Matthew 25: Be Ready for the Coming King
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
Chapter with Audio
25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The Final Judgment
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Chapter Analysis
Matthew 25: Watchfulness, Faithfulness, And Final Judgment
The Wise And Foolish Virgins
📖 Matthew 25:1–13
¹ Jesus said the kingdom of heaven would be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
² Five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
³ The foolish took their lamps but took no oil with them.
⁴ The wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
⁵ While the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.
⁶ At midnight a cry was heard: “Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!”
⁷ All the virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
⁸ The foolish asked the wise to give them some oil because their lamps were going out.
⁹ The wise answered that there would not be enough for both, so the foolish should go buy for themselves.
¹⁰ While they went to buy, the bridegroom came. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding, and the door was shut.
¹¹ Later the other virgins came, saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us.”
¹² But he answered that he did not know them.
¹³ Therefore they must watch, because they know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
🔹 The Truth
Outward association with the wedding party was not enough.
The wise were prepared, but the foolish were not ready when the bridegroom came.
Once the door was shut, it was too late.
🔹 The Promise
Those who are ready when the Bridegroom comes will enter with Him.
✅ Conclusion
The parable warns that readiness cannot be borrowed at the last moment. Each person must be truly prepared for Christ’s coming.
The Parable Of The Talents
📖 Matthew 25:14–30
¹⁴ The kingdom is like a man traveling to a far country who called his servants and entrusted his goods to them.
¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
¹⁶ The one who received five talents traded with them and made five more.
¹⁷ The one with two also gained two more.
¹⁸ But the one who received one talent dug in the ground and hid his lord’s money.
¹⁹ After a long time, the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
²⁰ The one who received five talents brought five more, saying his lord had delivered five talents to him, and he had gained five more.
²¹ His lord said, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things; I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”
²² The one with two talents also came and said he had gained two more.
²³ His lord said, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things; I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”
²⁴ Then the servant who received one talent came and said he knew his lord was hard, reaping where he had not sown and gathering where he had not scattered seed.
²⁵ He was afraid, so he hid the talent in the ground. He returned what belonged to his lord.
²⁶ His lord answered that he was wicked and lazy. If he knew that his lord reaped where he had not sown and gathered where he had not scattered,
²⁷ he should have deposited the money with the bankers, so at his coming he would have received his own with interest.
²⁸ Therefore the talent was taken from him and given to the one who had ten talents.
²⁹ To everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
³⁰ The unprofitable servant was cast into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
🔹 The Truth
The master entrusted his servants with different amounts, but each was responsible to be faithful.
The faithful servants used what was given and were rewarded.
The unfaithful servant hid what was entrusted to him and was judged.
🔹 The Promise
Faithful servants will enter into the joy of their Lord.
✅ Conclusion
The parable teaches that waiting for Christ means faithful service with what He has entrusted.
The Son Of Man Judges The Nations
📖 Matthew 25:31–46
³¹ When the Son of Man comes in His glory with all the holy angels, He will sit on the throne of His glory.
³² All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates sheep from goats.
³³ He will set the sheep on His right hand and the goats on His left.
³⁴ The King will say to those on His right, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
³⁵ He will say He was hungry, and they gave Him food; thirsty, and they gave Him drink; a stranger, and they took Him in;
³⁶ naked, and they clothed Him; sick, and they visited Him; in prison, and they came to Him.
³⁷ The righteous will ask when they saw Him hungry and fed Him, thirsty and gave Him drink,
³⁸ a stranger and took Him in, naked and clothed Him,
³⁹ sick or in prison and came to Him.
⁴⁰ The King will answer that whatever they did to one of the least of His brethren, they did to Him.
⁴¹ Then He will say to those on the left to depart from Him, cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
⁴² He was hungry, and they gave Him no food; thirsty, and they gave Him no drink;
⁴³ a stranger, and they did not take Him in; naked, and they did not clothe Him; sick and in prison, and they did not visit Him.
⁴⁴ They also will ask when they saw Him hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or in prison and did not minister to Him.
⁴⁵ He will answer that whatever they did not do to one of the least of these, they did not do to Him.
⁴⁶ These will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
🔹 The Truth
The Son of Man will come in glory and judge the nations.
The sheep and goats are separated by the King.
Genuine righteousness is shown in mercy toward those who belong to Him.
🔹 The Promise
The righteous will inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world and enter eternal life.
✅ Conclusion
Matthew 25 ends with final separation: everlasting punishment for the wicked and eternal life for the righteous.
Summary Conclusion
Matthew 25 continues Jesus’ teaching on readiness for His coming. The wise virgins were prepared, the faithful servants used what was entrusted to them, and the Son of Man judged the nations. The chapter teaches watchfulness, faithfulness, mercy, and the certainty of final judgment. Christ will return, the door will shut, accounts will be settled, and eternal destinies will be revealed.
Final Questions For You
- Why can readiness for Christ’s coming not be borrowed from someone else?
- What has the Lord entrusted to you that you should use faithfully?
- How does the final judgment in Matthew 25 show the seriousness of eternal life and everlasting punishment?