Matthew 25
46 verses
The three parables of chapter 25 develop the Olivet Discourse's watch-and-be-ready theme. The ten virgins — five wise who brought extra oil, five foolish who brought none — make the point that readiness for the delayed bridegroom cannot be borrowed at the last moment; the door was shut. The talents parable distributes five, two, and one talent to three servants: the five- and two-talent servants double their master's investment and receive equal praise (well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things); the one-talent servant buries his talent from fear and loses even what he had. The sheep and goats judgment — the only extended description of the final judgment in the synoptic Gospels — divides the nations on the basis of care for the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, and imprisoned: whatever you did (or did not do) to the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did (or did not do) to me. The chapter ends with eternal punishment for the goats and eternal life for the sheep, making chapter 25 the Gospel's most sustained treatment of final accountability.
VERSES IN THIS CHAPTER
1
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
0 0Open verse page →
2
And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
0 1Open verse page →
3
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
0 1Open verse page →
4
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
0 0Open verse page →
5
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
0 0Open verse page →
6
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
0 0Open verse page →
7
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
0 0Open verse page →
The promise here is not conditional on our strength but on His character.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God i...
8
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
1 0Open verse page →
9
But 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.
0 0Open verse page →
10
And 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.
0 2Open verse page →
11
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
0 0Open verse page →
12
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
0 0Open verse page →
13
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
0 0Open verse page →
14
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
0 0Open verse page →
15
And 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.
0 0Open verse page →
Their context of persecution gives these words a weight we often miss.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is f...
16
Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
1 0Open verse page →
17
And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
0 0Open verse page →
18
But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
0 0Open verse page →
19
After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
0 1Open verse page →
20
And 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.
0 0Open verse page →
21
His 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.
0 0Open verse page →
22
He 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.
0 0Open verse page →
23
His 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.
0 0Open verse page →
24
Then 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:
0 1Open verse page →
When we read this alongside the surrounding chapters, the narrative arc becomes clear: God is always working redemption,...
25
And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
1 1Open verse page →
26
His 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:
0 0Open verse page →
27
Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
0 0Open verse page →
28
Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
0 0Open verse page →
29
For 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.
0 0Open verse page →
30
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
0 0Open verse page →
31
When 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:
0 0Open verse page →
32
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
0 0Open verse page →
33
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
0 0Open verse page →
34
Then 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:
0 0Open verse page →
35
For 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:
0 0Open verse page →
36
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
0 0Open verse page →
37
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
0 0Open verse page →
38
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
0 0Open verse page →
39
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
0 0Open verse page →
40
And 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.
0 0Open verse page →
41
Then 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:
0 0Open verse page →
42
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
0 0Open verse page →
43
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
0 0Open verse page →
44
Then 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?
0 0Open verse page →
45
Then 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.
0 0Open verse page →
46
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
0 0Open verse page →
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
No notes on this chapter yet. Be the first to write one!