25"God's kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom.G5119G932G3772G3666G1176G3933G3748G2983G846G2985G1831G529G1519G35662Five were silly and five were smart.G1161G4002G1537G846G2258G5429G2532G4002G34743The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil.G3748G3474G2983G846G1438G2985G2983G3756G1637G3326G14384The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps.G1161G5429G2983G1637G1722G846G30G3326G846G29855The bridegroom didn't show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep.G1161G3566G5549G3956G3573G2532G25186"In the middle of the night someone yelled out, 'He's here! The bridegroom's here! Go out and greet him!'G1161G3319G3571G2906G1096G2400G3566G2064G1831G1519G529G8467"The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready.G5119G3956G1565G3933G1453G2532G2885G846G29858The silly virgins said to the smart ones, 'Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.'G1161G3474G2036G5429G1325G2254G1537G5216G1637G3754G2257G2985G45709"They answered, 'There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.'G1161G5429G611G3004G3379G714G3756G714G2254G2532G5213G1161G4198G3123G4314G4453G2532G59G143810"They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked.G1161G846G565G59G3566G2064G2532G2092G1525G3326G846G1519G1062G2532G2374G280811"Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, 'Master, we're here. Let us in.'G1161G5305G2064G2532G3062G3933G3004G2962G2962G455G225412"He answered, 'Do I know you? I don't think I know you.'G1161G611G2036G281G3004G5213G1492G5209G375613"So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive.G1127G3767G3754G1492G3756G2250G3761G5610G1722G3739G5207G444G206414"It's also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities.G1063G5618G444G589G2564G2398G1401G2532G3860G846G846G522415To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left.G2532G3739G3303G1325G4002G5007G1161G3739G1417G1161G3739G1520G1538G2596G2398G1411G2532G2112G58916Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master's investment.G1161G2983G4002G5007G4198G2038G1722G846G2532G4160G243G4002G500717The second did the same.G2532G5615G3588G1417G846G2532G2770G243G141718But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master's money.G1161G2983G1520G565G3736G1722G1093G2532G613G846G2962G69419"After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them.G1161G3326G4183G5550G2962G1565G1401G2064G2532G4868G3056G3326G84620The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment.G2532G2983G4002G5007G4334G4374G243G4002G5007G3004G2962G3860G3427G4002G5007G2396G2770G1909G846G4002G5007G24321His master commended him: 'Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.'G1161G846G2962G5346G846G2095G18G2532G4103G1401G2258G4103G1909G3641G2525G4571G2525G1909G4183G1525G1519G5479G4675G296222"The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master's investment.G1161G2532G2983G1417G5007G4334G2036G2962G3860G3427G1417G5007G2396G2770G1417G243G5007G1909G84623His master commended him: 'Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.'G846G2962G5346G846G2095G18G2532G4103G1401G2258G4103G1909G3641G2525G4571G2525G1909G4183G1525G1519G5479G4675G296224"The servant given one thousand said, 'Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error.G1161G2532G2983G1520G5007G4334G2036G2962G1097G4571G3754G1488G4642G444G2325G3699G4687G3756G4687G2532G4863G3606G1287G3756G128725I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.'G2532G5399G565G2928G4675G5007G1722G1093G2396G2192G467426"The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least?G1161G846G2962G611G2036G846G4190G2532G3636G1401G1492G3754G2325G3699G4687G3756G2532G4863G3606G1287G3756G128727The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.G4571G1163G3767G906G3450G694G5133G2532G2064G1473G302G2865G1699G4862G511028"'Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this "play-it-safe" who won't go out on a limb.G142G3767G5007G575G846G2532G1325G2192G1176G500729(SEE 25:28)G1063G3956G2192G1325G2532G4052G1161G575G846G2192G3361G142G575G2532G3739G219230Throw him out into utter darkness.'G2532G1544G888G1401G1519G1857G4655G1563G2071G2805G2532G1030G359931"When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne.G1161G3752G5207G444G2064G1722G846G1391G2532G3956G40G32G3326G846G5119G2523G1909G2362G846G139132Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats,G2532G1715G846G4863G3956G1484G2532G873G846G240G575G240G5618G4166G873G4263G575G205633putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.G2532G2476G3303G4263G1537G846G1188G1161G2055G1537G217634"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation.G5119G935G2046G1537G846G1188G1205G2127G3450G3962G2816G932G2090G5213G575G2602G288935And here's why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room,G1063G3983G2532G1325G3427G5315G1372G2532G4222G3165G4222G2252G3581G2532G4863G3165G486336I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.'G1131G2532G4016G3165G770G2532G1980G3165G2252G1722G5438G2532G2064G4314G316537"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink?G5119G1342G611G846G3004G2962G4219G1492G4571G3983G2532G5142G2228G1372G2532G422238And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?'G1161G4219G1492G4571G3581G2532G4863G2228G1131G2532G401639(SEE 25:38)G1161G4219G1492G4571G772G2228G1722G5438G2532G2064G4314G457140Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.'G2532G935G611G2046G846G281G3004G5213G1909G3745G4160G1520G1646G5130G3450G80G4160G169841"Then he will turn to the 'goats,' the ones on his left, and say, 'Get out, worthless goats! You're good for nothing but the fires of hell.G5119G2046G2532G1537G2176G4198G575G1700G2672G1519G166G4442G2090G1228G2532G846G3242And why? Because— I was hungry and you gave me no meal, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,G1063G3983G2532G1325G3427G3756G5315G1372G2532G4222G3165G3756G422243I was homeless and you gave me no bed, I was shivering and you gave me no clothes, Sick and in prison, and you never visited.'G2252G3581G2532G4863G3165G3756G4863G1131G2532G4016G3165G3756G772G2532G1722G5438G2532G1980G3165G375644"Then those 'goats' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn't help?'G5119G846G2532G611G846G3004G2962G4219G1492G4571G3983G2228G1372G2228G3581G2228G1131G2228G772G2228G1722G5438G2532G1247G3756G1247G467145"He will answer them, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.'G5119G611G846G3004G281G3004G5213G1909G3745G4160G3756G1520G1646G5130G4160G3761G169846"Then those 'goats' will be herded to their eternal doom, but the 'sheep' to their eternal reward."G2532G3778G565G1519G166G2851G1161G1342G1519G2222G166
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