Matthew 25

¹Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, the friends of the bride, who took their lights, and went out with the purpose of meeting the husband.

²And five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

³For the foolish, when they took their lights, took no oil with them.

⁴But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lights.

⁵Now the husband was a long time in coming, and they all went to sleep.

⁶But in the middle of the night there is a cry, The husband comes! Go out to him.

⁷Then all those virgins got up, and made ready their lights.

⁸And the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lights are going out.

⁹But the wise made answer, saying, There may not be enough for us and you; it would be better for you to go to the traders and get oil for yourselves.

¹⁰And while they went to get oil, the master came; and those who were ready went in with him to the feast: and the door was shut.

¹¹After that the other virgins came, saying, Lord, Lord, let us in.

¹²But he made answer and said, Truly I say to you, I have no knowledge of you.

¹³Keep watch, then, because you are not certain of the day or of the hour.

¹⁴For it is as when a man, about to take a journey, got his servants together, and gave them his property.