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.
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.
- 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.
- 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 has risen up, and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside, and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ then he will answer and tell you, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
- 1 Pet 1:13Therefore prepare your minds for action, be sober, and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ —
- Luke 12:36–37Be like men watching for their lord, when he returns from the marriage feast; that, when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him.
- Matt 24:44Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come.
- Gen 7:16Those who went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God commanded him; then Yahweh shut him in.
- Amos 8:12–13They will wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east; they will run back and forth to seek Yahweh’s word, and will not find it.
- Rev 22:20He who testifies these things says, “Yes, I come quickly.” Amen! Yes, come, Lord Jesus.
- Ps 95:11Therefore I swore in my wrath, “They won’t enter into my rest.”
- Matt 25:6But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!’
- 2 Tim 4:8From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.
- Heb 3:18–19To whom did he swear that they wouldn’t enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient?
- Rev 22:11–12He who acts unjustly, let him act unjustly still. He who is filthy, let him be filthy still. He who is righteous, let him do righteousness still. He who is holy, let him be holy still.”
- Matt 25:20–23He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents besides them.’
- Rev 1:7Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
- Num 14:28–34Tell them, ‘As I live, says Yahweh, surely as you have spoken in my ears, so will I do to you.
- Col 1:12giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in 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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