Matthew 25:1

Bible in Basic English (1941)

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, the friends of the bride, who took their lights, and went out with the purpose of meeting the husband.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

¶Τότε ὁμοιωθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν δέκα παρθένοις, αἵτινες λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας ἀυτῶν, ἐξῆλθον εἰς ἀπάντησιν τοῦ νυμφίου.

Transliteration

Then homoiōthēsetai the basileia of the ouranōn to ten parthenois, who labousai the lampadas of them, exēlthon to apantēsin of the nymphiou.

Grammar Details

• *homoiōthēsetai*: future passive indicative, 3rd person singular - will be likened/compared
• *basileia*: nominative feminine singular - kingdom/reign
• *ouranōn*: genitive plural masculine - of heavens
• *parthenois*: dative feminine plural - to virgins/maidens
• *labousai*: aorist active participle, nominative feminine plural - having taken
• *lampadas*: accusative feminine plural - lamps/torches
• *exēlthon*: aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural - went out
• *apantēsin*: accusative feminine singular - meeting/encounter
• *nymphiou*: genitive masculine singular - of bridegroom

Word Meanings

• *homoiōthēsetai*: will be like/comparable to/resemble
• *basileia*: kingdom/reign/royal power
• *ouranōn*: heavens/skies
• *parthenois*: virgins/unmarried women
• *lampadas*: lamps/torches/lights
• *exēlthon*: went out/forth/departed
• *apantēsin*: meeting/encounter/reception
• *nymphiou*: bridegroom/newly married man

Referenced Verses

• Matt 13:24 : 24 And he gave them another story, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a man who put good seed in his field:
• Luke 12:35-36 : 35 Be ready, dressed as for a journey, with your lights burning. 36 And be like men who are looking for their lord, when he comes back from the bride-feast; so that when he comes to the door, it will be open to him quickly.
• Rev 19:7 : 7 Let us be glad with delight, and let us give glory to him: because the time is come for the Lamb to be married, and his wife has made herself ready.
• Rev 21:2 : 2 And I saw the holy town, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, like a bride made beautiful for her husband.
• Matt 22:2 : 2 The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, who made a feast when his son was married,
• Mark 2:19-20 : 19 And Jesus said to them, Will the friends of a newly-married man go without food while he is with them? as long as they have him with them they will not go without food. 20 But the days will come when the husband will be taken away from them, and then they will go without food.
• Luke 5:34-35 : 34 And Jesus said, Are you able to make the friends of the newly-married man go without food when he is with them? 35 But the days will come when he will be taken away from them, and then they will go without food.
• Isa 54:5 : 5 For your Maker is your husband; the Lord of armies is his name: and the Holy One of Israel is he who takes up your cause; he will be named the God of all the earth.
• Dan 2:44 : 44 And in the days of those kings, the God of heaven will put up a kingdom which will never come to destruction, and its power will never be given into the hands of another people, and all these kingdoms will be broken and overcome by it, but it will keep its place for ever.
• Rev 21:9 : 9 And one of the seven angels who had the seven vessels in which were the seven last punishments, came and said to me, Come here, and see the bride, the Lamb's wife.
• Matt 9:15 : 15 And Jesus said to them, Will the friends of the newly-married man be sad as long as he is with them? But the days will come when he will be taken away from them, and then will they go without food.
• John 3:29 : 29 He who has the bride is the husband: but the husband's friend, whose place is by his side and whose ears are open to him, is full of joy because of the husband's voice: such is my joy, and it is complete.
• Phil 2:15-16 : 15 So that you may be holy and gentle, children of God without sin in a twisted and foolish generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world, 16 Offering the word of life; so that I may have glory in you in the day of Christ, because my running was not for nothing and my work was not without effect.
• 2 Tim 4:8 : 8 From now on, the crown of righteousness is made ready for me, which the Lord, the upright judge, Will give to me at that day: and not only to me, but to all those who have had love for his revelation.
• Titus 2:13 : 13 Looking for the glad hope, the revelation of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ;
• 2 Pet 1:13-15 : 13 And it seems right to me, as long as I am in this tent of flesh, to keep your minds awake by working on your memory; 14 For I am conscious that in a short time I will have to put off this tent of flesh, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will take every care so that you may have a clear memory of these things after my death.
• 2 Pet 3:12-13 : 12 Looking for and truly desiring the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will come to an end through fire, and the substance of the earth will be changed by the great heat? 13 But having faith in his word, we are looking for a new heaven and a new earth, which will be the resting-place of righteousness.
• Rev 4:5 : 5 And out of the high seat came flames and voices and thunders. And seven lights of fire were burning before the high seat, which are the seven Spirits of God;
• Rev 14:4 : 4 These are they who have not made themselves unclean with women; for they are virgins. These are they who go after the Lamb wherever he goes. These were taken from among men to be the first fruits to God and to the Lamb.
• Acts 20:8 : 8 And there were a number of lights in the room where we had come together.
• 1 Cor 11:2 : 2 Now I am pleased to see that you keep me in memory in all things, and that you give attention to the teaching which was handed down from me to you.
• 2 Cor 11:2 : 2 For I have a very great care for you: because you have been married by me to one husband, and it is my desire to give you completely holy to Christ.
• Eph 5:25-33 : 25 Husbands, have love for your wives, even as Christ had love for the church, and gave himself for it; 26 So that he might make it holy, having made it clean with the washing of water by the word, 27 And might take it for himself, a church full of glory, not having one mark or fold or any such thing; but that it might be holy and complete. 28 Even so it is right for husbands to have love for their wives as for their bodies. He who has love for his wife has love for himself: 29 For no man ever had hate for his flesh; but he gives it food and takes care of it, even as Christ does for the church; 30 Because we are parts of his body. 31 For this cause will a man go away from his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. 32 This is a great secret: but my words are about Christ and the church. 33 But do you, everyone, have love for his wife, even as for himself; and let the wife see that she has respect for her husband.
• Luke 21:34-36 : 34 But give attention to yourselves, for fear that your hearts become over-full of the pleasures of food and wine, and the cares of this life, and that day may come on you suddenly, and take you as in a net: 35 For so it will come on all those who are living on the face of all the earth. 36 But keep watch at all times with prayer, that you may be strong enough to come through all these things and take your place before the Son of man.
• Matt 3:2 : 2 Saying, Let your hearts be turned from sin; for the kingdom of heaven is near.
• Matt 5:16 : 16 Even so let your light be shining before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
• Isa 62:4-5 : 4 You will not now be named, She who is given up; and your land will no longer be named, The waste land: but you will have the name, My pleasure is in her, and your land will be named, Married: for the Lord has pleasure in you, and your land will be married. 5 For as a young man takes a virgin for his wife, so will your maker be married to you: and as a husband has joy in his bride, so will the Lord your God be glad over you.
• Ps 45:9-9 : 9 Kings' daughters are among your noble women: on your right is the queen in gold of Ophir. 10 O daughter, give thought and attention, and let your ear be open; no longer keep in mind your people, and your father's house; 11 So will the king have a great desire for you, seeing how beautiful you are; because he is your lord, give him honour.
• Ps 45:14 : 14 She will come before the king in robes of needlework; the virgins in her train will come before you.
• Song 1:3 : 3 Sweet is the smell of your perfumes; your name is as perfume running out; so the young girls give you their love.
• Song 5:8 : 8 I say to you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you see my loved one, what will you say to him? That I am overcome with love.
• Song 5:16-6:1 : 16 His mouth is most sweet; yes, he is all beautiful. This is my loved one, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. 1 Where is your loved one gone, O most fair among women? Where is your loved one turned away, that we may go looking for him with you?
• Song 6:8-9 : 8 There are sixty queens, and eighty servant-wives, and young girls without number. 9 My dove, my very beautiful one, is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the dearest one of her who gave her birth. The daughters saw her, and gave her a blessing; yes, the queens and the servant-wives, and they gave her praises.
• Matt 24:42-51 : 42 Be watching, then! for you have no knowledge on what day your Lord will come. 43 But be certain of this, that if the master of the house had had knowledge of the time when the thief was coming, he would have been watching, and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Be ready then; for at a time which you have no thought of the Son of man will come. 45 Who is the true and wise servant, whom his lord has put over those in his house, to give them their food at the right time? 46 A blessing on that servant, who will be doing so when his lord comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will put him over all he has. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, My lord is a long time in coming; 49 And is cruel to the other servants, taking his pleasure with those who are overcome with wine; 50 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he is not looking for him, and in an hour of which he has no knowledge, 51 And will have him cut in two, and will give him a part in the fate of the false ones: there will be weeping and cries of sorrow.
• Matt 13:31 : 31 He put another story before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and put in his field:
• Matt 13:38 : 38 And the field is the world; and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom; and the evil seeds are the sons of the Evil One;
• Matt 13:44-45 : 44 The kingdom of heaven is like a secret store of wealth in a field, which a man came across and put back again; and in his joy he goes and gives all he has, to get that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a trader searching for beautiful jewels.
• Matt 13:47 : 47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net, which was put into the sea and took in every sort of fish:
• Matt 20:1 : 1 For the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a house, who went out early in the morning to get workers into his vine-garden.