Matthew 25:1

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

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

📖 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 The Parable of the Weeds He presented them with another parable:“The kingdom of heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field.
• Luke 12:35-36 : 35 Call to Faithful Stewardship“Get dressed for service and keep your lamps burning; 36 be like people waiting for their master to come back from the wedding celebration, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.
• Rev 19:7 : 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him glory, because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
• Rev 21:2 : 2 And I saw the holy city– the new Jerusalem– descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband.
• Matt 22:2 : 2 “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.
• Mark 2:19-20 : 19 Jesus said to them,“The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they do not fast. 20 But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and at that time they will fast.
• Luke 5:34-35 : 34 So Jesus said to them,“You cannot make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? 35 But those days are coming, and when the bridegroom is taken from them, at that time they will fast.”
• Isa 54:5 : 5 For your husband is the one who made you– the LORD of Heaven’s Armies is his name. He is your protector, the Holy One of Israel. He is called“God of the entire earth.”
• Dan 2:44 : 44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever.
• Rev 21:9 : 9 The New Jerusalem Descends Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and spoke to me, saying,“Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb!”
• Matt 9:15 : 15 Jesus said to them,“The wedding guests cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.
• John 3:29 : 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete.
• Phil 2:15-16 : 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world 16 by holding on to the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.
• 2 Tim 4:8 : 8 Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award it to me in that day– and not to me only, but also to all who have set their affection on his appearing.
• Titus 2:13 : 13 as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
• 2 Pet 1:13-15 : 13 Indeed, as long as I am in this tabernacle, I consider it right to stir you up by way of a reminder, 14 since I know that my tabernacle will soon be removed, because our Lord Jesus Christ revealed this to me. 15 Indeed, I will also make every effort that, after my departure, you have a testimony of these things.
• 2 Pet 3:12-13 : 12 while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze! 13 But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides.
• Rev 4:5 : 5 From the throne came out flashes of lightning and roaring and crashes of thunder. Seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, were burning in front of the throne
• Rev 14:4 : 4 These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from humanity as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb,
• Acts 20:8 : 8 (Now there were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting.)
• 1 Cor 11:2 : 2 Women’s Head Coverings I praise you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions just as I passed them on to you.
• 2 Cor 11:2 : 2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
• Eph 5:25-33 : 25 Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her 26 to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, 27 so that he may present the church to himself as glorious– not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one has ever hated his own body, but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great– but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
• Luke 21:34-36 : 34 Be Ready!“But be on your guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will overtake all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 But stay alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that must happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
• Matt 3:2 : 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
• Matt 5:16 : 16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.
• Isa 62:4-5 : 4 You will no longer be called,“Abandoned,” and your land will no longer be called“Desolate.” Indeed, you will be called“My Delight is in Her,” and your land“Married.” For the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married to him. 5 As a young man marries a young woman, so your sons will marry you. As a bridegroom rejoices over a bride, so your God will rejoice over you.
• Ps 45:9-9 : 9 Princesses are among your honored women, your bride stands at your right hand, wearing jewelry made with gold from Ophir. 10 Listen, O princess! Observe and pay attention! Forget your homeland and your family! 11 Then the king will be attracted by your beauty. After all, he is your master! Submit to him!
• Ps 45:14 : 14 In embroidered robes she is escorted to the king. Her attendants, the maidens of honor who follow her, are led before you.
• Song 1:3 : 3 The fragrance of your colognes is delightful; your name is like the finest perfume. No wonder the young women adore you!
• Song 5:8 : 8 The Triumph of Love: The Beloved Praises Her LoverThe Beloved to the Maidens: I admonish you, O maidens of Jerusalem– If you find my beloved, what will you tell him? Tell him that I am lovesick!
• Song 5:16-6:1 : 16 His mouth is very sweet; he is totally desirable. This is my beloved! This is my companion, O maidens of Jerusalem! 1 The Lost Lover FoundThe Maidens to the Beloved: Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? Where has your beloved turned? Tell us, that we may seek him with you.
• Song 6:8-9 : 8 There may be sixty queens, and eighty concubines, and young women without number. 9 But she is unique! My dove, my perfect one! She is the special daughter of her mother, she is the favorite of the one who bore her. The maidens saw her and complimented her; the queens and concubines praised her:
• Matt 24:42-51 : 42 “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have been alert and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. 45 The Faithful and Wise Slave“Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that slave whom the master finds at work when he comes. 47 I tell you the truth, the master will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But if that evil slave should say to himself,‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he begins to beat his fellow slaves and to eat and drink with drunkards, 50 then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, 51 and will cut him in two, and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
• Matt 13:31 : 31 The Parable of the Mustard Seed He gave them another parable:“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.
• Matt 13:38 : 38 The field is the world and the good seed are the people of the kingdom. The poisonous weeds are the people of the evil one,
• Matt 13:44-45 : 44 Parables on the Kingdom of Heaven“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls.
• Matt 13:47 : 47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea that caught all kinds of fish.
• Matt 20:1 : 1 Workers in the Vineyard“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.