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

“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps,

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“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.
• Luke 21:34“Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware,
• Matthew 3:2“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
• Matthew 13:24Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.
• Matthew 20:1“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
• Matthew 22:2“The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son.
• Daniel 2:44“During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever.
• Psalms 45:14In her beautiful robes, she is led to the king, accompanied by her bridesmaids.
• 1 Corinthians 11:2I am so glad that you always keep me in your thoughts, and that you are following the teachings I passed on to you.
• Revelation 14:4They have kept themselves as pure as virgins, following the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among the people on the earth as a special offering to God and to the Lamb.
• Matthew 5:16In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
• Luke 12:35“Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning,
• Philippians 2:15so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
• 2 Timothy 4:8And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.
• 2 Peter 1:13And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live.
• 2 Peter 3:12looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames.

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