Matthew 25:1-13

Contemporary English Version

A Story about Ten Young Women

25 ^(A) The kingdom of heaven is like what happened one night when ten young women took their oil lamps and went to a wedding to meet the groom.^{[a] 2} Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ The foolish ones took their lamps, but no extra oil. ⁴ The ones who were wise took along extra oil for their lamps.

⁵ The groom was late arriving, and the young women became drowsy and fell asleep. ⁶ Then in the middle of the night someone shouted, “Here's the groom! Come to meet him!”

⁷ When the women got up and started getting their lamps ready, ⁸ the foolish ones said to the others, “Let us have some of your oil! Our lamps are going out.”

⁹ Those who were wise answered, “There's not enough oil for all of us! Go and buy some for yourselves.”

¹⁰ While the foolish ones were on their way to get some oil, the groom arrived. The five who were ready went into the wedding, and the doors were closed. ^11 (B) Later the others returned and shouted, “Sir, sir! Open the door for us!”

¹² But the groom replied, “I don't even know you!”

¹³ So, my disciples, always be ready! You don't know the day or the time when all this will happen.