1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 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 have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 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:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 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.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Matthew Chapter 25, as presented in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, is a powerful chapter that revolves around three distinct parables narrated by Jesus Christ. The three parables are: The Parable of the Ten Virgins, The Parable of the Talents, and The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. These parables serve as a profound reminder of the significance of preparedness, faithful stewardship, and the necessity for compassion and kindness.
The chapter begins with the Parable of the Ten Virgins, which is a story about ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise and took oil in their vessels with their lamps, while the other five were foolish and took their lamps but no oil. When the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept. At midnight there was a cry made, 'Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.' All the virgins arose and trimmed their lamps, but the foolish virgins' lamps were going out. The wise virgins refused to share their oil with the foolish ones, who then went to buy more oil. But while they were gone, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. When the foolish virgins returned, they found the door shut and were not allowed in. The parable concludes with the statement, 'Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.' (Matthew 25:13, KJV)
This parable emphasizes the importance of being spiritually prepared at all times as the exact hour of the Lord's return is unknown. It warns against complacency and the danger of being unprepared for the second coming of Christ. It underscores the need for personal readiness and vigilance, as the time of His return is unpredictable and will come as a surprise to many.
The second parable in this chapter is the Parable of the Talents. In this parable, a man going on a journey calls his servants and entrusts them with his property. To one, he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. The one who received five talents traded with them and made five more. Similarly, the one who received two talents made two more. But the one who received one talent dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. When the master returned, he settled accounts with them. The one with five talents and the one with two talents received praise from the master for their good and faithful service. But the one who hid his talent was rebuked for his laziness and fear, and his talent was taken away and given to the one who had ten talents. The parable concludes with the words, 'For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.' (Matthew 25:29, KJV)
This parable teaches about the responsibility of using one's God-given talents and resources wisely. It illustrates the importance of faithful stewardship and the consequences of inactivity. It reveals that God rewards those who are faithful and productive with what He has entrusted to them and punishes those who are unproductive and do not make use of their talents. The parable also emphasizes the importance of taking risks in serving God and not being paralyzed by fear.
The third and final parable in this chapter is the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. This parable describes the final judgement when the Son of Man comes in His glory and all the nations are gathered before Him. He separates them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He places the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. The King then says to those on His right, 'Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.' (Matthew 25:34-36, KJV) The righteous are surprised and ask when they did these things for the King, to which He replies, 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.' (Matthew 25:40, KJV)
Then He turns to those on His left, the goats, and says, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 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.' (Matthew 25:41-43, KJV) They also are surprised and ask when they saw Him hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or in prison and did not minister to Him. The King answers, 'Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.' (Matthew 25:45, KJV) The chapter concludes with the statement that the goats will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
This parable emphasizes the importance of showing kindness and compassion to those in need. It underlines the idea that our actions towards others are viewed by God as actions towards Him. It also illustrates the significance of serving others, reminding that our actions in this life have eternal consequences. It serves as a powerful call to action for Christians to live a life of service, loving their neighbors as themselves, and seeing Christ in everyone, especially those in need.
In conclusion, Matthew Chapter 25 of the KJV Bible provides a series of teachings that are as relevant today as they were when Jesus first spoke them. It reminds us to always be prepared for the second coming of Christ, to use our talents and resources for God's glory, and to serve others with compassion and kindness. These teachings not only provide guidance for living a Christian life but also offer profound insights into the heart of God and His expectations for His followers.
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