Matthew 25:5 kjv
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Matthew 25:5 nkjv
But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
Matthew 25:5 niv
The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
Matthew 25:5 esv
As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.
Matthew 25:5 nlt
When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
Matthew 25 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 24:42 | "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come." | Exhortation to constant vigilance. |
| Mk 13:33 | "Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come." | Command to stay alert for Christ's return. |
| Lk 12:35-36 | "Be dressed for service... and be like servants waiting for their master..." | Call for preparedness and ready anticipation. |
| Rom 13:11 | "And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber..." | Urgent call to spiritual awakening. |
| Eph 5:14 | "Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." | Call for spiritual awakening from deadness. |
| 1 Th 5:6 | "So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober." | Contrast between watchful and spiritually asleep. |
| Hab 2:3 | "For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end... it will not delay." | God's timing may seem delayed but is precise. |
| Heb 10:37 | "For in just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay." | Reassurance that Christ's coming is certain. |
| 2 Pet 3:3-4 | "Scoffers will come... saying, 'Where is the promise of his coming?'" | Prediction of skepticism regarding the delay. |
| 2 Pet 3:8-9 | "But do not forget this one thing... The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise..." | God's different perception of time; patience. |
| Jn 3:29 | "The one who has the bridegroom is the bridegroom's friend." | John the Baptist on Christ as the bridegroom. |
| Rev 19:7 | "For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." | Eschatological culmination: the Lamb's wedding. |
| Lk 12:40 | "You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." | Readiness for an unexpected return. |
| Mt 7:24-27 | "Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man..." | Contrast between wise (doer) and foolish (hearer). |
| Is 29:10 | "The Lord has poured over you a spirit of deep sleep; He has closed your eyes..." | Divine judgment causing spiritual blindness. |
| Jon 1:6 | "How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god!" | Warning against oblivious sleep in danger. |
| Col 4:2 | "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it..." | Command for watchful prayer. |
| 1 Pet 4:7 | "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be sober-minded and alert..." | Urgency and call to self-control and vigilance. |
| Pr 6:9-11 | "How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?" | Admonition against idleness and spiritual lethargy. |
| Lk 21:34-36 | "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing... and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap." | Warning against being caught unprepared by earthly cares. |
Matthew 25 verses
Matthew 25 5 Meaning
Matthew 25:5 depicts a natural consequence of a prolonged wait: "While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept." This verse, part of the Parable of the Ten Virgins, illustrates that during an unexpected or extended delay of the Lord's return, both genuine and superficial followers can fall into a state of spiritual dormancy, lack of vigilance, or decreased alertness, indicating a universal human susceptibility to spiritual apathy when the expected is deferred. The crucial difference, as the parable unfolds, lies in their readiness despite this universal experience of waiting.
Matthew 25 5 Context
Matthew 25:5 is situated within the Olivet Discourse (Matthew chapters 24-25), a pivotal teaching of Jesus regarding the end times, the destruction of the Temple, and His Second Coming. Specifically, it forms part of the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), which is the first of three parables designed to emphasize the importance of readiness and vigilance for the Master's return. This parable, delivered to His disciples, builds on the earlier warnings in Matthew 24 about the suddenness and unexpected nature of the Son of Man's arrival. Historically and culturally, the Jewish wedding procession often occurred at night, with bridesmaids lighting the path for the bridegroom and his retinue. The "tarrying" of the bridegroom was a common, though inconvenient, occurrence, adding realism to the parable's setting and serving as a metaphor for the delay in Christ's expected return (Parousia). The parable challenges any belief in a passive or complacent expectation, asserting that personal readiness is paramount, irrespective of external circumstances or the length of the wait.
Matthew 25 5 Word analysis
While the bridegroom tarried (χρονίζοντος δὲ τοῦ νυμφίου - chronizontos de tou nymphios):
- χρονίζοντος (chronizontos): "tarried," "delayed," "was a long time in coming." From chronos, meaning "time." The participle here indicates a sustained action over time, emphasizing that the delay was significant and prolonged, contrary to expectation. This term directly addresses the historical reality of the early church facing a seemingly delayed return of Christ, countering any direct or indirect assumption that the Lord would come immediately.
- νυμφίου (nymphios): "bridegroom." In New Testament parables, the bridegroom is consistently a metaphor for Jesus Christ. This highlights His unique and central role as the returning Lord and the object of their expectation.
they all slumbered (ἐνύσταξαν πᾶσαι - enystaxan pasai):
- ἐνύσταξαν (enystaxan): "nodded off," "dozed," "began to sleep." This verb, in the aorist tense, indicates a specific action that occurred. It describes the onset of sleep, a gradual succumbing to drowsiness. It implies an initial, perhaps involuntary, giving in to fatigue. This applies to all, showing even the vigilant are subject to natural human limitations.
- πᾶσαι (pasai): "all" (feminine plural). This word is crucial. It stresses that every virgin—both the wise and the foolish—experienced this period of sleep. No one was immune to the effect of the delay. The difference lay not in whether they slept, but in what their state was when they awoke, particularly their inner readiness and reserve. This universality of falling asleep emphasizes that outward conformity or initial spiritual enthusiasm is not sufficient for true readiness.
and slept (καὶ ἐκάθευδον - kai ekatheudon):
- ἐκάθευδον (ekatheudon): "were sleeping," "slept (continually)." This verb is in the imperfect tense, denoting ongoing, continuous action. Unlike enystaxan, which is the onset, ekatheudon describes the sustained state of sleep. This signifies a progressive deepening of spiritual inactivity or complacency that can settle in during a long wait, indicating a potential for continued spiritual dormancy among those expecting the Lord's return.
Words-group Analysis:
- While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept: This phrase portrays a universal condition of spiritual dormancy or decreased vigilance among all those waiting for the Lord, resulting from an unexpected or prolonged delay of His coming. It highlights the challenging nature of sustained vigilance over time and against unforeseen postponements, applicable to both truly prepared and superficially engaged followers. The shift from "slumbered" to "slept" indicates a progressive, deepening state of unalertness.
Matthew 25 5 Bonus section
The "sleep" mentioned here is often interpreted as a metaphor for spiritual apathy, complacency, or a lack of continuous engagement in what is required for the Lord's return. It is not necessarily literal sleep or death, but rather a diminished state of spiritual awareness and readiness. The contrast between slumbering (dozing off) and sleeping (in a deep sleep) emphasizes a gradual and increasing loss of vigilance over time. This verse subtly rebukes any idea that mere passive waiting or initial enthusiasm is sufficient for preparedness; rather, it subtly hints that consistent spiritual maintenance and internal renewal (represented by the oil) are vital to ensure that when one awakens from this slumber, they are still able to respond effectively to the Lord's sudden arrival. This highlights the ongoing necessity of spiritual nourishment, such as through prayer, the Word, and reliance on the Holy Spirit, which prevents the lamp from running out of "fuel" during periods of delayed expectation.
Matthew 25 5 Commentary
Matthew 25:5 captures a universal human response to deferred expectation: fatigue leading to spiritual slumber. When the Lord delays His coming, a natural tendency toward spiritual dullness affects everyone in the waiting community—both those who possess genuine faith and those whose devotion is superficial. This "sleep" is not inherently sinful, particularly for the wise, but it represents a lapse in acute vigilance and a test of endurance. It underscores that the challenge for believers is not just to prepare initially but to maintain that state of readiness and spiritual vitality through potentially lengthy and uneventful periods. The ultimate difference between the wise and the foolish virgins will not be whether they fell asleep, but rather what their spiritual condition was upon waking, determined by their consistent inner preparedness ("oil") maintained throughout the "sleep" period. The verse therefore serves as a potent reminder of the need for sustained vigilance and spiritual reserves for Christ's return, whenever it may be.