1 Then the kingdom of heaven {basileia ton ouranon: divine royal rule} will be portrayed as ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom {nymphios: approaching bridegroom}.
2 Five of them were foolish {morai: lacking good judgment}, and five were wise {phronimoi: practically discerning}.
3 For the foolish ones, when they took their lamps {lampadas: small torches}, they did not take oil {elaion: lamp fuel} with them.
4 But the wise {phronimoi: prudent planners} carried oil in their vessels {angeiois: storage containers}, together with their lamps.
5 Since the bridegroom {nymphios: groom-to-be} delayed, they all became drowsy {enystaxan: began to nod off} and slept.
6 But in the middle of the night a cry rang out: “Look! The bridegroom {nymphios: groom’s arrival}! Go out to meet him {apantesin: prepared encounter}.”
7 Then all those virgins got up {egerthesan: suddenly stood} and prepared their lamps {lampadas: oil-burning torches}.
8 But the foolish {morai: lacking foresight} said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil {elaion: olive-derived fuel}, because our lamps are going out.”
9 But the wise {phronimoi: prudent women} answered, saying, “No—there may not be enough {arkese: sufficient supply} for us and for you; go instead to those who sell and buy for yourselves.”
10 While they were leaving to buy, the bridegroom {nymphios: wedding groom} arrived; and those who were ready {hétoimoi: properly prepared} went in with him to the wedding celebration, and the door was shut.
11 Later the other virgins came, saying, “Lord {Kyrie: respectful address}, Lord, open {anoixon: grant us entry} for us.”
12 But he answered and said, “Truly {amen: emphatic assurance} I say to you, I do not know {oida: personal familiarity} you.”
13 Remain vigilant {gregoreite: maintain alertness}, for you do not know the day or the hour {hora: decisive moment}.
14 For it is like a man {anthrōpos: human master} departing on a journey; he called his own servants and handed over to them his possessions {hyparchonta: entire property}.
15 And to one he gave five talents {talanta: large entrusted sum}, to another two, and to another one—each according to his own capacity—and then he departed at once {eutheos: immediately}.
16 The one who received the five talents went {poreutheis: purposeful departure}, traded with them, and gained five more talents {talanta: large monetary unit}.
17 Likewise {hosaútōs: parallel action}, the one who had two {dýo: pair} gained another two.
18 But the servant who had been entrusted {labon: formally entrusted} with the single talent went away, dug into the soil, and hid his master’s funds {argyrion: silver funds}.
19 After a long time, the master {kyrios: household authority} of those servants returned and settled accounts {logon: formal reckoning} with them.
20 The one who had received the five talents came forward and brought five more, saying, “Lord {Kyrios: household master}, you entrusted me with five talents {talanta: large monetary units}; see, I have gained five more.”
21 His lord {kyrios: household master} said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will appoint you over many. Enter into the joy {chara: overflowing gladness} of your lord.”
22 The one with the two talents came forward and said, “Lord {Kyrios: household master}, you entrusted two talents {talanta: substantial sums} to me; see, I gained two more.”
23 His lord {kyrios: Master and Rewarder} said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many. Come in to the joy {chara: shared delight} of your lord.”
24 Then the one who had received the one talent {talanton: large monetary sum} came and said, “Master {Kyrie: household ruler}, I perceived you to be a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter.”
25 Because I was afraid {phobetheis: anxious fear}, I went away and hid your talent {talanton: large sum} in the ground; look, you have what is yours.
26 But his master {kyrios: ruling authority} answered and said to him, “You wicked {ponēre: morally corrupt} and lazy servant {doulos: one under duty}, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather from where I did not scatter.”
27 Then you should have put my money with the bankers {trapezites: professional money-changer}, and when I returned I would have received what was mine with interest {tokos: financial return}.
28 So take the talent {talanton: entrusted amount} away from him and give it to the one who has {ekhonti: continuing possession} the ten talents.
29 For to everyone {panti: each person} who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance {perisseuthēsetai: overflowing provision}. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
30 And throw the worthless {akhreion: utterly useless} servant into the outer darkness; there will be the weeping and the gnashing {brygmos: harsh grinding motion} of teeth.
31 When the Son of Man {huios tou anthropou, Glorious Judge} appears in His glory alongside all the angels {angeloi: Heavenly Attendants}, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
32 All the nations will be gathered before Him {autou: Divine Judge}, and He will separate them from one another just as the shepherd {poimēn: pastoral caretaker} separates the sheep from the goats.
33 And He {autos: Divine Judge} will set the sheep {probata: faithful followers} on His right, but the goats on His left.
34 Then the King {basileus: royal judge} will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed by My Father {patēr: gracious planner}; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me {Iesous: Righteous Judge} food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger {xenos: outsider, foreign guest}, and you welcomed Me.
36 I was naked {gumnos: exposed} and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison {phylakē: place of confinement} and you came to me.
37 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, “Lord {Kyrios, Final Judge}, when did we see You hungry {peinonta: in need of food} and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?”
38 And when did we see You {Iesous, Supreme Judge} a stranger {xenos: foreign guest} and welcome You, or naked and clothe You?
39 And when did we see You {se: direct object pronoun} sick or in prison {phylakē: detention cell} and come to You?
40 And the King {basileus: royal judge} will answer them, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least {elachiston: socially insignificant} of these My brothers, you did it for Me.”
41 Then He {autos: Divine Judge} will say to those on the left, “Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil {diabolos: Slandering Enemy} and his angels.”
42 For I was hungry {epeinasa: acute lack of food}, and you did not give Me anything to eat; I was thirsty, and you did not give Me anything to drink {epotisate: any liquid provision}.
43 I {ego: I Myself} was a stranger {xenos: unknown guest}, and you did not take Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick and in prison, and you did not visit Me.
44 Then they too will answer, saying, “Lord {Kyrios, Supreme Judge}, when did we see You hungry {peinonta: lacking food}, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not serve You?”
45 Then He {Christos: Divine Judge} will answer them, saying, “Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it for one of the least {elachistōn: social outcasts} of these, neither did you do it for Me.”
46 And these will go away into eternal punishment {kolasis: judicial penalty}, but the righteous into eternal life {zoe: unending divine vitality}.