the bridegroom's coming, takes them by surprise; but they have, what the foolish have not, the reserved force of steadfast faith and divine help to fall back upon. We may note that the "delay" in this case is followed by a less glaring form of evil than that in Matthew 24:48. Not reckless and brutal greed, but simple apathy and neglect is the fault noted for condemnation.

Slumbered and slept.--The first word implies the "nodding" which indicates the first approach of drowsiness, the second the continuous sleeping.

Verse 5. - While the bridegroom tarried (Matthew 24:48). We may suppose that all had lighted their lamps at first, in expectation of being immediately called to meet the bridegroom. But he came not. The advent of Christ was not to be as speedy as the disciples imagined. No one could divine when it would take place. As St. Augustine says, "Latet ultimus dies, ut observetur omnis dies." See here a figure of each Christian's probation. They all slumbered (ἐνύσταξαν) and slept (ἐκάθευδον) The first verb implies the nodding and napping of persons sitting up at night; the second means "they began to sleep," actually. All, wise and foolish, did this; so in itself it was not sinful, it was only natural. To such drowsiness the best of Christians are liable. The bow cannot be kept always strung; "Neque semper arcum tendit Apollo." Having made all preparations, the virgins ceased for a while to think of the bridegroom's coming. The Fathers take this sleep to be an image of death, the awaking to be the resurrection, when the difference between the two classes is known and displayed. But this would imply that all the faithful will be dead when the Lord comes, which is contrary to 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Nor, on the other hand, is it conceivable that they whose lamps are kept burning till the day of death will be unprovided when the Lord comes.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
[When]
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

bridegroom
νυμφίου (nymphiou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3566: A bridegroom. From numphe; a bride-groom.

was delayed,
χρονίζοντος (chronizontos)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 5549: To delay, tarry, linger, spend time. From chronos; to take time, i.e. Linger.

they all became drowsy
ἐνύσταξαν (enystaxan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3573: To nod in sleep, be drowsy, slumber. From a presumed derivative of neuo; to nod, i.e. to fall asleep; figuratively, to delay.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

fell asleep.
ἐκάθευδον (ekatheudon)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2518: To sleep, be sleeping. From kata and heudo; to lie down to rest, i.e. to fall asleep.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 25:5 Now while the bridegroom delayed they all (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 25:4
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