Matthew 25

‘Where God in heaven rules over all, it is like when 10 girls took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom before a wedding. ₂There were 5 foolish girls and 5 wise girls. ₃The 5 foolish girls took their lamps, but they did not take olive oil with them. ₄The 5 wise girls took their lamps and also jars of olive oil.

₅The bridegroom was very late and all the girls became sleepy and they started to sleep. ₆Very late that night the people started to shout: “Here comes the bridegroom. Come out to meet him.”

₇Then all 10 girls got up and they wanted to get their lamps ready. ₈The foolish girls said to the wise girls: “Give us some of your olive oil, because our lamps are going out.” ₉The wise girls said to the foolish girls: “No, if we give you some of our olive oil, then there will not be enough olive oil for all of us. You must go and buy your own olive oil.”

₁₀The foolish girls went to buy olive oil and while they were away, the bridegroom came. ₁₁When they came back, the door was closed and they shouted: “Sir, sir, open the door for us.” ₁₂But the bridegroom said: “I am telling you this and it is sure: I do not know you.” ’

‘Where God in heaven rules over all, it is like when a man went away from his home. He called his servants and told them to look after his money. ₁₅He gave 5 talents to the first servant, 2 talents to the 2nd servant and one talent to the 3rd servant. He decided how much money each servant must get. Then he went away.

₁₆The servant who got 5 talents immediately started to buy and sell many things and he got 5 more talents, so then he had 10 talents. ₁₇The servant with 2 talents did the same and he got 2 more talents, so then he had 4 talents. ₁₈But the servant who had one talent made a hole in the ground and he hid his master's money under the ground.

₁₉After a long time the master of the servants came back and asked them what they had done with his money. ₂₀The servant who got 5 talents brought the 10 talents and he said: “Sir, you gave me 5 talents. Here are another 5 talents that I have worked for.” ₂₁His master said: “Wonderful. You are a good servant. You did what I wanted. You have worked well with the little money that I gave you. Now I will give you much more money to work with. Come in and be happy with me, your master.”

₂₂The servant who got 2 talents came with the 4 talents and he said: “Sir, you gave me 2 talents. Here are another 2 talents that I have worked for.” ₂₃His master said: “That is good. You are a good servant. You did what I wanted. You have worked well with the little money that I gave you. Now I will give you much more money to work with. Come in and be happy with me, your master.”

₂₄The servant who got one talent came and said: “Sir, I know you are a very hard man. You harvest wheat that you did not plant. You cut wheat where you did not sow any seeds. ₂₅I was afraid, so I buried the money and hid it under the ground. Here is the one talent that you gave me. It belongs to you.”

₂₆His master said: “You are a bad and lazy servant who does not want to work. You know I harvest wheat where I did not plant seeds and I cut wheat where I did not sow any seeds. ₂₇Why didn't you put my money in the bank? Then when I came home, the bank would have given me more money.” ₂₈He said to his other servants: “Take the money away from him and give it to the servant who has 10 talents. ₂₉I will give more to everyone who has something, then he will have a lot more. But I will take away from anyone who does not have anything. I will take away even the little that he has. ₃₀Take this useless servant and throw him in the dark place where people will cry and bite hard on their teeth in pain.” ’

‘When I, the Son of man, come with all my angels, I will sit on my throne and I will be King. ₃₂Then all the nations will come together before Me and I will separate all the people into 2 groups like a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats.

₃₃I will put the sheep on my right hand side and the goats on my left hand side. ₃₄Then I, the Son of man, will say to the people on my right hand side: “My Father has blessed you. He will always be your King. He planned it long ago, before He made the earth. Come and accept what He wants to give to you and be happy with Him,

₃₅because when I was hungry, you gave Me food to eat and when I was thirsty, you gave Me water to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed Me into your house. ₃₆I did not have any clothes and you gave Me clothes to wear. I was sick and you cared for Me. I was in jail and you visited Me.”

₃₇The people who did what the laws of the Lord said will then say to Me: “Lord, when did we see that You were hungry and when did we give You food to eat? When did we see that You were thirsty and when did we give You water to drink? ₃₈When did we see that You were a stranger and when did we welcome You into our homes? When did we see that You had no clothes and when did we give You clothes to wear? ₃₉When did we see that You were sick or in jail and when did we visit You?” ₄₀Then the King will say to them: “I tell you this and it is sure: When you did this for my people, and the little ones who are unimportant, then you did it for Me.”

₄₁Then the King will say to the people on his left hand side: “Go away from Me. God has cursed you. You will go into the fire that burns forever. God has made that fire for the devil and his angels. ₄₂Because when I was hungry, you gave Me no food to eat and when I was thirsty, you gave Me no water to drink. ₄₃I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me into your home and when I had no clothes, you did not give Me clothes to wear. I was sick and in jail and you did not come to visit Me.”

₄₄Then the people on his left hand side will ask the King: “Lord, when did we see that You were hungry or thirsty, or when were You a stranger and did not have clothes? When were You sick or in jail? When did we not help You?” ₄₅Then the King will say to them: “I tell you this and it is sure: When you did not do it for one of my people who are unimportant, then you did not do it for Me.” ’