The Word Am I

The Gospel According to St. Matthew

Geneva Bible 1599

- Chapter 25 -

1
Then the kingdome of heauen shalbe likened vnto tenne virgins, which tooke their lampes, and went foorth to meete the bridegrome.
2
And fiue of them were wise, and fiue foolish.
3
The foolish tooke their lampes, but tooke none oyle with them.
4
But the wise tooke oyle in their vessels with their lampes.
5
Nowe while the bridegrome taried long, all slumbred and slept.
6
And at midnight there was a crie made, Behold, the bridegrome commeth: goe out to meete him.
7
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lampes.
8
And the foolish said to the wise, Giue vs of your oyle, for our lampes are out.
9
But the wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there will not be ynough for vs and you: but goe ye rather to them that sell, and bye for your selues.
10
And while they went to bye, the bridegrome came: and they that were readie, went in with him to the wedding, and the gate was shut.
11
Afterwards came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to vs.
12
But he answered, and said, Verely I say vnto you, I knowe you not.
13
Watch therfore: for ye know neither the day, nor the houre, when the sonne of man will come.

The Parable of the Talents

(Luke 19:11–27)
14
For the kingdome of heauen is as a man that going into a strange countrey, called his seruants, and deliuered to them his goods.
15
And vnto one he gaue fiue talents, and to an other two, and to another one, to euery man after his own ability, and straightway went from home.
16
Then he that had receiued the fiue talents, went and occupied with them, and gained other fiue talents.
17
Likewise also, he that receiued two, he also gained other two.
18
But he that receiued that one, went and digged it in the earth, and hid his masters money.
19
But after a long season, the master of those seruants came, and reckoned with them.
20
Then came he that had receiued fiue talents, and brought other fiue talents, saying, Master, thou deliueredst vnto me fiue talents: behold, I haue gained with them other fiue talents.
21
Then his master saide vnto him, It is well done good seruant and faithfull, Thou hast bene faithfull in litle, I will make thee ruler ouer much: enter into thy masters ioy.
22
Also he that had receiued two talents, came, and said, Master, thou deliueredst vnto me two talents: behold, I haue gained two other talets more.
23
His master saide vnto him, It is well done good seruant, and faithfull, Thou hast bene faithfull in litle, I will make thee ruler ouer much: enter into thy masters ioy.
24
Then he which had receiued the one talent, came, and said, Master, I knewe that thou wast an hard man, which reapest where thou sowedst not, and gatherest where thou strawedst not:
25
I was therefore afraide, and went, and hid thy talent in the earth: behold, thou hast thine owne.
26
And his master answered, and said vnto him, Thou euill seruant, and slouthfull, thou knewest that I reape where I sowed not, and gather where I strawed not.
27
Thou oughtest therefore to haue put my money to ye exchangers, and then at my comming should I haue receiued mine owne with vantage.
28
Take therefore the talent from him, and giue it vnto him which hath tenne talents.
29
For vnto euery man that hath, it shall be giuen, and he shall haue abundance, and from him that hath not, euen that he hath, shalbe taken away.
30
Cast therefore that vnprofitable seruant into vtter darkenes: there shalbe weeping and gnasshing of teeth.

The Sheep and the Goats

31
And when the Sonne of man commeth in his glory, and all the holy Angels with him, then shall he sit vpon the throne of his glorie,
32
And before him shalbe gathered all nations, and he shall seperate them one from another, as a shepheard separateth the sheepe from ye goates.
33
And he shall set the sheepe on his right hand, and the goates on the left.
34
Then shall ye king say to them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my father: take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35
For I was an hungred, and ye gaue me meate: I thirsted, and ye gaue me drinke: I was a stranger, and ye tooke me in vnto you.
36
I was naked, and ye clothed me: I was sicke, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came vnto me.
37
Then shall the righteous answere him, saying, Lord, when sawe we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or a thirst, and gaue thee drinke?
38
And when sawe we thee a stranger, and tooke thee in vnto vs? or naked, and clothed thee?
39
Or when sawe we thee sicke, or in prison, and came vnto thee?
40
And the King shall answere, and say vnto them, Verely I say vnto you, in as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethre, ye haue done it to me.
41
Then shall he say vnto them on ye left hand, Depart from me ye cursed, into euerlasting fire, which is prepared for the deuill and his angels.
42
For I was an hungred, and ye gaue me no meate: I thirsted, and ye gaue me no drinke:
43
I was a stranger, and ye tooke me not in vnto you: I was naked, and ye clothed me not: sicke, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44
Then shall they also answere him, saying, Lord, when sawe we thee an hungred, or a thirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sicke, or in prison, and did not minister vnto thee?
45
Then shall he answere them, and say, Verely I say vnto you, in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46
And these shall goe into euerlasting paine, and the righteous into life eternall.