But while they were on their way to buy it, the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.
Parallel translations
- WEB While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.
- KJV And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
- NKJV And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
- NASB But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the groom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.
- NLT “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
While they went to buy, the bridegroom came, the ready ones entered the feast, and the door was shut. The opportunity to enter closes decisively.
Overview
Those prepared go in to the wedding feast, a rich picture of eternal fellowship with Christ. The shut door marks the finality of judgment; once the Lord comes, the time for preparation is over. The contrast between those inside and those left outside is stark and irreversible. It urges hearers to be ready before that door closes forever.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Luke 13:25After the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ But he will reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’
- 1 Pet 1:13Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
- Luke 12:36–37Then you will be like servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.
- Matt 24:44For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
- Gen 7:16And they entered, the male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD shut him in.
- Amos 8:12–13People will stagger from sea to sea and roam from north to east, seeking the word of the LORD, but they will not find it.
- Rev 22:20He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
- Ps 95:11So I swore on oath in My anger, “They shall never enter My rest.”
- Matt 25:6At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
- 2 Tim 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.
- Heb 3:18–19And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed?
- Rev 22:11–12Let the unrighteous continue to be unrighteous, and the vile continue to be vile; let the righteous continue to practice righteousness, and the holy continue to be holy.”
- Matt 25:20–23The servant who had received the five talents came and presented five more. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’
- Rev 1:7Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
- Num 14:28–34So tell them: As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you exactly as I heard you say.
- Col 1:12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 25:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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