This page contains three translations of Matthew 25. Wycliffe’s translation is the text of the version of c. 1395, taken from the Forshall & Madden edition of 1850. Tyndale’s translation comes from The Newe Testament Dylygently Corrected and Compared with the Greke by Willyam Tindale, and Fynesshed in the Yere of our Lorde God A.M.D. & xxxiiij. in the Moneth of Nouember (Antwerp, 1534); I’ve reproduced the early modern typography as closely as HTML will permit. The King James Version comes from the first edition of 1611.
| Wycliffe’s Translation (1395) |
Tyndale’s Translation (1534) |
The King James Version (1611) |
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| 1 | Thanne the kyngdoom of heuenes schal be lijk to ten virgyns, whiche token her laumpis, and wenten out ayens the hosebonde and the wijf; | Then ye kyngdome of heven shalbe lykened vnto .x. virgins / which toke their lampes / & went to mete the brydgrome: | Then shall the kingdome of heauen be likened vnto ten Virgins, whiche tooke their lamps, & went forth to meet the bridegrome. |
| 2 | and fyue of hem weren foolis, and fyue prudent. | fyve of them were folysshe / & fyve were wyse. | And fiue of them were wise, and fiue were foolish. |
| 3 | But the fyue foolis token her laumpis, and token not oile with hem; | The folysshe toke their lampes / but toke none oyle wt thê. | They that were foolish tooke their lampes, and tooke no oyle with them: |
| 4 | but the prudent token oile in her vessels with the laumpis. | But ye wyse tooke oyle wt them in their vesselles wt their lampes also. | But the wise tooke oyle in their vessels with their lampes. |
| 5 | And whilis the hosebonde tariede, alle thei nappiden and slepten. | Whill the brydgrome taryed / all slombred & slepte. | While the bridegrome taried, they all slumbred and slept. |
| 6 | But at mydnyyt a cryy was maad, Lo! the spouse cometh, go ye oute to mete with him. | And even at mydnyght / there was a crye made: beholde / the brydgrome cometh / goo out against him. | And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegrome cometh, goe ye out to meet him. |
| 7 | Thanne alle tho virgyns risen vp, and araieden her laumpis. | Then all those virgins arose / & prepared their lampes. | Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lampes. |
| 8 | And the foolis seiden to the wise, Yyue ye to vs of youre oile, for oure laumpis ben quenchid. | And ye folysshe sayde to ye wyse: geve vs of youre oyle / for our lampes goo out: | And the foolish said vnto the wise, Give us of your oyle, for our lampes are gone out. |
| 9 | The prudent answeriden, and seiden, Lest perauenture it suffice not to vs and to you, go ye rather to men that sellen, and bie to you. | but ye wyse answered sayinge. Not so / lest ther be not ynough for vs & you: but goo rather to them yt sell / & by for youre selves. | But the wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there be not ynough for vs and you, but goe ye rather to them that sell, and buy for your selues. |
| 10 | And while thei wenten for to bie, the spouse cam; and tho that weren redi, entreden with him to the weddyngis; and the yate was schit. | And whill they went to bye / ye brydgrome came: & they yt were redy / went in wit him to ye weddinge / & the gate was shett vp: | And while they went to buy, the bridegrome came, and they that were ready, went in with him to the marriage, and the doore was shut. |
| 11 | And at the last the othere virgyns camen, and seiden, Lord, lord, opene to vs. | After wardes came also ye other virgins sayinge: master master / open to vs. | Afterward came also the other virgines, saying, Lord, Lord, open to vs. |
| 12 | And he answeride, and seide, Treuli Y seie to you, Y knowe you not. | But he answered & sayde: verely I saye vnto you: I knowe not you. | But he answered, and said, Verely I say vnto you, I know you not. |
| 13 | Therfor wake ye, for ye witen not the dai ne the our. | Watche there fore: for ye knowe nether the daye nor yet the houre, when the sonne of man shall come. | Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day, nor the houre, wherein the Sonne of man cometh. |
| 14 | For as a man that goith in pilgrimage, clepide hise seruauntis, and bitook to hem hise goodis; | Lykwyse as a certeyne mã redy to take his iorney to a straunge coũtre / called his servaũtes & delivered to them his gooddes. | For the kingdome of heauen is as a man trauailing into a farre countrey, who called his own seruants, and deliuered vnto them his goods: |
| 15 | and to oon he yaf fyue talentis, and to another tweyne, and to another oon, to ech after his owne vertu; and wente forth anoon. | And vnto one he gave .v. talentes / to another .ii. and to another one: to every man after his abilite / and streyght waye departed. | And vnto one he gaue fiue talents, to another two, and to another one, to euery man according to his seuerall ability, & straight way tooke his iourney. |
| 16 | And he that hadde fyue besauntis, wente forth, and wrouyte in hem, and wan othere fyue. | Then he that had receaved the fyve talentes / went and bestowed them / and wanne other fyve talentes. | Then hee that had receiued the fiue talents, went and traded with the same, and made them other fiue talents. |
| 17 | Also and he that hadde takun tweyne, wan othere tweyne. | Lykwyse he that receaved .ii. gayned other .ii. | And likewise he that had receiued two, he also gained other two. |
| 18 | But he that hadde takun oon, yede forth, and dalf in to the erthe, and hidde the money of his lord. | But he yt receaved ye one / went & digged a pit in the erth & hyd his masters money. | But hee that had receiued one, went and digged in the earth, and hid his lordes money. |
| 19 | But after long tyme, the lord of tho seruauntis cam, and rekenede with hem. | After a longe season ye lorde of those servauntes came & rekened wt thê. | After a long time, the lord of those seruants commeth, and reckoneth with them. |
| 20 | And he that hadde takun fyue besauntis, cam, and brouyte othere fyue, and seide, Lord, thou bytokist to me fyue besauntis, loo! Y haue getun aboue fyue othere. | Then came he yt had receaved fyve talentes / & brought other fyve talentes sayinge: master / thou deliveredst vnto one fyve talentes: beholde I have gayned wt thê fyve talentes moo. | And so hee that had receiued fiue talents, came and brought other fiue talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst vnto me fiue talents, behold, I haue gained beside them, fiue talents moe. |
| 21 | His lord seide to hym, Wel be thou, good seruaunt and feithful; for on fewe thingis thou hast be trewe, Y schal ordeyne thee on manye thingis; entre thou in to the ioye of thi lord. | Thê his master sayde vnto him: well good servaũt & faithfull. Thou hast bene faithfull in lytell / I will make the ruler over moche: entre in into thy masters ioye. | His lord said vnto him, Well done, thou good and faithful seruant, thou hast beene faithful ouer a few things, I wil make thee ruler ouer many things: enter thou into the ioy of thy lord. |
| 22 | And he that hadde takun twey talentis, cam, and seide, Lord, thou bitokist to me twey besauntis; loo! Y haue wonnen ouer othir tweyne. | Also he that receaved .ii. talentes / came & sayde: master / thou deliveredest vnto me .ii. talentes: beholde / I have wone .ii. other talentes wt them. | He also that had receiued two talents, came and said, Lord, thou deliueredst vnto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents besides them. |
| 23 | His lord seide to him, Wel be thou, good seruaunt and trewe; for on fewe thingis thou hast be trewe, Y schal ordeyne thee on many thingis; entre thou in to the ioie of thi lord. | And his master sayde vnto him / well good servaunt & faithfull. Thou hast bene faithfull in lytell / I wyll make the ruler over moche: go in into thy masters ioye. | His lord said vnto him, Well done, good and faithful seruant, thou hast beene faithful ouer a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the ioy of thy lord. |
| 24 | But he that hadde takun o besaunt, cam, and seide, Lord, Y woot that thou art an hard man; thou repist where thou hast not sowe, and thou gederist togidere where thou hast not spred abrood; | Then he which had receaved ye one talent / came / & sayd: master / I considered yt thou wast an harde man / which repest where thou sowedst not / & gadderest where thou strawedst not / | Then he which had receiued the one talent, came & said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sowen, & gathering where thou hast not strawed: |
| 25 | and Y dredynge wente, and hidde thi besaunt in the erthe; lo! thou hast that that is thin. | & was therfore afrayde / & went & hyd thy talent in ye erth: Beholde / thou hast thyn awne. | And I was afraid, and went and hidde thy talent in the earth: loe, there thou hast that is thine. |
| 26 | His lord answeride, and seide to hym, Yuel seruaunt and slowe, wistist thou that Y repe where Y sewe not, and gadir to gidere where Y spredde not abrood? | His master answered and sayde vnto him: thou evyll servaũt & slewthfull / thou knewest yt I repe where I sowed not / & gaddre where I strawed not: | His lord answered, and said vnto him, Thou wicked and slothfull seruant, thou knewest that I reape where I sowed not, and gather where I haue not strawed: |
| 27 | Therfor it bihofte thee to bitake my money to chaungeris, that whanne Y cam, Y schulde resseyue that that is myn with vsuris. | thou oughtest therfore to have had my money to ye chaungers / & then at my commynge shulde I have receaved myne awne with vauntage. | Thou oughtest therefore to haue put my money to the exchangers, and then at my comming I should have receiued mine own with vsurie. |
| 28 | Therfor take awei fro hym the besaunt, and yyue ye to hym that hath ten besauntis. | Take therfore the talent from him / & geve it vnto him which hath .x. talentes. | Take therefore the talent from him, and giue it vnto him which hath ten talents. |
| 29 | For to euery man that hath me schal yyue, and he schal encreese; but fro hym that hath not, also that that hym semeth to haue, schal be taken awey fro him. | For vnto every man that hath shalbe geven / and he shall have aboundance: and from him that hath not / shalbe taken awaye / even that he hath. | For vnto every one that hath shall be giuen, and he shall haue abundance: but from him that hath not, shal be taken away, euen that which he hath. |
| 30 | And caste ye out the vnprofitable seruaunt in to vtter derknessis; ther schal be wepyng, and gryntyng of teeth. | And cast yt vnprofitable servaunt into vtter dercknes: there shalbe wepynge and gnasshinge of teeth. | And cast yee the vnprofitable seruant into outer darknesse, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. |
| 31 | Whanne mannus sone schal come in his maieste, and alle hise aungels with hym, thanne he schal sitte on the sege of his maieste; | When the sonne of mã cometh in his glorie / & all the holy angels wt him / then shall he syt vpon the seate of his glorie / | When the Sonne of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy Angels with him, then shall hee sit upon the throne of his glory: |
| 32 | and alle folkis schulen be gaderid bifor hym, and he schal departe hem atwynne, as a scheeperde departith scheep from kidis; | & before him shalbe Gaddred all nacions. And he shall seperate thê one from a nother / as a shepherde deuideth the shepe from the gootes. | And before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd diuideth his sheepe from the goats. |
| 33 | and he schal sette the scheep on his riythalf, and the kidis on the lefthalf. | And he shall set the shepe on his right honde / & the gotes on the lyfte. | And he shall set the sheepe on his right hand, but the goats on the left. |
| 34 | Thanne the kyng schal seie to hem, that schulen be on his riythalf, Come ye, the blessid of my fadir, take ye in possessioun the kyngdoom maad redi to you fro the makyng of the world. | Then shall the kynge saye to them on his right honde: Come ye blessed chyldren of my father / inheret ye the kyngdõ prepared for you from the beginninge of the worlde. | Then shall the King say vnto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world. |
| 35 | For Y hungride, and ye yauen me to ete; Y thristide, and ye yauen me to drynke; Y was herboreles, and ye herboriden me; | For I was anhongred / and ye gave me meate. I thursted / and ye gave me drinke. I was herbourlesse / and ye lodged me. | For I was an hungred, and yee gaue me meate: I was thirstie, and ye gaue me drinke: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: |
| 36 | nakid, and ye hiliden me; sijk, and ye visitiden me; Y was in prisoun, and ye camen to me. | I was naked & ye clothed me. I was sicke & ye visited me. I was in preson and ye came vnto me. | Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sicke, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came vnto me. |
| 37 | Thanne iust men schulen answere to hym, and seie, Lord, whanne siyen we thee hungry, and we fedden thee; thristi, and we yauen to thee drynk? | Then shall ye righteous answere him sayinge master / whê sawe we ye anhongred / & feed the? or a thurst / & gave ye drinke? | Then shal the righteous answere him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gaue thee drinke? |
| 38 | and whanne sayn we thee herborles, and we herboreden thee; or nakid, and we hiliden thee? | when sawe we ye herbourlesse and lodged the? or naked & clothed the? | When saw wee thee a stranger, and tooke thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? |
| 39 | or whanne sayn we thee sijk, or in prisoun, and we camen to thee? | or when sawe we the sicke or in preson / & came vnto the? | Or when saw we thee sicke, or in prison, and came vnto thee? |
| 40 | And the kyng answerynge schal seie to hem, Treuli Y seie to you, as longe as ye diden to oon of these my leeste britheren, ye diden to me. | And ye kynge shall answere & saye vnto them: verely I saye vnto you: in as moche as ye have done it vnto one of ye leest of these my brethren / ye have done it to me. | And the King shall answere, and say vnto them, Verely I say vnto you, in as much as ye have done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren, ye haue done it vnto me. |
| 41 | Thanne the kyng schal seie also to hem, that schulen be on his lefthalf, Departe fro me, ye cursid, in to euerlastynge fijr, that is maad redi to the deuel and hise aungels. | Then shall the kynge saye vnto them that shalbe on the lyfte hande: departe from me ye coursed / into everlastinge fire / which is prepared for the devyll and his angels. | Then shall he say also vnto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into euerlasting fire, prepared for the deuill and his angels: |
| 42 | For Y hungride, and ye yauen not me to ete; Y thristide, and ye yauen not me to drynke; | For I was an hungred / and ye gave me no meate. I thursted / and ye gave me no drinke. | For I was an hungred, and yee gave me no meat: I was thirstie, and ye gave me no drinke: |
| 43 | Y was herborles, and ye herberden not me; nakid, and ye keuerden not me; sijk, and in prisoun, and ye visitiden not me. | I was herbourlesse / and ye lodged me not. I was naked / and ye clothed me not. I was sicke and in preson / and ye visited me not. | I was a stranger, and yee tooke me not in: naked, and ye clothed mee not: sicke, and in prison, and yee visited me not. |
| 44 | Thanne and thei schulen answere to hym, and schulen seie, Lord, whanne sayn we thee hungrynge, or thristynge, or herboreles, or nakid, or sijk, or in prisoun, and we serueden not to thee? | Then shall they also answere him sayinge: master when sawe we the an hungred / or a thurst / or herbourlesse / or naked / or sicke / or in preson / and did not ministre vnto the? | Then shall they also answere him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sicke, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? |
| 45 | Thanne he schal answere to hem, and seie, Treuli Y seie to you, hou longe ye diden not to oon of these leeste, nether ye diden to me. | Then shall he answere theê and saye: Verely I saye vnto you / in as moche as ye did it not to one of ye leest of these / ye did it not to me. | Then shall he answere them, saying, Verely, I say vnto you, in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. |
| 46 | And these schulen goo in to euerlastynge turment; but the iust men schulen go in to euerlastynge lijf. | And these shall go into everlastinge payne: And the righteous into lyfe eternall. | And these shall goe away into euerlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternall. |