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“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
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Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
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Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
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but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
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But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
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“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
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Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
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And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
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But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
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And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
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“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
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But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
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“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
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“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.
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And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
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Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
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And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
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But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.
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After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
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“So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’
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His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
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He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’
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His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
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“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
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And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
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“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.
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So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
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Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
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‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
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And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
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“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
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All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
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And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
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Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
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for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
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I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
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“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
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When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
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Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
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And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
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“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
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for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;
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I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
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“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’
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Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’
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And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
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