Matthew · Bible in Basic English
Matthew 25 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Then 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.
1 Τότε ὁμοιωθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν δέκα παρθένοις, αἵτινες λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν ἐξῆλθον εἰς ἀπάντησιν τοῦ νυμφίου.
2 And five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
2 πέντε δὲ ἦσαν ἐξ αὐτῶν φρόνιμοι καὶ αἱ πέντε μωραί.
3 For the foolish, when they took their lights, took no oil with them.
3 αἵτινες μωραὶ λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας ἑαυτῶν οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ᾽ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον·
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lights.
4 αἱ δὲ φρόνιμοι ἔλαβον ἔλαιον ἐν τοῖς ἀγγείοις αὐτῶν μετὰ τῶν λαμπάδων αὐτῶν.
5 Now the husband was a long time in coming, and they all went to sleep.
5 χρονίζοντος δὲ τοῦ νυμφίου ἐνύσταξαν πᾶσαι καὶ ἐκάθευδον.
6 But in the middle of the night there is a cry, The husband comes! Go out to him.
6 μέσης δὲ νυκτὸς κραυγὴ γέγονεν· ἰδοὺ ὁ νυμφίος ἔρχεται, ἐξέρχεσθε εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτοῦ.
7 Then all those virgins got up, and made ready their lights.
7 τότε ἠγέρθησαν πᾶσαι αἱ παρθένοι ἐκεῖναι καὶ ἐκόσμησαν τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν.
8 And the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lights are going out.
8 αἱ δὲ μωραὶ ταῖς φρονίμοις εἶπον· δότε ἡμῖν ἐκ τοῦ ἐλαίου ὑμῶν, ὅτι αἱ λαμπάδες ἡμῶν σβέννυνται.
9 But 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.
9 ἀπεκρίθησαν δὲ αἱ φρόνιμοι λέγουσαι· μήποτε οὐκ ἀρκέσει ἡμῖν καὶ ὑμῖν· πορεύεσθε δὲ μᾶλλον πρὸς τοὺς πωλοῦντας καὶ ἀγοράσατε ἑαυταῖς.
10 And 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.
10 ἀπερχομένων δὲ αὐτῶν ἀγοράσαι ἦλθεν ὁ νυμφίος καὶ αἱ ἕτοιμοι εἰσῆλθον μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ εἰς τοὺς γάμους, καὶ ἐκλείσθη ἡ θύρα.
11 After that the other virgins came, saying, Lord, Lord, let us in.
11 ὕστερον δὲ ἔρχονται καὶ αἱ λοιπαὶ παρθένοι λέγουσαι· κύριε κύριε, ἄνοιξον ἡμῖν.
12 But he made answer and said, Truly I say to you, I have no knowledge of you.
12 ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς.
13 Keep watch, then, because you are not certain of the day or of the hour.
13 γρηγορεῖτε οὖν, ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε τὴν ἡμέραν οὐδὲ τὴν ὥραν ἐν ᾗ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔρχεται.
14 For it is as when a man, about to take a journey, got his servants together, and gave them his property.
14 Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος ἀποδημῶν ἐκάλεσε τοὺς ἰδίους δούλους καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ,
15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to everyone as he was able; and he went on his journey.
15 καὶ ᾧ μὲν ἔδωκε πέντε τάλαντα, ᾧ δὲ δύο, ᾧ δὲ ἕν, ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν δύναμιν, καὶ ἀπεδήμησεν εὐθέως.
16 Straight away he who had been given the five talents went and did trade with them, and made five more.
16 πορευθεὶς δὲ ὁ τὰ πέντε τάλαντα λαβὼν εἰργάσατο ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐποίησεν ἄλλα πέντε τάλαντα.
17 In the same way he who had been given the two got two more.
17 ὡσαύτως καὶ ὁ τὰ δύο ἐκέρδησε καὶ αὐτὸς ἄλλα δύο.
18 But he who was given the one went away and put it in a hole in the earth, and kept his lord's money in a secret place.
18 ὁ δὲ τὸ ἓν λαβὼν ἀπελθὼν ὤρυξεν ἐν τῇ γῇ καὶ ἀπέκρυψε τὸ ἀργύριον τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ.
19 Now after a long time the lord of those servants comes, and makes up his account with them.
19 μετὰ δὲ χρόνον πολὺν ἔρχεται ὁ κύριος τῶν δούλων ἐκείνων καὶ συναίρει μετ᾽ αὐτῶν λόγον.
20 And he who had the five talents came with his other five talents, saying, Lord, you gave into my care five talents: see, I have got five more.
20 καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ τὰ πέντε τάλαντα λαβὼν προσήνεγκεν ἄλλα πέντε τάλαντα λέγων· κύριε, πέντε τάλαντά μοι παρέδωκας· ἴδε ἄλλα πέντε τάλαντα ἐκέρδησα ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς.
21 His lord said to him, Well done, good and true servant: you have been true in a small thing, I will give you control over great things: take your part in the joy of your lord.
21 ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ· εὖ, δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ! ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός, ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω· εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου.
22 And he who had the two talents came and said, Lord, you gave into my care two talents: see, I have got two more.
22 προσελθὼν δὲ καὶ ὁ τὰ δύο τάλαντα λαβὼν εἶπε· κύριε, δύο τάλαντά μοι παρέδωκας· ἴδε ἄλλα δύο τάλαντα ἐκέρδησα ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς.
23 His lord said to him, Well done, good and true servant: you have been true in a small thing, I will give you control over great things: take your part in the joy of your lord.
23 ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ· εὖ, δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ! ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός, ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω· εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου.
24 And he who had had the one talent came and said, Lord, I had knowledge that you are a hard man, getting in grain where you have not put seed, and making profits for which you have done no work:
24 προσελθὼν δὲ καὶ ὁ τὸ ἓν τάλαντον εἰληφὼς εἶπε· κύριε· ἔγνων σε ὅτι σκληρὸς εἶ ἄνθρωπος, θερίζων ὅπου οὐκ ἔσπειρας καὶ συνάγων ὅθεν οὐ διεσκόρπισας·
25 And I was in fear, and went away, and put your talent in the earth: here is what is yours.
25 καὶ φοβηθεὶς ἀπελθὼν ἔκρυψα τὸ τάλαντόν σου ἐν τῇ γῇ· ἴδε ἔχεις τὸ σόν.
26 But his lord in answer said to him, You are a bad and unready servant; if you had knowledge that I get in grain where I did not put seed, and make profits for which I have done no work,
26 ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· πονηρὲ δοῦλε καὶ ὀκνηρέ! ᾔδεις ὅτι θερίζω ὅπου οὐκ ἔσπειρα καὶ συνάγω ὅθεν οὐ διεσκόρπισα!
27 Why, then, did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I would have got back what is mine with interest?
27 ἔδει οὖν σε βαλεῖν τὸ ἀργύριόν μου τοῖς τραπεζίταις, καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐγὼ ἐκομισάμην ἂν τὸ ἐμὸν σὺν τόκῳ.
28 Take away, then, his talent and give it to him who has the ten talents.
28 ἄρατε οὖν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὸ τάλαντον καὶ δότε τῷ ἔχοντι τὰ δέκα τάλαντα.
29 For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have more: but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
29 τῷ γὰρ ἔχοντι παντὶ δοθήσεται καὶ περισσευθήσεται, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ μὴ ἔχοντος καὶ ὃ ἔχει ἀρθήσεται ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.
30 And put out the servant who is of no profit into the outer dark: there will be weeping and cries of sorrow.
30 καὶ τὸν ἀχρεῖον δοῦλον ἐκβάλετε εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον· ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων.
31 But when the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then will he be seated in his glory:
31 Ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἅγιοι ἄγγελοι μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, τότε καθίσει ἐπὶ θρόνου δόξης αὐτοῦ,
32 And before him all the nations will come together; and they will be parted one from another, as the sheep are parted from the goats by the keeper.
32 καὶ συναχθήσεται ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ ἀφοριεῖ αὐτοὺς ἀπ᾽ ἀλλήλων ὥσπερ ὁ ποιμὴν ἀφορίζει τὰ πρόβατα ἀπὸ τῶν ἐρίφων,
33 And he will put the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
33 καὶ στήσει τὰ μὲν πρόβατα ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ, τὰ δὲ ἐρίφια ἐξ εὐωνύμων.
34 Then will the King say to those on his right, Come, you who have the blessing of my Father, into the kingdom made ready for you before the world was:
34 τότε ἐρεῖ ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῖς ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ· δεῦτε οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου.
35 For I was in need of food, and you gave it to me: I was in need of drink, and you gave it to me: I was wandering, and you took me in;
35 ἐπείνασα γάρ, καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν, ἐδίψησα, καὶ ἐποτίσατέ με, ξένος ἤμην, καὶ συνηγάγετέ με,
36 I had no clothing, and you gave it to me: when I was ill, or in prison, you came to me.
36 γυμνός, καὶ περιεβάλετέ με, ἠσθένησα, καὶ ἐπεσκέψασθέ με, ἐν φυλακῇ ἤμην, καὶ ἤλθετε πρός με.
37 Then will the upright make answer to him, saying, Lord, when did we see you in need of food, and give it to you? or in need of drink, and give it to you?
37 τότε ἀποκριθήσονται αὐτῷ οἱ δίκαιοι λέγοντες· κύριε, πότε σε εἴδομεν πεινῶντα καὶ ἐθρέψαμεν, ἢ διψῶντα καὶ ἐποτίσαμεν;
38 And when did we see you wandering, and take you in? or without clothing, and give it to you?
38 πότε δέ σε εἴδομεν ξένον καὶ συνηγάγομεν, ἢ γυμνὸν καὶ περιεβάλομεν;
39 And when did we see you ill, or in prison, and come to you?
39 πότε δέ σε εἴδομεν ἀσθενῆ ἢ ἐν φυλακῇ, καὶ ἤλθομεν πρός σε;
40 And the King will make answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Because you did it to the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.
40 καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐρεῖ αὐτοῖς· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐφ᾽ ὅσον ἐποιήσατε ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων, ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε.
41 Then will he say to those on the left, Go from me, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire which is ready for the Evil One and his angels:
41 τότε ἐρεῖ καὶ τοῖς ἐξ εὐωνύμων· πορεύεσθε ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ οἱ κατηραμένοι εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον τὸ ἡτοιμασμένον τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ.
42 For I was in need of food, and you gave it not to me; I was in need of drink, and you gave it not to me:
42 ἐπείνασα γάρ, καὶ οὐκ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν, ἐδίψησα, καὶ οὐκ ἐποτίσατέ με,
43 I was wandering, and you took me not in; without clothing, and you gave me no clothing; ill, and in prison, and you came not to me.
43 ξένος ἤμην, καὶ οὐ συνηγάγετέ με, γυμνός, καὶ οὐ περιεβάλετέ με, ἀσθενὴς καὶ ἐν φυλακῇ, καὶ οὐκ ἐπεσκέψασθέ με.
44 Then will they make answer, saying, Lord, when did we see you in need of food or drink, or wandering, or without clothing, or ill, or in prison, and did not take care of you?
44 τότε ἀποκριθήσονται αὐτῷ καὶ αὐτοὶ λέγοντες· κύριε, πότε σε εἴδομεν πεινῶντα ἢ διψῶντα ἢ ξένον ἢ γυμνὸν ἢ ἀσθενῆ ἢ ἐν φυλακῇ, καὶ οὐ διηκονήσαμέν σοι;
45 Then will he make answer to them, saying, Truly I say to you, Because you did it not to the least of these, you did it not to me.
45 τότε ἀποκριθήσεται αὐτοῖς λέγων· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐφ᾽ ὅσον οὐκ ἐποιήσατε ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἐλαχίστων, οὐδὲ ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε.
46 And these will go away into eternal punishment; but the upright into eternal life.
46 καὶ ἀπελεύσονται οὗτοι εἰς κόλασιν αἰώνιον, οἱ δὲ δίκαιοι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.
Cross references (43)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Luke 12:35–36; Matthew 24:42–51; Revelation 19:7; Philippians 2:15–16; John 3:29
- 2 Jeremiah 24:2; 1 Corinthians 10:1–5; Matthew 13:47–48; Matthew 13:19–23; 1 John 2:19
- 3 2 Timothy 3:5; Revelation 3:15–16; Isaiah 48:1–2; Isaiah 58:2; Revelation 3:1
- 4 Romans 8:9; 1 John 2:20; 1 John 2:27; John 3:34; Psalm 45:7
- 5 Habakkuk 2:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:6–8; 2 Peter 3:4–9; Matthew 24:48; Luke 20:9
- 6 2 Peter 3:10; John 5:28–29; Matthew 24:31; Matthew 25:1; Matthew 24:44
- 7 Luke 12:35; 2 Peter 3:14; Revelation 3:19–20; Revelation 2:4–5; Revelation 3:2
- 8 Proverbs 13:9; Luke 12:35; Hebrews 4:1; Matthew 13:20–21; Revelation 3:9
- 9 Psalm 49:7–9; Revelation 3:17–18; Isaiah 55:6–7; Isaiah 55:1–3; Ezekiel 14:20
- 10 Luke 13:25; Matthew 24:44; 1 Peter 1:13; Luke 12:36–37; Genesis 7:16
- 11 Matthew 7:21–23; Hebrews 12:16–17
- 12 1 Corinthians 8:3; 2 Timothy 2:19; John 10:27; Luke 13:26–30; Psalm 5:5
- 13 Matthew 24:42–44; Revelation 16:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:6; Luke 21:36; 1 Corinthians 16:13
- 14 Mark 13:34; 1 Peter 4:9–11; Romans 12:6–8; Luke 19:12–27; Matthew 25:14–30
- 15 Matthew 18:24; Luke 19:13–14; Luke 12:48
- 16 Philemon 6–7; 3 John 5–8; 1 Timothy 6:17–18; 2 Timothy 2:6; Acts 13:36
- 17 Proverbs 3:9–10; Ephesians 5:16; Ecclesiastes 11:1–6; Colossians 4:17; 1 Peter 4:10
- 18 2 Peter 1:8; Proverbs 26:13–16; Malachi 1:10; Hebrews 6:12; Haggai 1:2–4
- 19 1 Corinthians 3:12–15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:7–12; Matthew 18:23–24; Luke 16:1–2
- 20 Acts 20:24; 1 Corinthians 15:10; 2 Timothy 4:1–8; Luke 19:16–17; Colossians 1:29
- 21 Matthew 25:23; Luke 16:10; John 12:26; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 3:21
- 22 2 Corinthians 8:12; Romans 12:6–8; 2 Corinthians 8:7–8; Luke 19:18–19; 2 Corinthians 8:1–3
- 23 Matthew 25:21; Mark 14:8–9; Mark 12:41–44
- 24 Luke 19:20–22; Luke 15:29; Malachi 3:14–15; Ezekiel 18:25–29; Jeremiah 2:31
- 25 2 Timothy 1:6–7; Romans 8:15; Proverbs 26:13; Revelation 21:8; Isaiah 57:11
- 26 Matthew 18:32; Job 15:5–6
- 27 Luke 19:22–23; Jude 15; Deuteronomy 23:19–20; Romans 3:19
- 28 Luke 19:24; Luke 10:42
- 29 Luke 8:18; Matthew 13:12; Mark 4:25; Luke 19:25–26; John 15:2
- 30 Matthew 8:12; Matthew 13:50; Revelation 3:15–16; Matthew 22:13; Hebrews 6:7–8
- 31 Revelation 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–8; Matthew 19:28; Jude 14; Mark 8:38
- 32 Malachi 3:18; Matthew 13:49; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Psalm 98:9; Ezekiel 34:17–22
- 33 Psalm 100:3; Psalm 45:9; John 10:26–28; John 21:15–17; Psalm 110:1
- 34 1 Peter 1:19–20; James 2:5; Revelation 21:7; Revelation 13:8; 1 Peter 1:3–5
- 35 1 John 3:16–19; James 2:15–16; Deuteronomy 15:7–11; Ezekiel 18:7; Ezekiel 18:16
- 36 James 1:27; James 5:14–15; Hebrews 13:3; 2 Timothy 1:16–18; James 2:14–16
- 37 Matthew 6:3; 1 Peter 5:5–6; 1 Chronicles 29:14; Isaiah 64:6; 1 Corinthians 15:10
- 40 Proverbs 19:17; Proverbs 14:31; Matthew 10:42; Mark 9:41; 1 Peter 1:22
- 41 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6–7; Matthew 13:42; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Matthew 7:23
- 42 James 2:15–24; 1 Corinthians 16:22; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; John 5:23; Matthew 12:30
- 44 Luke 10:29; Matthew 7:22; Matthew 25:24–27; Malachi 3:13; Malachi 1:6
- 45 Proverbs 21:13; Proverbs 17:5; Matthew 25:40; Proverbs 14:31; Acts 9:5
- 46 Daniel 12:2; John 5:29; John 3:36; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 20:15
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Ye who were present yesterday remember my promise; which with the Lord's assistance is to be made good to-day, not to you only, but to the many others also who have come together. It is no easy question, who the ten virgins are, of whom five are wise, and five foolish.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
"Then shall the kingdom of Heaven," He saith, "be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. But five of them were wise, and the other five foolish, which took not," He saith, "oil." "Then, while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
And besides; "the eternal fire which the Father has prepared for the devil and his angels," -- they ought to show of which of those Æons that are above it is the image; for it, too, is reckoned part of the creation.
For the truth in the gospel promises to the saints and the faithful that they will be equal to the angels of God; and it is also promised them that they will "go away into life eternal." But if we are certain that we shall never lapse from eternal felicity, while they are not certain, then we shall not be …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
For it will be no longer, "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return," and thou "tillest the ground," and those former words, that will be said to us; but what is far more grievous than these, the "outer darkness," the bonds that may not be burst, the venomous worm, the "gnashing of teeth;" and this with great reason.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)