15 And Jesus said to them, ^p“Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? ^qThe days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and ^rthen they will fast.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ^dten virgins who took their lamps¹ and went to meet ^ethe bridegroom.² 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were ^wwise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom ^fwas delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But ^gat midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and ^htrimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and ⁱthose who were ready went in with him to ^jthe marriage feast, and ^kthe door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ^l‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 ^lBut he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, ^mI do not know you.’ 13 ⁿWatch therefore, for you ^oknow neither the day nor the hour.