Matthew Chapter Twenty-Five Poem by Day Williams

1 "At that time heaven's kingdom will be like

Ten virgins who picked up their lamps and went
To meet the bridegroom.2 Five of them were foolish

And five were wise.3 The foolish ones picked up
Their lamps but took no oil with them.4 The wise,
However, carried oil in jars along

With lamps.5 The bridegroom was a long time in
Arriving, and they all became lethargic
And fell asleep.6 At midnight came the cry:

‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him! '
7 The virgins then awoke and trimmed their lamps.
8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us

Some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'
9 ‘No, ' they replied, ‘there may not be enough
For us and you. Instead, go to the shops

And buy your own, ' 10 but while they were away
To buy the oil, the bridegroom showed up. Those
Virgins who were prepared went in with him

To have the wedding banquet. And the door
Was locked.11 Later the others also came.
‘Sir! ' they called. ‘Open up the door for us! '

12 But he replied, ‘I do not know you, ' 13 so
Keep watch, because you do not know the day
Or hour.14 Again, it will be like a man

Taking a trip, Who called a conference with
His servants and entrusted property
To them.15 To one he gave five talents, to

Another two; and to another one,
Each in proportion to his skill, then he
Went on his trip.16 The man who had received

Five talents went at once to buy and sell
With it and gained five more.17 In the same way,
The one who had two talents gained two more,

18 But the man who had received the one talent
Went, dug a hole within the ground and hid
His master's money.19 After a long time

The servants' boss returned and settled up
With them.20 The man who had received the five
Talents came with the other five of them.

21 ‘Master, ' he said, ‘you had entrusted me
With your five talents. See, I've gained five more.'
"Good work, " his master said. "You are a good

And faithful servant! You've been faithful with
A few things, so now I'll put you in charge
Of many things. Come share your master's joy! '

22 The man with the two talents also came.
‘Master, ' he said, ‘you've given me two talents;
See, I have gained two more.' 23 His master said,

‘Good work! You are a good and faithful servant!
You have been faithful with a few things, so
I will put you in charge of many things.

Come share your master's joy! ' 24 And then the man
Who had received the single talent came.
‘Master, ' he said, ‘I knew you're a hard man,

Harvesting where you have not planted and
Gathering where you have not scattered seed,
25 So I was fearful, and I went and hid

Your talent in the ground. See, here is what
Belongs to you.' 26 His master answered him,
‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew

I harvest where I have not planted and
I gather where I have not scattered seed?
27 Well then, since you perceived I would demand

Your profit, you should have deposited
My money in the bank, so that when I
Returned I could receive some interest back.

28 Remove the talent from this man and give
It to the one who has ten talents,29 for
The one who uses well what he is given-

He will be given more, and he will have
Abundance. As for the unfaithful man,
Even what little he has will be taken

From him,30 and throw that worthless servant out
Into the darkness, where there will be weeping
And gnashing teeth.' 31 Now when the Son of Man

Comes in his glory, and the angels come
With him, he'll sit upon his throne in glory.
32 All nations will be gathered in front of

Him, and he'll separate the people as
A shepherd separates the sheep from goats.
33 The sheep he'll put upon his right; the goats

Will go upon his left,34 and then the King
Will say to those upon his right, ‘Come, you
People my Father's blessed; inherit

This kingdom that has been prepared for you
Since the creation of the world,35 for I
Was hungry and you gave me food to eat;

And I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
I was a stranger and you asked me in;
36 When I was naked you put clothes on me,

When I was sick you cared for me; I was
In prison and you came to visit me, '
37 And then the righteous ones will answer, ‘Lord,

When did we see you hungry and feed you,
Or thirsty and give you some drink? 38 When did
We see you as a stranger and invite

You in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When
Did we come visit you when you were sick
Or were in prison? ' 40 And the King will say,

‘Anything that you did for these my brothers,
You did for me, ' 41 then he will say to those
Upon his left, ‘Depart from me, you who

Are cursed, to the eternal fire prepared
Beforehand for the devil and his demons,
42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing

To eat, and I was thirsty and you would
Not give me anything to drink,43 I was
A stranger and you did not ask me in,

I needed clothes and you did not give clothes
To me, and I was sick and in the prison
And you did not look after me.' 44 They too

Will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry
Or thirsty or a stranger, needing clothes
Or sick or in the prison, and did not

Help you? ' 45 He will reply, ‘Believe me, when
You would not help the least of these, you were
Refusing help to me, ' 46 then they will go

Off to eternal punishment, but righteous
Ones will go off to everlasting life."