Devine Scripture

Matthew 25:8

What does Matthew 25:8 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 25:8 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 25:8 means

The foolish virgins, realizing their lamps were failing due to lack of oil, desperately asked the wise virgins for some of theirs. This crisis reveals the superficiality of their earlier preparation; their light was flickering out at the crucial moment. Their plea underscores the personal nature of spiritual readiness—it cannot be borrowed or transferred from others. This moment highlights the consequence of their shortsightedness, as they face immediate spiritual darkness when illumination is most needed.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lights are going out.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and the foolish said to the prudent, Give us of your oil, because our lamps are going out;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And the foolish said to the prudent, Give us of your oil, for our torches are going out.

Context

This verse presents the crisis moment for the foolish virgins, immediately following their attempt to trim their lamps in verse 7. It reveals the inadequacy of their preparation and directly leads to their desperate plea to the wise. This request for oil is pivotal, exposing the unique, non-transferable nature of true spiritual readiness and setting up the wise virgins' response in the subsequent verse.

v.7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

v.8This passage

v.9But the wise answered, saying, Peradventure there will not be enough for us and you: go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Matthew 3:9

    and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

  • Proverbs 13:9

    The light of the righteous rejoiceth; But the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

  • Hebrews 4:1

    Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.

  • Luke 8:18

    Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he thinketh he hath.

  • Proverbs 20:20

    Whoso curseth his father or his mother, His lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.

  • Matthew 13:20

    And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it;

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