The Parable of the Ten Virgins
1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2 Fivetn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. of the virginstn Grk “Five of them.” were foolish, and five were wise.
3 Whentn Grk “For when.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated. the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extratn The word “extra” is not in the Greek text but is implied. The point is that the five foolish virgins had only the oil in their lamps, but took along no extra supply from which to replenish them. This is clear from v. 8, where the lamps of the foolish virgins are going out because they are running out of oil. olive oiltn On the use of olive oil in lamps, see L&N 6.202. with them.
4 But the wise ones took flasks of olive oil with their lamps.
5 Whentn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him.’tc ‡ Most witnesses have αὐτοῦ (autou, “[with] him”) after ἀπάντησιν (apanthsin, “meeting”), a reading which makes explicit what is already implied in the shorter text (as found in א B 700). The translation likewise adds “him” for clarity’s sake even though the word is not considered part of the original text. NA27 has αὐτοῦ in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
8 Thetn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’
9 ‘No,’ they replied.tn Grk “The wise answered, saying, ‘No.’” ‘There won’t be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10 But while they had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Thentn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. the door was shut.
11 Later,tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, lord! Let us in!’tn Grk “Open to us.”
12 But he replied,tn Grk “But answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. ‘I tell you the truth,tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.” I do not know you!’
13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour.tc Most later mss (C3 Ë13 1424c Ï) also read here “in which the Son of Man is coming” (ἐν ᾗ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔρχεται, en |h Jo Juio" tou anqrwpou ercetai), reproducing almost verbatim the last line of Matt 24:44. The longer reading thus appears to be an explanatory expansion and should not be considered authentic. The earlier and better witnesses ({Ì35 א A B C* D L W Δ Θ Ë1 33 565 892 1424* lat co}) lack this phrase.
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slavestn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9. and entrusted his property to them.
15 Totn Here καί (kai) has not been translated. one he gave five talents,sn A talent was equal to 6000 denarii. See the note on this term in 18:24. to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
16 The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to worktn Grk “traded with them.” and gained five more.
17 In the same way, the one who had two gained two more.
18 But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money in it.
19 Aftertn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them.
20 Thetn Here καί (kai) has not been translated. one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Sir,tn Grk Or “Lord; or “Master” (and so throughout this paragraph). you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’
21 His master answered,tn Grk “His master said to him.” ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’
22 Thetn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. one with the two talents also came and said, ‘Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more.’
23 His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’
24 Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed,
25 sotn Here καί (kai) has not been translated. I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’
26 But his master answered,tn Grk “But answering, his master said to him.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter?
27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers,tn For the translation “deposited my money with the bankers,” see L&N 57.216. and on my return I would have received my money back with interest!sn That is, “If you really feared me you should have done a minimum to get what I asked for.”
28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten.tn Grk “the ten talents.”
29 For the one who has will be given more,tn Grk “to everyone who has, he will be given more.”sn The one who has will be given more. Faithfulness yields great reward (see Matt 13:12; also Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18, 19:26). and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.sn The one who has nothing has even what he seems to have taken from him, ending up with no reward at all (see also Luke 8:18). The exact force of this is left ambiguous, but there is no comfort here for those who are pictured by the third slave as being totally unmoved by the master. Though not an outright enemy, there is no relationship to the master either.
30 And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The Judgment
31 “Whentn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
32 Alltn Here καί (kai) has not been translated. the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33 Hetn Here καί (kai) has not been translated. will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his 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 food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’
37 Then the righteous will answer him,tn Grk “answer him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
38 Whentn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you?
39 Whentn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 And the king will answer them,tn Grk “answering, the king will say to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. ‘I tell you the truth,tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.” just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisterstn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). In this context Jesus is ultimately speaking of his “followers” (whether men or women, adults or children), but the familial connotation of “brothers and sisters” is also important to retain here. of mine, you did it for me.’
41 “Then he will saytn Here καί (kai) has not been translated. to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels!
42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink.
43 I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’
44 Then they too will answer,tn Grk “Then they will answer, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?’
45 Then he will answer them,tn Grk “answer them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. ‘I tell you the truth,tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.” just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’
46 And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
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