Matthew 25
25"Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.G5119G932G3772G3666G1176G3933G3748G2983G846G2985G1831G529G1519G35662Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.G1161G4002G1537G846G2258G5429G2532G4002G34743The five who were foolish didn't take enough olive oil for their lamps,G3748G3474G2983G846G1438G2985G2983G3756G1637G3326G14384but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil.G1161G5429G2983G1637G1722G846G30G3326G846G29855When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.G1161G3566G5549G3956G3573G2532G25186"At midnight they were roused by the shout, 'Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!'G1161G3319G3571G2906G1096G2400G3566G2064G1831G1519G529G8467"All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps.G5119G3956G1565G3933G1453G2532G2885G846G29858Then the five foolish ones asked the others, 'Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.'G1161G3474G2036G5429G1325G2254G1537G5216G1637G3754G2257G2985G45709"But the others replied, 'We don't have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.'G1161G5429G611G3004G3379G714G3756G714G2254G2532G5213G1161G4198G3123G4314G4453G2532G59G143810"But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.G1161G846G565G59G3566G2064G2532G2092G1525G3326G846G1519G1062G2532G2374G280811Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, 'Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!'G1161G5305G2064G2532G3062G3933G3004G2962G2962G455G225412"But he called back, 'Believe me, I don't know you!'G1161G611G2036G281G3004G5213G1492G5209G375613"So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.G1127G3767G3754G1492G3756G2250G3761G5610G1722G3739G5207G444G206414"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone.G1063G5618G444G589G2564G2398G1401G2532G3860G846G846G522415He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.G2532G3739G3303G1325G4002G5007G1161G3739G1417G1161G3739G1520G1538G2596G2398G1411G2532G2112G58916"The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more.G1161G2983G4002G5007G4198G2038G1722G846G2532G4160G243G4002G500717The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more.G2532G5615G3588G1417G846G2532G2770G243G141718But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master's money.G1161G2983G1520G565G3736G1722G1093G2532G613G846G2962G69419"After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money.G1161G3326G4183G5550G2962G1565G1401G2064G2532G4868G3056G3326G84620The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, 'Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.'G2532G2983G4002G5007G4334G4374G243G4002G5007G3004G2962G3860G3427G4002G5007G2396G2770G1909G846G4002G5007G24321"The master was full of praise. 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!'G1161G846G2962G5346G846G2095G18G2532G4103G1401G2258G4103G1909G3641G2525G4571G2525G1909G4183G1525G1519G5479G4675G296222"The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, 'Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.'G1161G2532G2983G1417G5007G4334G2036G2962G3860G3427G1417G5007G2396G2770G1417G243G5007G1909G84623"The master said, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!'G846G2962G5346G846G2095G18G2532G4103G1401G2258G4103G1909G3641G2525G4571G2525G1909G4183G1525G1519G5479G4675G296224"Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, 'Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn't plant and gathering crops you didn't cultivate.G1161G2532G2983G1520G5007G4334G2036G2962G1097G4571G3754G1488G4642G444G2325G3699G4687G3756G4687G2532G4863G3606G1287G3756G128725I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.'G2532G5399G565G2928G4675G5007G1722G1093G2396G2192G467426"But the master replied, 'You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn't plant and gathered crops I didn't cultivate,G1161G846G2962G611G2036G846G4190G2532G3636G1401G1492G3754G2325G3699G4687G3756G2532G4863G3606G1287G3756G128727why didn't you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.'G4571G1163G3767G906G3450G694G5133G2532G2064G1473G302G2865G1699G4862G511028"Then he ordered, 'Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver.G142G3767G5007G575G846G2532G1325G2192G1176G500729To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.G1063G3956G2192G1325G2532G4052G1161G575G846G2192G3361G142G575G2532G3739G219230Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'G2532G1544G888G1401G1519G1857G4655G1563G2071G2805G2532G1030G359931"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.G1161G3752G5207G444G2064G1722G846G1391G2532G3956G40G32G3326G846G5119G2523G1909G2362G846G139132All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.G2532G1715G846G4863G3956G1484G2532G873G846G240G575G240G5618G4166G873G4263G575G205633He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.G2532G2476G3303G4263G1537G846G1188G1161G2055G1537G217634"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 creation of the world.G5119G935G2046G1537G846G1188G1205G2127G3450G3962G2816G932G2090G5213G575G2602G288935For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.G1063G3983G2532G1325G3427G5315G1372G2532G4222G3165G4222G2252G3581G2532G4863G3165G486336I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.'G1131G2532G4016G3165G770G2532G1980G3165G2252G1722G5438G2532G2064G4314G316537"Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?G5119G1342G611G846G3004G2962G4219G1492G4571G3983G2532G5142G2228G1372G2532G422238Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?G1161G4219G1492G4571G3581G2532G4863G2228G1131G2532G401639When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?'G1161G4219G1492G4571G772G2228G1722G5438G2532G2064G4314G457140"And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'G2532G935G611G2046G846G281G3004G5213G1909G3745G4160G1520G1646G5130G3450G80G4160G169841"Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, 'Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.G5119G2046G2532G1537G2176G4198G575G1700G2672G1519G166G4442G2090G1228G2532G846G3242For I was hungry, and you didn't feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn't give me a drink.G1063G3983G2532G1325G3427G3756G5315G1372G2532G4222G3165G3756G422243I was a stranger, and you didn't invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn't give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'G2252G3581G2532G4863G3165G3756G4863G1131G2532G4016G3165G3756G772G2532G1722G5438G2532G1980G3165G375644"Then they will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?'G5119G846G2532G611G846G3004G2962G4219G1492G4571G3983G2228G1372G2228G3581G2228G1131G2228G772G2228G1722G5438G2532G1247G3756G1247G467145"And he will answer, 'I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.'G5119G611G846G3004G281G3004G5213G1909G3745G4160G3756G1520G1646G5130G4160G3761G169846"And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life."G2532G3778G565G1519G166G2851G1161G1342G1519G2222G166
Columbus, OH
who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.G5119
