Matthew 24:44-25:13

English Standard Version

⁴⁴ Therefore you also must be ^(A)ready, for ^(B)the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

⁴⁵ “Who then is ^(C)the faithful and ^(D)wise servant,^[a] whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? ^46 (E)Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. ⁴⁷ Truly, I say to you, ^(F)he will set him over all his possessions. ⁴⁸ But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master ^(G)is delayed,’ ⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow servants^[b] and eats and drinks with ^(H)drunkards, ⁵⁰ the master of that servant will come ^(I)on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know ⁵¹ and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place ^(J)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ^(K)ten virgins who took their lamps^[c] and went to meet ^(L)the bridegroom.^{[d] 2} Five of them were foolish, and five were ^(M)wise. ³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵ As the bridegroom ^(N)was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. ⁶ But ^(O)at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those virgins rose and ^(P)trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and ^(Q)those who were ready went in with him to ^(R)the marriage feast, and ^(S)the door was shut. ¹¹ Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ^(T)‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ ^12 (U)But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, ^(V)I do not know you.’ ^13 (W)Watch therefore, for you ^(X)know neither the day nor the hour.