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The Gospel According to Saint Matthew, Chapter 25
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1 |
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins,
which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
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2 |
And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
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3 |
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with
them:
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4 |
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
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5 |
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
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6 |
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom
cometh; go ye out to meet him.
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7 |
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
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8 |
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our
lamps are gone out.
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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.
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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.
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11 |
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open
to us.
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12 |
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
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13 |
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour
wherein the Son of man cometh.
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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.
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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.
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16 |
Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with
the same, and made them other five talents.
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And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
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But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and
hid his lord's money.
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19 |
After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and
reckoneth with them.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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25 |
And I was afraid, and
went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is
thine.
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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:
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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.
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28 |
Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which
hath ten talents.
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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.
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30 |
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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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:
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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:
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33 |
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the
goats on the left.
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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:
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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:
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36 |
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited
me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
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Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we
thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
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38 |
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed
thee?
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Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto
thee?
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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.
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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:
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42 |
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was
thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
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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.
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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?
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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.
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46 |
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the
righteous into life eternal.
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