⁴² Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day^[a] your Lord is coming.^{(A) 43} But know this: If the homeowner had known what time^[b] the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into.^{(B) 44} This is why you also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.^(C)

Faithful Service to the Messiah

⁴⁵ “Who then is a faithful and sensible slave,^(D) whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper time?^{(E) 46} That slave whose master finds him working^(F) when he comes will be rewarded. ⁴⁷ I assure you: He will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁸ But if that wicked slave says in his heart, ‘My master is delayed,’ ⁴⁹ and starts to beat his fellow slaves, and eats and drinks with drunkards,^{(G) 50} that slave’s master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. ⁵¹ He will cut him to pieces^[c] and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The Parable of the 10 Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like 10 virgins^[a] who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom.^{(A) 2} Five of them were foolish and five were sensible.^{(B) 3} When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take olive oil with them. ⁴ But the sensible ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. ⁵ Since the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

⁶ “In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’

⁷ “Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ But the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’

⁹ “The sensible ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell, and buy oil for yourselves.’

¹⁰ “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived. Then those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.^(C)

¹¹ “Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’

¹² “But he replied, ‘I assure you: I do not know you!’

¹³ “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.^[b]

³³ Watch! Be alert!^[a] For you don’t know when the time^(A) is coming.^{(B) 34} It is like^(C) a man on a journey, who left his house, gave authority to his slaves,^(D) gave each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to be alert. ³⁵ Therefore be alert,^(E) since you don’t know when the master^(F) of the house is coming—whether in the evening or at midnight or at the crowing of the rooster or early in the morning. ³⁶ Otherwise, he might come suddenly and find you sleeping.^{(G) 37} And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Be alert!”

⁴ So He got up from supper, laid aside His robe,^(A) took a towel, and tied it around Himself.^{(B) 5} Next, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around Him.