World English Bible · Under Rome
Matthew 25
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"Then of will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the . Five of them were foolish, and five were . Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them, but took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now while the delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, 'Behold! The is coming! Come out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to , 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But answered, saying, 'What if there isn't enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' While they went away to buy, the came, and those who were ready went in with him to the , and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, ', , open to us.' But he answered, 'Most certainly I tell you, I don't know you.' Watch therefore, for you don't know the day nor the hour in which is coming. "For it is like a man going into another country, who called his own servants and entrusted his goods to them. To one he gave five , to another two, to another one, to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey. Immediately he who received the five went and traded with them, and made another five . In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two. But he who received the one went away and dug in the earth and hid his money. "Now after a long time of those servants came, and settled accounts with them. He who received the five came and brought another five , saying, ', you to me five . Behold, I have gained another five in addition to them.' "His said to him, 'Well done, good and servant. You have been over things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your .' "He also who got the two came and said, ', you to me two . Behold, I have gained another two in addition to them.' "His said to him, 'Well done, good and servant. You have been over things. I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your .' "He also who had received the one came and said, ', I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you didn't sow, and gathering where you didn't scatter. I was afraid, and went away and hid your in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.' "But his answered him, 'You and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn't sow, and gather where I didn't scatter. You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest. Take away therefore the from him and give it to him who has the ten . For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn't have, even that which he has will be taken away. Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer , where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' "But when comes in his , and all the with him, then he will sit on of his . Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a separates the sheep from the goats. He will set the sheep hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will tell those hand, 'Come, of , prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a and you took me in. I was and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me.' "Then will answer him, saying, ', when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38When did we see you as a and take you in, or and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?' "The King will answer them, 'Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' Then he will say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you , into the which is prepared for the devil and his ; for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; 43I was a , and you didn't take me in; , and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me.' "Then they will also answer, saying, ', when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a , or , or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?' "Then he will answer them, saying, 'Most certainly I tell you, because you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me.' These will go away into punishment, but into ."
A public domain modern English translation, free to read and share. Notes and cards are EKLI’s own.
Christians read this chapter differently
- What happens to those who are finally lost? · Matthew 25:31-46
Every view at its strongest, with who holds it and what it has to answer for.
The world at this moment · Under Rome, 63 BC to AD 100 ›
Judea as a client kingdom and then a province. Roads, garrisons, taxes, crucifixion, and a common Greek language that let a message travel the empire faster than any before it.
- Rome
- The republic tears itself apart in civil war and comes out as an empire under Augustus. What follows is two centuries of relative peace across the whole Mediterranean, enforced by legions and paid for by taxes, with safe roads and safe sea lanes. Every one of Paul's journeys depends on that.
- Judea
- Governed first through Herod the Great, a client king of enormous ability and enormous brutality who rebuilds the temple into one of the wonders of the ancient world, then directly by Roman prefects. Crucifixion is the standard penalty for sedition and is used often and publicly.
- The wider world
- Greek is spoken from Spain to Syria, which means a letter written in Corinth can be read in Rome without translation. Jewish communities already exist in most major cities, which is where the first Christian preaching lands. Mystery religions, imperial cult, and philosophy all compete in the same marketplace.
- Further afield
- The Han dynasty rules China and trades silk westward along routes that touch the Roman world at second hand. In Britain the Roman conquest begins within a decade of the crucifixion.