Bible / Matthew
Matthew 25
Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner revision (1749–1752), the traditional Catholic English Bible, translated from the Latin Vulgate. If you read a modern Bible, this is the same Scripture in older English; some names are spelled differently (Cesarea for Caesarea, Apocalypse for Revelation). About this translation
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. CCC
2 And five of them were foolish and five wise.
3 But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them.
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps.
5 And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom cometh. Go ye forth to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.
9 The wise answered, saying: Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves.
10 Now whilst they went to buy the bridegroom came: and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage. And the door was shut.
11 But at last came also the other virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answering said: Amen I say to you, I know you not.
13 Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour. CCC
14 For even as a man going into a far country called his servants and delivered to them his goods; CCC · Fathers
15 And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to every one according to his proper ability: and immediately he took his journey.
16 And he that had received the five talents went his way and traded with the same and gained other five.
17 And in like manner he that had received the two gained other two.
18 But he that had received the one, going his way, digged into the earth and hid his lord’s money.
19 But after a long time the lord of those servants came and reckoned with them.
20 And he that had received the five talents coming, brought other five talents, saying: Lord, thou didst deliver to me five talents. Behold I have gained other five over and above.
21 His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant, because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy lord. CCC · Fathers
22 And he also that had received the two talents came and said: Lord, thou deliveredst two talents to me. Behold I have gained other two. CCC
23 His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant: because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy lord. CCC
24 But he that had received the one talent, came and said: Lord, I know that thou art a hard man; thou reapest where thou hast not sown and gatherest where thou hast not strewed.
25 And being afraid, I went and hid thy talent in the earth. Behold here thou hast that which is thine.
26 And his lord answering, said to him: Wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sow not and gather where I have not strewed. CCC
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have committed my money to the bankers: and at my coming I should have received my own with usury.
28 Take ye away therefore the talent from him and give it him that hath ten talents.
29 For to every one that hath shall be given, and he shall abound: but from him that hath not, that also which he seemeth to have shall be taken away.
30 And the unprofitable servant, cast ye out into the exterior darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. CCC
31 And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty. CCC
32 And all nations shall be gathered together before him: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats: CCC · Fathers
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. CCC · Fathers
34 Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. CCC · Fathers
35 For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in: CCC · Fathers
36 Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me. CCC · Fathers
37 Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry and fed thee: thirsty and gave thee drink?
38 Or when did we see thee a stranger and took thee in? Or naked and covered thee?
39 Or when did we see thee sick or in prison and came to thee?
40 And the king answering shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me. CCC
41 Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels. CCC · Fathers
42 For I was hungry and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty and you gave me not to drink.
43 I was a stranger and you took me not in: naked and you covered me not: sick and in prison and you did not visit me.
44 Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to thee?
45 Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen: I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me. CCC
46 And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting. CCC
This chapter in the Catechism and the early Church
Where the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites these verses (from its footnotes on vatican.va), and where the earliest Church Fathers quote them (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, public domain). Short quotes only; follow the links for the full text.
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- CCC 546 “Jesus' invitation to enter his kingdom comes in the form of parables, a characteristic feature of his teaching. Through his parables he…”
- CCC 1936 “On coming into the world, man is not equipped with everything he needs for developing his bodily and spiritual life. He needs…”
“… compassionated, and bound up his wounds, giving two royal denaria; so that we, receiving by the Spirit the image and superscription of the Father and the Son, might cause the denarium entrusted to us to be fruitful, counting out the increase [thereof] to the Lord.”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book III, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XVII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
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- CCC 1029 “In the glory of heaven the blessed continue joyfully to fulfill God's will in relation to other men and to all creation.…”
- CCC 1720 “The New Testament uses several expressions to characterize the beatitude to which God calls man: - the coming of the Kingdom of…”
- CCC 2683 “The witnesses who have preceded us into the kingdom, especially those whom the Church recognizes as saints, share in the living tradition…”
“Well done," He says, "good and faithful servant: because thou hast been faithful in little, I will appoint thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
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- CCC 1720 “The New Testament uses several expressions to characterize the beatitude to which God calls man: - the coming of the Kingdom of…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 1036 “The affirmations of Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church on the subject of hell are a call to the responsibility…”
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- CCC 1036 “The affirmations of Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church on the subject of hell are a call to the responsibility…”
- Verse 31CCC 331 CCC 544 CCC 671 CCC 679 CCC 954 CCC 1033 CCC 1038 CCC 1373 CCC 2443 CCC 2447 CCC 2831
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- CCC 331 “Christ is the centre of the angelic world. They are his angels: "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and…”
- CCC 544 “The kingdom belongs to the poor and lowly, which means those who have accepted it with humble hearts. Jesus is sent to…”
- CCC 671 “Though already present in his Church, Christ's reign is nevertheless yet to be fulfilled "with power and great glory" by the King's…”
- CCC 679 “Christ is Lord of eternal life. Full right to pass definitive judgement on the works and hearts of men belongs to him…”
- CCC 954 “The three states of the Church. "When the Lord comes in glory, and all his angels with him, death will be no…”
- CCC 1033 “We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him. But we cannot love God if we sin gravely…”
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 1038 “The resurrection of all the dead, "of both the just and the unjust," will precede the Last Judgment. This will be "the…”
- CCC 2443 “God blesses those who come to the aid of the poor and rebukes those who turn away from them: "Give to him…”
“But inasmuch as one and the same Lord has pointed out that the whole human race shall be divided at the judgment, "as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats,”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XL. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 2443 “God blesses those who come to the aid of the poor and rebukes those who turn away from them: "Give to him…”
“… them with unquenchable fire, but to gather up the wheat into the barn; and to call the lambs into the kingdom prepared for them, but to send the goats into everlasting fire, which has been prepared by His Father for the devil and his angels.”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book V, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXVII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
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- CCC 2443 “God blesses those who come to the aid of the poor and rebukes those who turn away from them: "Give to him…”
“For to whomsoever the Lord shall say, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire," these shall be damned for ever; and to whomsoever He shall say, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you for eternity,”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXVIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“… has pointed out that the whole human race shall be divided at the judgment, "as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats," and that to some He will say, "Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom which has been prepared for you,”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XL. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
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- CCC 2443 “God blesses those who come to the aid of the poor and rebukes those who turn away from them: "Give to him…”
“… two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." And, "For I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was naked and ye clothed Me.”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXX. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
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- CCC 1503 “Christ's compassion toward the sick and his many healings of every kind of infirmity are a resplendent sign that "God has visited…”
- CCC 2443 “God blesses those who come to the aid of the poor and rebukes those who turn away from them: "Give to him…”
“… two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." And, "For I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was naked and ye clothed Me.”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXX. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
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- CCC 678 “Following in the steps of the prophets and John the Baptist, Jesus announced the judgement of the Last Day in his preaching.…”
- CCC 1397 “The Eucharist commits us to the poor. To receive in truth the Body and Blood of Christ given up for us, we…”
- CCC 1825 “Christ died out of love for us, while we were still "enemies." The Lord asks us to love as he does, even…”
- CCC 1932 “The duty of making oneself a neighbor to others and actively serving them becomes even more urgent when it involves the disadvantaged,…”
- CCC 2449 “Beginning with the Old Testament, all kinds of juridical measures (the jubilee year of forgiveness of debts, prohibition of loans at interest…”
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- CCC 1034 “Jesus often speaks of "Gehenna" of "the unquenchable fire" reserved for those who to the end of their lives refuse to believe…”
“… the beasts of the earth." And this same thing does the Lord also say in the Gospel, to those who are found upon the left hand: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which my Father hath prepared for the devil and his angels;”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book III, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“… many instances towards those who sinned, so also in the latter, "many are called, but few are chosen." As then the unrighteous, the idolaters, and fornicators perished, so also is it now: for both the Lord declares, that such persons are sent into eternal fire;”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXVII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“For to whomsoever the Lord shall say, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXVIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism
- CCC 1038 “The resurrection of all the dead, "of both the just and the unjust," will precede the Last Judgment. This will be "the…”
A modern English Catholic translation will be added once its publisher grants permission.