Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
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And five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
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For the foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them:
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but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
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Now while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
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But at midnight there is a cry, Behold, the bridegroom! Come ye forth to meet him.
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Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
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And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out.
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But the wise answered, saying, Peradventure there will not be enough for us and you: go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
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And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast: and the door was shut.
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Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
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But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
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Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour.
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For [it is] as [when] a man, going into another country, called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
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And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey.
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Straightway he that received the five talents went and traded with them, and made other five talents.
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In like manner he also that [received] the two gained other two.
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But he that received the one went away and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
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Now after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and maketh a reckoning with them.
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And he that received the five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: lo, I have gained other five talents.
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His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
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And he also that [received] the two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: lo, I have gained other two talents.
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His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
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And he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou didst not scatter;
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and I was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast thine own.
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But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter;
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thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest.
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Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath the ten talents.
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For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away.
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And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
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But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory:
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and before him shall be gathered all the nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats;
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and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
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Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
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for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in;
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naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
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Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink?
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And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
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And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
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And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, [even] these least, ye did it unto me.
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Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels:
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for I was hungry, and ye did not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink;
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I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
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Then shall they also answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
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Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of these least, ye did it not unto me.
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And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.
1 [A Psalm of David.] Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
18 The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
