Matthew 25 - Lexham English Bible (LEB)

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven may be compared to ten virgins who took their lamps and^[a] went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Now five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ For when^[b] the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take olive oil with them. ⁴ But the wise ones took olive oil in flasks with their lamps. ⁵ And when^[c] the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.^{[d] 6} But in the middle of the night there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all those virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your olive oil, because our lamps are going out!’ ⁹ But the wise ones answered saying, “Certainly there will never be enough for us and for you! Go instead to those who sell olive oil^[e] and buy some^[f] for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ But while^[g] they had gone away to buy it^[h] the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding celebration, and the door was shut. ¹¹ And later the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open the door^[i] for us!’ ¹² But he answered and^[j] said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you!’ ¹³ Therefore be on the alert, because you do not know the day or the hour!

The Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ For it is like a man going on a journey. He summoned his own slaves and handed over his property to them. ¹⁵ And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to each one according to his own ability, and he went on a journey immediately. ¹⁶ The one who had received the five talents went out and^[k] traded with them and gained five more. ¹⁷ In the same way the one who had the two gained two more. ¹⁸ But the one who had received the one went away and^[l] dug up the ground and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹ Now after a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And the one who had received the five talents came up and^[m] brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents. See, I have gained five more talents!’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge over many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’ ²² And the one who had the two talents also came up and^[n] said, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents. See, I have gained two talents more!’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge over many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’ ²⁴ And the one who had received the one talent came up also and^[o] said, ‘Master, because I^[p] knew you, that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering from where you did not scatter seed.^{[q] 25} And because I^[r] was afraid, I went away and^[s] hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours!’ ²⁶ But his master answered and^[t] said to him, ‘Evil and lazy slave! You knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather from where I did not scatter seed.^{[u] 27} Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and when I^[v] returned I would have gotten back what was mine with interest! ²⁸ Therefore take the talent from him and give it^[w] to the one who has the ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. ³⁰ And throw the worthless slave into the outer darkness—in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!’

The Judgment of the Sheep and the Goats

³¹ Now when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them from one another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ And he will place the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world! ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something^[x] to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something^[y] to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me as a guest, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you cared for me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,^[z] or thirsty and give you something^[aa] to drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you^[ab] as a guest, or naked and clothe you?^{[ac] 39} And when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ ⁴⁰ And the king will answer and^[ad] say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, in as much as you did it^[ae] to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it^[af] to me.’ ⁴¹ Then he will also say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed ones, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! ⁴² For I was hungry and you did not give me anything^[ag] to eat, I was thirsty and you did not give me anything^[ah] to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not care for me.’ ⁴⁴ Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and not serve you?’ ⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly I say to you, in as much as you did not do it^[ai] to one of the least of these, you did not do it^[aj] to me.’ ⁴⁶ And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Footnotes

1. Matthew 25:1 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“took”) has been translated as a finite verb
2. Matthew 25:3 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“took”) which is understood as temporal
3. Matthew 25:5 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“was delayed”)
4. Matthew 25:5 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to sleep”, “fell asleep”)
5. Matthew 25:9 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
6. Matthew 25:9 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
7. Matthew 25:10 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“had gone away”)
8. Matthew 25:10 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
9. Matthew 25:11 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
10. Matthew 25:12 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
11. Matthew 25:16 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went out”) has been translated as a finite verb
12. Matthew 25:18 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went away”) has been translated as a finite verb
13. Matthew 25:20 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came up”) has been translated as a finite verb
14. Matthew 25:22 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came up”) has been translated as a finite verb
15. Matthew 25:24 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came up”) has been translated as a finite verb
16. Matthew 25:24 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“knew”) which is understood as causal
17. Matthew 25:24 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
18. Matthew 25:25 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was afraid”) which is understood as causal
19. Matthew 25:25 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went away”) has been translated as a finite verb
20. Matthew 25:26 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
21. Matthew 25:26 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
22. Matthew 25:27 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“returned”) which is understood as temporal
23. Matthew 25:28 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
24. Matthew 25:35 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
25. Matthew 25:35 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
26. Matthew 25:37 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
27. Matthew 25:37 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
28. Matthew 25:38 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
29. Matthew 25:38 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
30. Matthew 25:40 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“will answer”) has been translated as a finite verb
31. Matthew 25:40 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
32. Matthew 25:40 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
33. Matthew 25:42 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
34. Matthew 25:42 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
35. Matthew 25:45 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
36. Matthew 25:45 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation