24:32 “Learn ¹  this parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 24:33 So also you, when you see all these things, know ²  that he is near, right at the door. 24:34 I tell you the truth, ³  this generation ⁴  will not pass away until all these things take place. 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. ⁵ 

24:36 “But as for that day and hour no one knows it – not even the angels in heaven ⁶  – except the Father alone. 24:37 For just like the days of Noah ⁷  were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 24:38 For in those days before the flood, people ⁸  were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. 24:39 And they knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away. ⁹  It will be the same at the coming of the Son of Man. ¹⁰  24:40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left. ¹¹  24:41 There will be two women grinding grain with a mill; ¹²  one will be taken and one left.

24:42 “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day ¹³  your Lord will come. 24:43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief ¹⁴  was coming, he would have been alert and would not have let his house be broken into. 24:44 Therefore you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. ¹⁵ 

24:45 “Who then is the faithful and wise slave, ¹⁶  whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves ¹⁷  their food at the proper time? 24:46 Blessed is that slave whom the master finds at work ¹⁸  when he comes. 24:47 I tell you the truth, ¹⁹  the master ²⁰  will put him in charge of all his possessions. 24:48 But if ²¹  that evil slave should say to himself, ²²  ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 24:49 and he begins to beat his fellow slaves and to eat and drink with drunkards, 24:50 then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, 24:51 and will cut him in two, ²³  and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

25:1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 25:2 Five ²⁴  of the virgins ²⁵  were foolish, and five were wise. 25:3 When ²⁶  the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extra ²⁷  olive oil ²⁸  with them. 25:4 But the wise ones took flasks of olive oil with their lamps. 25:5 When ²⁹  the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 25:6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him.’ ³⁰  25:7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 25:8 The ³¹  foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 25:9 ‘No,’ they replied. ³²  ‘There won’t be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 25:10 But while they had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Then ³³  the door was shut. 25:11 Later, ³⁴  the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, lord! Let us in!’ ³⁵  25:12 But he replied, ³⁶  ‘I tell you the truth, ³⁷  I do not know you!’ 25:13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour. ³⁸ 

25:14 “For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves ³⁹  and entrusted his property to them. 25:15 To ⁴⁰  one he gave five talents, ⁴¹  to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 25:16 The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work ⁴²  and gained five more. 25:17 In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. 25:18 But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money in it. 25:19 After ⁴³  a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. 25:20 The ⁴⁴  one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Sir, ⁴⁵  you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 25:21 His master answered, ⁴⁶  ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 25:22 The ⁴⁷  one with the two talents also came and said, ‘Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more.’ 25:23 His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 25:24 Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed, 25:25 so ⁴⁸  I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ 25:26 But his master answered, ⁴⁹  ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter?