New Living Translation

King James Bible

1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

1Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

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

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

3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps,

3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil.

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

5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’

6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps.

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

8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’

8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’

9But 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.

10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.

10And 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.

11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’

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

12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’

12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return. Parable of the Three Servants

13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone.

14For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

15And 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.

16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more.

16Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more.

17And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

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

19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money.

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

20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

20And 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.

21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together! ’

21His 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.

22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’

22He 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.

23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

23His 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.

24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate.

24Then 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 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

25And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate,

26His 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:

27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

27Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver.

28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.

29For 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.

30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ The Final Judgment

30And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

31 “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.

31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

32 All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.

34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.

35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?

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

38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?

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

39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

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

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.

41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink.

42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

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.

44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’

44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

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

46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”

46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.