The kingdom of heaven is like what happened one night when ten girls took their oil lamps and went to a wedding to meet the groom. ² Five of the girls were foolish and five were wise. ³ The foolish ones took their lamps, but no extra oil. ⁴ The ones who were wise took along extra oil for their lamps.

⁵ The groom was late arriving, and the girls became drowsy and fell asleep. ⁶ Then in the middle of the night someone shouted, “Here’s the groom! Come to meet him!”

⁷ When the girls got up and started getting their lamps ready, ⁸ the foolish ones said to the others, “Let us have some of your oil! Our lamps are going out.”

⁹ The girls who were wise answered, “There’s not enough oil for all of us! Go and buy some for yourselves.”

¹⁰ While the foolish girls were on their way to get some oil, the groom arrived. The girls who were ready went into the wedding, and the doors were closed. ¹¹ Later the other girls returned and shouted, “Sir, sir! Open the door for us!”

¹² But the groom replied, “I don’t even know you!”

¹³ So, my disciples, always be ready! You don’t know the day or the time when all this will happen.