New King James Version
Matthew 25:4
4but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Matthew 25:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
- New International Version (NIV)The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.
- English Standard Version (ESV)but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
- New Living Translation (NLT)but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil.
Context of Matthew 25:4
2Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
Read all of Matthew 25Matthew 25:4 word by word
αἱ δὲ φρόνιμοι ἔλαβον ἔλαιον ἐν τοῖς ἀγγείοις μετὰ τῶν λαμπάδων ἑαυτῶν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- the wiseφρόνιμοςphronimos · thoughtfulG5429
- tookλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
- oilἔλαιονelaion · olive oilG1637
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- vesselsἀγγεῖονaggeion · jarG30
- withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- lampsλαμπάςlampas · windowG2985
Cross-references for Matthew 25:4
- Psalms 45:7You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.
- Zechariah 4:2And he said to me, “What do you see?” So I said, “I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps.
- John 1:15John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”
- John 3:34For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.
- Romans 8:9But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
- 2 Corinthians 1:22who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
- Galatians 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- 1 John 2:20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
- Jude 1:19These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
Commentaries on Matthew 25:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Took oil in their vessels - They not only had a sufficiency of oil in their lamps, but they carried a vessel with oil to recruit their lamps, when it should be found expedient. This the foolish or improvident neglected to do: hence, when the oil that was in their lamps burned out, they had none to pour into the lamp to maintain the flame.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2-4Verses 2-4 And five of them were wise - . The words “wise and foolish,” here, refer only to their conduct; in regard to the oil. The one part was “wise” in taking oil, the other “foolish” in neglecting it. The conduct of those who were “wise” refers to those who are “prepared” for the coming of Christ - prepared by possessing real piety, and not being merely his professed followers. The conduct of those “without” oil expresses the conduct of those who…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-13This parable confirms the need to be alert and ready for Christ's return (Matthew 25:13; see also Luke 12:35–36).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps--What are these "lamps" and this "oil"? Many answers have been given. But since the foolish as well as the wise took their lamps and went forth with them to meet the Bridegroom, these lighted lamps and this advance a certain way in company with the wise, must denote that Christian profession which is common to all who bear the Christian name; while the insufficiency of this without something else…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 25:4
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries