Jesus: Or picture the kingdom of heaven this way. It will be like ten bridesmaids who each picked up a lantern and went out to meet a certain bridegroom. 2-4 Five of these women were sensible, good with details, and remembered to bring small flasks of oil for their lanterns. But five of them were flighty, too caught up in the excitement of their jaunt, and forgot to bring oil with them. 5 The bridegroom did not turn up right away. Indeed, all the women, while waiting, found themselves falling asleep. 6 And then in the middle of the night, they heard someone call, “The bridegroom is here, finally! Wake up and greet him!” 7 The women got up and trimmed the wicks of their lanterns and prepared to go greet the groom. 8 The five women who had no oil turned to their friends for help. Ill-prepared Bridesmaids: Please give us some of your oil! Our lanterns are flickering and will go out soon. 9 But the five women who’d come prepared with oil said they didn’t have enough. Prepared Bridesmaids: If we give you some of our oil, we’ll all run out too soon! You’d better go wake up a dealer and buy your own supply. 10 So the five ill-prepared women went in search of oil to buy, and while they were gone, the groom arrived. The five who stood ready with their lanterns accompanied him to the wedding party, and after they arrived, the door was shut. 11 Finally the rest of the women turned up at the party. They knocked on the door. Ill-prepared Bridesmaids: Master, open up and let us in! Bridegroom (refusing): 12 I certainly don’t know you. 13 So stay awake; you neither know the day nor hour [when the Son of Man will come]. |
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