Matthew 25:1

Matthew 25:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
• New International Version (NIV)“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

Context of Matthew 25:1

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of the virgins were foolish, and five were wise. 3When the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extra olive oil with them.

Matthew 25:1 word by word

Τότε ὁμοιωθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν δέκα παρθένοις αἵτινες λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας ἑαυτῶν ἐξῆλθον εἰς ὑπάντησιν τοῦ νυμφίου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thenτότεtote · thenG5119
• the kingdomὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
• of heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• be likenedὁμοιόωhomoioō · to likenG3666
• untoπαρθένοςparthenos · virginG3933
• tenδέκαdeka · tenG1176
• whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• tookλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• lampsλαμπάςlampas · windowG2985
• and wentἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• forthεἰςeis · towardG1519
• to meetἀπάντησιςapantēsis · meetingG529
• the bridegroomνυμφίοςnumphios · bridegroomG3566

Cross-references for Matthew 25:1

• Matthew 24:42“Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
• Luke 21:34“But be on your guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap.
• Matthew 3:2“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
• Matthew 13:24He presented them with another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field.
• Matthew 20:1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
• Matthew 22:2“The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.
• Daniel 2:44In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever.
• Psalms 45:14In embroidered robes she is escorted to the king. Her attendants, the maidens of honor who follow her, are led before you.
• 1 Corinthians 11:2I praise you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions just as I passed them on to you.
• Revelation 14:4These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from humanity as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb,
• Matthew 5:16In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.
• Luke 12:35“Get dressed for service and keep your lamps burning;
• Philippians 2:15so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world
• 2 Timothy 4:8Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award it to me in that day – and not to me only, but also to all who have set their affection on his appearing.
• 2 Peter 1:13Indeed, as long as I am in this tabernacle, I consider it right to stir you up by way of a reminder,
• 2 Peter 3:12while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze!

Commentaries on Matthew 25:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Then shall the kingdom of heaven - The state of Jews and professing Christians - the state of the visible Church at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, and in the day of judgment: for the parable appears to relate to both those periods. And particularly at the time in which Christ shall come to judge the world, it shall appear what kind of reception his Gospel has met with. This parable, or something very like it, is found in the Jewish records: so…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Then shall the kingdom of heaven - See the notes at Matthew 3:2. The phrase here refers to his coming in the day of judgment. Shall be likened - Or shall resemble. The meaning is, “When the Son of man returns to judgment, it will be as it was in the case of ten virgins in a marriage ceremony.” The coming of Christ to receive his people to himself is often represented under the similitude of a marriage, the church being represented as his spouse or bride…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The parable of the ten virgins. (1-13) The parable of the talents. (14-30) The judgment. (31-46) Verses 1-13 The circumstances of the parable of the ten virgins were taken from the marriage customs among the Jews, and explain the great day of Christ's coming. See the nature of Christianity. As Christians we profess to attend upon Christ, to honour him, also to be waiting for his coming. Sincere Christians are the wise virgins, and hypocrites the foolish…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1to meet the bridegroom: This image points to the coming of the Messiah (see Mark 2:19–20). We do not know the exact wedding customs of that time. Some believe the bridesmaids led the bride to the bridegroom's home. He stayed away until the wedding feast began. The bridesmaids would wait for his arrival and then escort him to the feast (Matthew 25:10). Others think the bridegroom might have arrived late at night at the bride’s home, where they announced…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-13This and the following parable are in Matthew alone. 1. Then--at the time referred to at the close of the preceding chapter, the time of the Lord's Second Coming to reward His faithful servants and take vengeance on the faithless. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom--This supplies a key to the parable, whose object is, in the main, the same as that of the last…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 25:1

• Bridegroom
• Fool
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Judgment
• Kingdom of Heaven
• Marriage
• Opportunity
• Resurrection
• Unfaithfulness
• Virgin
• Wisdom
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Bride
• Cry
• Depart
• Hard
• Heaven
• Judgment, The final
• Lamp
• Ought
• Parable
• Reckon

Commentaries on Matthew 25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings