25 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids, who took their lamps[200] to go out and meet the bridegroom. 2 Five were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish girls took their lamps, but did not take any oil, 4 while the wise took containers of oil with them as well as their lamps. 5 The bridegroom took a long time coming, and all the bridesmaids became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 At midnight came the shout, ‘Look, here is the bridegroom! Go out to meet him!’[201] 7 All the bridesmaids got up and trimmed the wicks of their lamps. The foolish girls said to the wise ones, 8 ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ But the wise girls replied, 9 ‘No, because otherwise there will not be enough for both you and us. Go to the shops and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 While they were going to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was closed.  11 The other bridesmaids came later and said, ‘lord, lord, open the door for us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘I tell you the truth: I do not know you.’  13 So stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour.
14 “It is like a man about to leave on a trip who called in his servants and entrusted them with what he owned. 15 To one of them he gave five talents, to another he gave two, and to another one talent, according to their abilities.[202] Then he left. 16 Immediately the one with five talents put them to work in business trading and made another five talents.  17 In the same way the one with two talents made another two.  18 But the man who had received the one talent went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned, and settled accounts with them. 20 The one with five talents came and presented the other five talents. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I have made a profit of five talents.  21 His master said to him, ‘You have done well, good and faithful servant. You have proven faithful in a few things, so now I am placing you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’
22 “The one with two talents also came. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. Look, I have made a profit of two talents.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘You have done well, good and faithful servant. You have proven faithful in a few things, so now I am placing you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’
24 “The man with one talent also came. He said, ‘Master, I know that you are a hard man. You reap where you did not sow, and you harvest crops you did not plant. 25 Because I was afraid I went and buried your talent in the ground. Look, you can have back what belongs to you.’
26 “But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! You think I reap where I do not sow, and harvest crops I did not plant.  27 Then you should have put my money in the bank so that when I returned I could have had my money plus interest. 28 So take the talent away from him and give it to the one with ten talents.
29 “For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but everyone who does not have anything, even what they have will be taken away from them. 30 And throw this useless servant out into the darkness, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.’
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his throne of glory. [203] 32 All the nations will be brought before him, and he will separate individuals[204] from one another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  33 He will put the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, and inherit the Kingdom which has been prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you invited me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you looked after me; I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then those who did right will answer, ‘lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?’ 40 The king will say to them, ‘I am telling you the truth: whatever you did for one of these least important brothers and sisters of mine,[205] you did for me.’
41 “He will also say to those on his left, ‘Go away from me, you who are doomed, into the fire of the Age to Come prepared for the Devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you did not give me anything to eat; I was thirsty and you did not give me a drink;  43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in; I was naked and you did not clothe me; sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they too will answer, ‘lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not look after you?’ 45 Then he will say to them, ‘I am telling you the truth: whatever you did not do for these least important brothers and sisters of mine, you did not do for me.’ 46 They will go away into the punishment of the Age to Come, but those who are right will enter the Life of the Age to Come.”