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Matthew 25:1

in Matthew 25

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

KJV

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

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This verse in Matthew 25

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jerome

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 420.

on Matthew 25:1-2

This parable of the ten foolish and the ten wise virgins, some interpret literally of virgins, of whom there are according to the Apostle some who are virgins both in body and in thought, (1 Cor. 7.) others who have preserved indeed their bodies virgin, but have not the other deeds of virgins, or have only been preserved by the guardianship of parents, but have wedded in their hearts. But from what has gone before, I think the meaning to be different, and that the parable has reference not to virgins only, but to the whole human race.

This site's exposition

ten virgins

on Matthew 25:1-2

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins continues directly from the readiness charge that closed chapter 24, watch therefore, now cast as a parable of a wedding party. Five of them were wise, and five were foolish divides the company evenly down the middle, the same lamps and the same errand held by both groups, so that the difference the parable will expose is not in profession but in provision. Henry reads the virgins as professing Christians generally, the parable warning that outward readiness to meet the bridegroom is no guarantee of the oil needed to sustain it.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

Then shall the kingdom of heaven - That is, the candidates for it, be like ten virgins - The bridemaids on the wedding night were wont to go to the house where the bride was, with burning lamps or torches in their hands, to wait for the bride groom's coming.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Then shall the kingdom of heaven - See the notes at Mat 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.

on Matthew 25:1-13

The chapter we have now begun is a continuation of our Lord’s prophetic discourse on the Mount of Olives. The time to which it refers is plain and unmistakable: from first to last, there is a continual reference to the second advent of Christ and the end of the world. The whole chapter contains three great divisions. In the first, our Lord uses his own second coming as an argument for watchfulness and heart-religion: this he does by the parable of the ten virgins.

The words behind it

18 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Luke 12:35–36Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning.67 worksMatthew 24:42–51Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come.32 worksRevelation 19:7Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.31 worksPhilippians 2:15–16so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world30 worksJohn 3:29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.19 worksRevelation 21:9Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”19 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Isaiah 54:5For your husband is your Maker—the LORD of Hosts is His name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth.18 worksMatthew 13:24Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.18 worksRevelation 21:2I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.18 worksRevelation 14:4These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.16 worksMatthew 22:2“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.16 worksTitus 2:13as we await the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.16 worksMatthew 3:2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”13 works2 Timothy 4:8From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing.13 worksPsalms 45:9–11The daughters of kings are among your honored women; the queen stands at your right hand, adorned with the gold of Ophir.13 worksDaniel 2:44In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever.12 works2 Peter 3:12–13as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat.11 worksLuke 5:34–35Jesus replied, “Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is with them?11 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Revelation 19:7

    Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.

    it leads to

    • Revelation 21:9

      Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

    • Revelation 21:2

      I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

    • Revelation 19:9

      Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

    • 2 Corinthians 11:2

      I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

    • Matthew 22:2

      “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.

  • Through

    John 3:29

    The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 54:5

      For your husband is your Maker—the LORD of Hosts is His name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth.

    • Ephesians 5:25–27

      Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her

    • Hosea 2:19

      So I will betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in loving devotion and compassion.

Where this verse is studied

About Matthew

John the Baptist Baptizes Jesus — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
John the Baptist Baptizes Jesus — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
Matthew: the study guide →Read Matthew 25 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Matthew 25 →