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.
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 13:25When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
- 1 Pet 1:13Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
- Luke 12:36–37And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
- Matt 24:44Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
- Gen 7:16And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.
- Amos 8:12–13And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
- Rev 22:20He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
- Ps 95:11Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
- Matt 25:6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
- 2 Tim 4:8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
- Heb 3:18–19And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
- Rev 22:11–12He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
- Matt 25:20–23And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
- Rev 1:7Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
- Num 14:28–34Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:
- Col 1:12Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.