5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was da cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those e d a great noise, hurry, and proclamation made virgins arose, and e and went to trim their lamps, and fit them for their trimmed their lamps. march; but when they went to do so, some of them 8 And the foolish had oil, and others had spent it all. said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; f for ours is all spent, and so our lamps are gone for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise an out. 9. And the wise answered them, that they had reason swered, saying, Not to fear that, if they should be so kind, they should so; lest there be not enough for us and deprive themselves, and not have sufficient for both. you: but go ye ra ther 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. * place of nuptial entertainment, and— 12 But he answer- h Here is now no entertainment for such as you, ed and said, Verily who have by your sloth and improvidence betrayed I say unto you, I 14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own ser yourselves. 13. See ch. xxiv. 36. i his domestic officers in their several places, stew vants, and delivered ards, husbandmen, &c. unto them his goods. 15 And unto one 1 These words to the end of the verse are omitted both in the Gr. and Lat. and in the King's MS. he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man 'accord I what was competent for that employment, place, ing to his several office, exigence of business intrusted to him under ability; and straight- his lord, and agreeable to his capacity. way took his jour ney. 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and 2 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 m over a few things, min trafficking with these lower meaner things, I will make thee ru- (see Luke xix. 17, and xvi. 10,) thou shalt be highly ler over many things: enter thou into the dignified, Luke xix. 17, as one of them that thy lord joy of thy lord. hath joy of, or that he delighteth to honour, Esth. 22 He also that vi. 6. 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 2 Or, gained other, &c., for the Gr. and Lat. and the King's MS. reads ¿képɔ̃ŋσEV. 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, thou hast not sown, Lord, I knew thee n I had had experience of thy severity in requiring that thou art an hard increase from thy servants far above that which thou man, reaping where intrustest to them, and I, for fear of losing my talent, and gathering where and provoking thy displeasure thereby, thought it thou hast not straw- best to dig a hole in the earth, and there lay it up safe; and accordingly there is thy talent safe again, 25 And I was a- though without any increase of it. ed: fraid, 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 thy words acknowledge thee to have had actually reap where I sow- in thy thoughts that I, that was one that dealt in mered not, and gather chandise and making of gain, would expect profit of where I have not strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the 'exchangers, and I that which I committed to thee: thou P money-merchants, (see note [b] on ch. xxi.) and then at my coming then at my coming home I should have had mine own again, and some increase with it. should have received mine own with usury. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten ta lents. 29 For unto every 29. For to him that useth and improveth God's one that hath shall grace shall by degrees be given shall by degrees be given so much, that at the be given, and 3he last he shall have all abundance; but from him that ance: but from him doth not so, that which had formerly been given him that hath not shall shall be withdrawn. shall have abund be taken away even that which he hath. 30. As for him that made no use of (nor brought 30 And cast ye the in any increase to his master from) the talents inunprofitable servant into outer darkness: trusted to him, the idle disobedient servant, (see note there shall be weep- [a] on Luke xvii.) let him be cast out into the dungeon, 3 given in all abundance, Tepioσ evÕHσETAI. ing and gnashing of never to come out again, that emblem of eternal hell, teeth. the place of all pains and horror. 31 ¶ When the Son of man shall come 31. All this parable, from ver. 13 to this place, in his glory, and all being put as in a parenthesis, Christ here proceeds: But the holy angels with when Christ comes to judgment, whether to execute him, then shall he vengeance on this people, or (of which that is an sit upon the throne emblem) to doom every man for his future eternal 32 And before him being, then shall his appearance be glorious and full shall be gathered all of majesty. of his glory: nations: goats: and he 32. And all the people of the Jews, believers and shall separate them unbelievers, and all other men that have ever lived one from another, as in this world, every one having had some talent to a shepherd divideth his sheep from the trade with, intrusted to him by God, shall by the angels sent out to that purpose (ch. xiii. 41.) be 33 And he shall set gathered before him. the sheep on his 33. And all the meek obedient followers and disciples of his, he shall place in a state of greatest 34 Then shall the dignity and preferment, but all the unfaithful disKing say unto them obedient shall be cast into judgment. right hand, but the goats on the left. on his right hand, 34. And then as a king, or judge, shall he disCome, ye blessed of tribute the joys and dignities of the kingdom of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepar- heaven, which before all eternity were designed to ed for you from the be the reward of all faithful servants of God. foundation of the world : 35 For I was an 35. According to every man's works of piety or hungred, and ye charity performed in this life, expressed here by gave me meat: I was feeding and entertaining of Christ. thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye 36. And again of clothing his naked body, tending clothed me: I was him when he was sick, relieving, assisting, providing sick, and ye vi- for him, and visiting him in restraint. sited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the 37. Then shall those humble faithful disciples of his, righteous answer as not being conscious of any such acts of service or him, saying, Lord, charity shewed to Christ, answer him 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? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of 8 s to the meanest man alive, partaker of that human the least of these my nature which I have honoured by my assuming it, ye brethren, ye have on the left hand, have 'Depart from me, t You are an accursed number of men, adjudged to ye cursed, into ever- eternal hell, which was not originally created or delasting fire, prepared signed for you, or any of mankind, but for the prince for the devil and his of devils, and those angels that sinned and fell with 42 For I was an him, but now by your wilful defaults is become your hungred, and ye gave portion also. me no meat: I was angels: 42. And this is a most just reward for your doings, thirsty, and ye gave your impiety and uncharitableness of all sorts. me no drink: For 43 I was a stranger, when I was ready to famish for hunger, you would and ye took me not spare nothing out of your plenty to relieve me. in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer 44. And then they, as if not conscious of this him, impiety, shall begin to expostulate that they never saying, Lord, when dealt thus unkindly with Christ, never saw him in saw we thee an hun gred, or athirst, or a any distress without relieving him. 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. AND it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, 2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the [a] pass CHAP. XXVI. |