14
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
14
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
875. For the hour of His judgment is come, signifies the separation of those who live according to Divine truths from those who do not live according to them. This is evident from the signification of "hour," as being state, here the last state of the church (of which presently); also from the signification of "judgment," as being the separation of the good from the evil, thus of those who live according to the Lord's Divine truths from those who do not; for the latter are the evil but the former are the good. That the Last Judgment means the separation of these can be seen from what has been said in the small work on The Last Judgment. That this is the separation of those who live according to Divine truths from those who do not live according to them can be seen from the passages in the Word where the Last Judgment is treated of, as in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew, where the separation of the sheep from the goats is described, the "sheep" being those who have done goods, and the "goats" those who have not done goods; also from passages in the Word where it is said that "everyone shall be judged according to his works," that is, according to his life (as Matthew 16:27; John 5:29; Revelation 14:13; 20:12, 13; 22:12 and elsewhere), see also above n. 785. It is said "the hour of judgment," because "hour" signifies not only time but also state (the same as "day," "week," "month," "year," and time in general, as may be seen above, n. 571, 610, 664, 673, 747, 761; also concerning the signification of "hour" in particular, n. 194, 488, 673). "Hour" and "day" are so often mentioned in the Word on account of the spiritual sense in every particular of the Word; for while a man is thinking of hour and day, and thus of time, the angels, who are in the spiritual sense of the Word, are thinking of state; and for the reason that the angels, have no idea of time because they have no days, weeks, months, and years, such as are in the world, but have changes of state, from which they measure things successive (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 162-169, where Time in Heaven is treated of).
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"Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom.
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Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
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Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them,
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but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
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Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
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But at midnight there was a cry, 'Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!'
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Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
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The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'
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But the wise answered, saying, 'What if there isn't enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'
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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.
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Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.'
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But he answered, 'Most certainly I tell you, I don't know you.'
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Watch therefore, for you don't know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
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"For it is like a man, going into another country, who called his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them.
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To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey.
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Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
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In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two.
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But he who received the one went away and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
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"Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reconciled accounts with them.
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He 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.'
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"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
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"He also who got the two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents besides them.'
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"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
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"He also who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter.
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I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.'
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"But his lord answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn't sow, and gather where I didn't scatter.
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You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest.
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Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.
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For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn't have, even that which he has will be taken away.
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Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
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"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.
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Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
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He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
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Then the King will tell those on his right hand, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
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for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in.
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I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.'
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"Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink?
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When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you?
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When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?'
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"The King will answer them, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
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Then he will say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;
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for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink;
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I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'
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"Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?'
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"Then he will answer them, saying, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me.'
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These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."