The Story of Ten Bridesmaids
1“Here is what the kingdom of heaven will be like at that time. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2Five of them were foolish. Five were wise. 3The foolish ones took their lamps but didn’t take any olive oil with them. 4The wise ones took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5The groom did not come for a long time. So the bridesmaids all grew tired and fell asleep.
6“At midnight someone cried out, ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him!’
7“Then all the bridesmaids woke up and got their lamps ready. 8The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil. Our lamps are going out.’
9“ ‘No,’ they replied. ‘There may not be enough for all of us. Instead, go to those who sell oil. Buy some for yourselves.’
10“So they went to buy the oil. But while they were on their way, the groom arrived. The bridesmaids who were ready went in with him to the wedding dinner. Then the door was shut.
11“Later, the other bridesmaids also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’
12“But he replied, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. I don’t know you.’
13“So keep watch. You do not know the day or the hour that the groom will come.
The Story of Three Slaves
14“Again, here is what the kingdom of heaven will be like. A man was going on a journey. He sent for his slaves and put them in charge of his money. 15He gave five bags of gold to one. He gave two bags to another. And he gave one bag to the third. The man gave each slave the amount of money he knew the slave could take care of. Then he went on his journey. 16The slave who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work. He earned five bags more. 17The one with the two bags of gold earned two more. 18But the man who had received one bag went and dug a hole in the ground. He hid his master’s money in it.
19“After a long time the master of those slaves returned. He wanted to collect all the money they had earned. 20The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you trusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have earned five more.’
21“His master replied, ‘You have done well, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you trusted me with two bags of gold. See, I have earned two more.’
23“His master replied, ‘You have done well, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man. You harvest where you have not planted. You gather crops where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid. I went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26“His master replied, ‘You evil, lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I have not planted? You knew that I gather crops where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money in the bank. When I returned, I would have received it back with interest.’
28“Then his master commanded the other slaves, ‘Take the bag of gold from him. Give it to the one who has ten bags. 29Everyone who has will be given more. They will have more than enough. And what about anyone who doesn’t have? Even what they have will be taken away from them. 30Throw that worthless slave outside. There in the darkness, people will weep and grind their teeth.’
The Sheep and the Goats
31“The Son of Man will come in all his glory. All the angels will come with him. Then he will sit in glory on his throne. 32All the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate the people into two groups. He will be like a shepherd who separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep to his right and the goats to his left.
34“Then the King will speak to those on his right. He will say, ‘My Father has blessed you. Come and take what is yours. It is the kingdom prepared for you since the world was created. 35I was hungry. And you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty. And you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger. And you invited me in. 36I needed clothes. And you gave them to me. I was sick. And you took care of me. I was in prison. And you came to visit me.’
37“Then the people who have done what is right will answer him. ‘Lord,’ they will ask, ‘when did we see you hungry and feed you? When did we see you thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you as a stranger and invite you in? When did we see you needing clothes and give them to you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40“The King will reply, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. Anything you did for one of the least important of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘You are cursed! Go away from me into the fire that burns forever. It has been prepared for the devil and his angels. 42I was hungry. But you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty. But you gave me nothing to drink. 43I was a stranger. But you did not invite me in. I needed clothes. But you did not give me any. I was sick and in prison. But you did not take care of me.’
44“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty and not help you? When did we see you as a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison and not help you?’
45“He will reply, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. Anything you didn’t do for one of the least important of these, you didn’t do for me.’
46“Then they will go away to be punished forever. But those who have done what is right will receive eternal life.”
Mfano Wa Wanawali Kumi
125:1 Mt 13:24; Mdo 20:8; Ufu 4:5; 19:7; 21:2“Wakati huo, Ufalme wa Mbinguni utakuwa kama wanawali kumi waliochukua taa zao na kwenda kumlaki bwana arusi. 225:2 Mt 24:45Watano wao walikuwa wapumbavu na watano walikuwa wenye busara. 3Wale wapumbavu walichukua taa zao lakini hawakuchukua mafuta ya akiba, 4lakini wale wenye busara walichukua taa zao na mafuta ya akiba kwenye vyombo. 525:5 1The 5:6Bwana arusi alipokawia kuja wale wanawali wote wakasinzia na kulala.
625:6 Mt 24:31; 1The 3“Usiku wa manane pakawa na kelele: ‘Tazameni, huyu hapa bwana arusi! Tokeni nje mkamlaki!’
725:7 Lk 12:35“Ndipo wale wanawali wote wakaamka na kuzitengeneza taa zao. 825:8 Lk 12:35Wale wapumbavu wakawaambia wale wenye busara, ‘Tupatieni mafuta yenu kidogo; taa zetu zinazimika.’
9“Lakini wale wenye busara wakawajibu, ‘Sivyo, hayatutoshi sisi na ninyi pia. Afadhali mwende kwa wauzao mkajinunulie mafuta yenu.’
1025:10 Ufu 19:9“Nao walipokuwa wakienda kununua mafuta, bwana arusi akafika. Wale wanawali waliokuwa tayari wakaingia ndani pamoja naye kwenye karamu ya arusi na mlango ukafungwa.
1125:11 Lk 13:25, 27; Mt 7:21; 2:23“Baadaye wale wanawali wengine nao wakaja, wakaita, ‘Bwana! Bwana! Tufungulie mlango!’
1225:12 Mt 7:23; Za 5:5; Hab 1:12; Yn 9:31“Lakini yeye bwana arusi akawajibu, ‘Amin, amin nawaambia, siwajui ninyi!’
1325:13 Mk 13:35; Lk 12:40“Kwa hiyo kesheni, kwa sababu hamjui siku wala saa.
Mfano Wa Watumishi Watatu Na Talanta
(Luka 19:11-27)
1425:14 Mt 21:33; Lk 19:21“Tena, Ufalme wa Mbinguni ni kama mtu aliyetaka kusafiri, naye akawaita watumishi wake na kuweka mali yake kwenye uangalizi wao. 1525:15 Mt 18:24-25Mmoja akampa talanta25:15 Talanta moja ilikuwa sawa na mshahara wa kibarua wa miaka 15. tano, mwingine talanta mbili, na mwingine talanta moja. Kila mmoja alipewa kwa kadiri ya uwezo wake. Kisha yeye akasafiri. 16Yule aliyepewa talanta tano akaenda mara moja akafanya nazo biashara akapata talanta nyingine tano zaidi. 17Yule aliyepewa talanta mbili akafanya vivyo hivyo, akapata nyingine mbili zaidi. 18Lakini yule mtumishi aliyekuwa amepokea talanta moja, alikwenda akachimba shimo ardhini na kuificha ile fedha ya bwana wake.
1925:19 Mt 18:23“Baada ya muda mrefu, yule bwana wa wale watumishi akarudi na kufanya hesabu nao. 20Yule mtumishi aliyepokea talanta tano akaja, akaleta nyingine tano zaidi. Akasema, ‘Bwana uliweka kwenye uangalizi wangu talanta tano. Tazama, nimepata faida ya talanta tano zaidi.’
2125:21 Mt 24:45-47; Lk 16:10“Bwana wake akamwambia, ‘Umefanya vizuri sana, mtumishi mwema na mwaminifu! Umekuwa mwaminifu kwa vitu vichache; nami nitakuweka kuwa msimamizi wa vitu vingi. Njoo ushiriki katika furaha ya bwana wako!’
22“Yule mwenye talanta mbili naye akaja. Akasema, ‘Bwana, uliweka kwenye uangalizi wangu talanta mbili. Tazama nimepata hapa talanta mbili zaidi.’
2325:23 Mt 25:21“Bwana wake akajibu, ‘Umefanya vizuri sana, mtumishi mwema na mwaminifu. Umekuwa mwaminifu kwa vitu vichache; nami nitakuweka kuwa msimamizi wa vitu vingi. Njoo ushiriki katika furaha ya bwana wako!’
24“Kisha yule mtumishi aliyepokea talanta moja akaja, akasema, ‘Bwana, nilijua kwamba wewe ni mtu mgumu, unayevuna mahali usipopanda na kukusanya mahali usipotawanya mbegu. 25Kwa hiyo niliogopa, nikaenda, nikaificha talanta yako ardhini. Tazama, hii hapa ile iliyo mali yako.’
26“Bwana wake akajibu, ‘Wewe mtumishi mwovu na mvivu! Ulijua kwamba ninavuna mahali nisipopanda na kukusanya mahali nisipotawanya mbegu. 27Vyema basi, ingekupasa kuweka fedha yangu kwa watoa riba, ili nirudipo, nichukue ile iliyo yangu na faida yake.
28“ ‘Basi mnyangʼanyeni hiyo talanta, mkampe yule mwenye talanta kumi. 2925:29 Mk 4:25; Lk 19:26Kwa maana kila mtu aliye na kitu atapewa zaidi, naye atakuwa navyo tele. Lakini yule asiye na kitu, hata kile alicho nacho atanyangʼanywa. 3025:30 Mt 8:12Nanyi mtupeni huyo mtumishi asiyefaa nje, kwenye giza, mahali ambako kutakuwa na kilio na kusaga meno.’
Kondoo Na Mbuzi
3125:31 Mt 16:27; Lk 17:30; Mt 19:28“Mwana wa Adamu atakapokuja katika utukufu wake na malaika wote watakatifu pamoja naye, ndipo atakapoketi juu ya kiti cha enzi cha utukufu wake. 3225:32 Mal 3:18; Eze 34:17-20Mataifa yote watakusanyika mbele zake, naye atawatenga kama mchungaji anavyotenga kondoo na mbuzi. 3325:33 Eze 34:17Atawaweka kondoo upande wake wa kuume, na mbuzi upande wake wa kushoto.
3425:34 Gal 5:21; Yak 2:5; Ebr 9:26; Ufu 17:8“Ndipo Mfalme atawaambia wale walioko upande wake wa kuume, ‘Njooni, ninyi mliobarikiwa na Baba yangu; urithini Ufalme ulioandaliwa kwa ajili yenu tangu kuumbwa kwa ulimwengu. 3525:35 Isa 58:7; Ebr 13:2Kwa maana nilikuwa na njaa mkanipa chakula, nilikuwa na kiu mkaninywesha, nilikuwa mgeni mkanikaribisha, 3625:36 Eze 18:7; Yak 2:15-16; 1:17; 2Tim 1:16nilikuwa uchi mkanivika, nilikuwa mgonjwa mkanitunza, nami nilikuwa kifungoni mkaja kunitembelea.’
3725:37 Mt 6:3“Ndipo wale wenye haki watakapomjibu, ‘Bwana, ni lini tulikuona ukiwa na njaa tukakulisha, au ukiwa na kiu tukakunywesha? 38Lini tulikuona ukiwa mgeni tukakukaribisha, au ukiwa uchi tukakuvika? 39Tena ni lini tulikuona ukiwa mgonjwa tukakutunza, au ukiwa kifungoni tukakutembelea?’
4025:40 Mit 19:17; Ebr 6:10“Naye Mfalme atawajibu, ‘Amin nawaambia, kwa jinsi mlivyomtendea mmojawapo wa hawa ndugu zangu walio wadogo, mlinitendea mimi.’
4125:41 Mt 7:23; Isa 66:24; 2Pet 2:4; Lk 3:17“Kisha atawaambia wale walio upande wake wa kushoto, ‘Ondokeni kwangu, ninyi mliolaaniwa, nendeni kwenye moto wa milele ulioandaliwa kwa ajili ya ibilisi na malaika zake. 42Kwa maana nilikuwa na njaa hamkunipa chakula, nilikuwa na kiu hamkuninywesha, 43nilikuwa mgeni nanyi hamkunikaribisha, nilikuwa uchi hamkunivika, nilikuwa mgonjwa hamkunitunza, na nilikuwa gerezani nanyi hamkuja kunitembelea.’
44“Ndipo wao pia watajibu, ‘Bwana ni lini tulikuona ukiwa na njaa au kiu, au ukiwa mgeni au uchi, au ukiwa mgonjwa na kifungoni na hatukukuhudumia?’
4525:45 Mit 14:31; 17:5“Naye atawajibu, ‘Amin nawaambia, kwa jinsi ambavyo hamkumtendea mmojawapo wa hawa ndugu zangu walio wadogo, hamkunitendea mimi.’
4625:46 Gal 6:8; 1Yn 1:2; Dan 12:2; Yn 5:29“Ndipo hawa watakapoingia kwenye adhabu ya milele, lakini wale wenye haki wataingia katika uzima wa milele.”
