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 are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.^(C)

Faithful Service to Christ

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

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins^[a] who took their lamps^[b] and went out to meet the groom.^{(A) 2} Five of them were foolish and five were wise.^{(B) 3} When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take oil with them; ⁴ but the wise ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. ⁵ When 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 the virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’

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

¹⁰ “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived, and 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 “He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!’

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

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 servants,^(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, when he comes suddenly he might 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 outer clothing,^(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.