Matthew 25:1-13
Jesus told this parable to his
disciples: “The kingdom of heaven will be like this: Ten bridesmaids took their
lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were
sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil,
whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. The
bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But at midnight
there was a cry, ‘The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him.’ At this, all
those bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish ones said to
the sensible ones, ‘give us some of your oil: our lamps are going out.’ But
they replied, ‘There may not be enough for us and for you; you had better go to
those who sell it and buy some for yourselves.’ They had gone off to buy it
when the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the
wedding hall and the door was closed. The other bridesmaids arrived later.
‘Lord, Lord,’ they said ‘open the door for us.’ But he replied, ‘I tell you
solemnly, I do not know you.’ So stay awake, because you do not know either the
day or the hour.”