And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Parallel translations
- WEB Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
- BSB Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
- NKJV Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
- NASB Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.
- NLT Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
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
Five of the virgins were foolish and five were wise. Jesus distinguishes between true and false readiness.
Overview
The division into wise and foolish sets up the parable's central lesson about genuine preparedness. Outwardly all ten look alike, awaiting the same bridegroom. The difference will prove to be inward and decisive. Jesus warns that profession alone does not make one ready for his coming.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Jer 24:2One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.
- 1 Cor 10:1–5Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
- Matt 13:47–48Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
- Matt 13:19–23When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
- Jude 1:5I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
- 1 Jn 2:19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
- Matt 13:38–43The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
- Matt 24:45Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
- Matt 22:10–11So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
- Matt 7:24–27Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 25:2 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.