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Parable of the Ten Virgins

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One day Jesus told a story about a wedding feast. Let's learn something about Jewish traditions before we hear the story.

The Jewish marriage took place in three stages over a long period of time. When the couple was still very young, an Engagement was arranged by the parents, sometimes with the help of a "matchmaker".

Second, there was a Betrothal ceremony held at the bride's house. The couple exchanged vows and the groom gave the bride presents. This period lasted for a year or two, but the bride continued to live with her parents. During this time the bride was said to be "betrothed" or "espoused" to the young man.

The Marriage Supper came next. It usually happened at night. The groom and his friends came to the bride's house. She would be wearing a thick veil. She and her friends would accompany the groom and his friends to his father's house or maybe a larger hall where the festivities would take place. A contract was signed.

The bride and groom would spend time together, then the bride would remain by herself for seven days. At the end of the week, the bride would return to the group, remove her veil so that everyone could see her. If the young woman had never been married, the feast would last for seven days. If she were a widow remarrying, it would last for three days.

In the story Jesus told, the ten virgins were waiting for the bridegroom to come. Possibly they were already at the hall where the bridegroom was bringing his bride. It was nighttime and they all had lamps with oil in them, and the lamps were burning brightly.

They waited and waited. Still the wedding party had not arrived. As it got later, they began to get drowsy, and one by one they fell asleep.

Then they heard someone calling, "Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him."

They began to get up, but some of the lamps began going out.

Five of the girls were prepared for just such an event. They had planned ahead and anticipated the delay. They had extra oil to add to their lamps. They were wise to make this preparation.

The five foolish girls had no extra oil. They wanted to borrow some from the wise girls, but they refused. They said there might not be enough for all of them. They urged the girls to go and buy some oil from someone who had it for sale.

The girls left to go find a merchant who would sell them oil.

While they were gone, the bridegroom arrived and the five wise girls and the rest of the wedding party went inside. The door was shut.

The five foolish girls came back. They shouted for someone to open the door for them, but sadly there was no way for them to enter. The bridegroom replied, "I tell you the truth. I don't know you."

There are many ideas about the meaning of this parable. But one idea seems to be very clear; we need to live our lives in such a way that we are always ready for the Lord's return or for the end of our lives.

Read the story in Spanish La Parábola de las Diez Vírgenes

Read the story in Amharic

What does this story
mean to me?

This parable teaches us to always be prepared. The foolish girls brought oil in their lamps, but they didn't think ahead and bring extra oil. Are you going to have a test at school? Don't wait until the last minute to prepare for it. Study ahead of time and you won't have to "cram" to get the knowledge in your head. Do you have a memory verse to learn? Don't delay studying until the morning you are recite it. Work on it every day, and it will become a part of you. You may even be able to recall it years later!

Memory Verse

You also must be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Luke 12:40 (NIV)

REVIEW

(Rest the mouse lightly over the ??? to see the answers in the alternate tags.)

1.For whom were the girls waiting?
2. How many girls went to sleep?
3. What happened to the lamps of the foolish girls?
4.What did they want the other girls to do?
5. What did the five wise girls tell them?
6. What happened when the foolish girls returned?
7. What did the bridegroom say to them?
8. What is the lesson of this parable?


You can read about the Parable of the Ten Virgins in the Bible in
Matthew 25:1-13

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Parable of the Ten Virgins - Word Search

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Matthew 25:1-4 Fill-in the Blanks

Online and Printable Coloring Pictures about The Wise and Foolish Virgins

I Can Read God's Word: The Lost Sheep and Other Stories Jesus Told By Phil A. Smouse / Barbour Publishing The award-winning author and illustrator paraphrases four fascinating parables of Christ: "The Lost Sheep," "Do Not Worry," "The Seed and the Sower," and "A Tree and Its Fruit." Full color illustrations. Ages 4-7.

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The Parable of the Ten Maidens - Story 228
from Calvary Chapel.

Parable of the Talents Tongues of Fire

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Most Recent Comments   ( See more comments on this page )

2009-10-04 The grace of the lord be upon this world. May the lord bless the initiatives to this cite. I found wisdom and understanding of the word of God.I found my beautiful short but powerful memory verse: Luke 12:40" You also must be ready for the son of man will come an hour while you do not expect him" Emili Lydia Nadula (emililydia_AT_gmail_DOT_com)

2009-09-07 You must always be raedy for any action now because the son of god is comming and ask your self when he comes I'you be ready for that day

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Children's Bible Lessons

Creation	Noah	Abraham	Jacob	Joseph	10 Brothers
Moses	The Exodus	10 Commandments	12 Spies	Jericho	Judges
Ruth	David & Goliath	Friends	Solomon	Elijah	Naaman
3 Brave Boys	Daniel	Esther	Jonah	Child Jesus	Miracles
Parables	Teachings	Jesus'Friends	Jerusalem	Giving	Jesus'Death
Alive Again	Ascension	Peter	Paul	Heaven	John
Jesus'Baptism	The Temptation	Temple Cleansing	Nicodemus	Bethesda	Beatitudes
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Young Ruler	Zacchaeus	Parable of Talents	10 Virgins	Pentecost	Stephen
Philip	Dorcas	The Vision	Cornelius	Barnabas	Prison Escape
Lydia	The Jailer	Damascus	Paul's 1st Journey	Paul's 2nd Journey	Athens
Corinth	Paul's 3rd Journey	The Riot	Leaving Ephesus	Jerusalem	Paul's Trial
Shipwreck	Paul in Rome	Eve	Hannah	Sarah	Hagar
Noah's Wife	Rebekah	Rachel	Leah	Jochebed	Pharaoh's Daughter
Mary	Elizabeth	Lazarus
Bible Songs	Bible Jigsaw Puzzles	Bible Crossword Puzzles	Bible Word Searches	Bible Word Scrambles	Bible Games

Go to Calvary Chapel and look at story #228 for activities for "The Parable of the Ten Maidens".
They have color sheets, crossword puzzles, word finds, and worksheets.

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Puzzles on these pages courtesy of
Songs of Praise and Armored Penguin