⁶ Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude,^(A) like the roar of rushing waters^(B) and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts^(J) of God’s holy people.)

⁹ Then the angel said to me,^(K) “Write this:^(L) Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”^(M) And he added, “These are the true words of God.”^(N)

¹⁰ At this I fell at his feet to worship him.^(O) But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!^(P) For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”^(Q)

The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast

¹¹ I saw heaven standing open^(R) and there before me was a white horse, whose rider^(S) is called Faithful and True.^(T) With justice he judges and wages war.^{(U) 12} His eyes are like blazing fire,^(V) and on his head are many crowns.^(W) He has a name written on him^(X) that no one knows but he himself.^{(Y) 13} He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood,^(Z) and his name is the Word of God.^{(AA) 14} The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen,^(AB) white^(AC) and clean. ¹⁵ Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword^(AD) with which to strike down^(AE) the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”^[a](AF) He treads the winepress^(AG) of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:^(AH)

¹⁷ And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds^(AJ) flying in midair,^(AK) “Come,^(AL) gather together for the great supper of God,^{(AM) 18} so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people,^(AN) free and slave,^(AO) great and small.”^(AP)

¹⁹ Then I saw the beast^(AQ) and the kings of the earth^(AR) and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse^(AS) and his army. ²⁰ But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet^(AT) who had performed the signs^(AU) on its behalf.^(AV) With these signs he had deluded^(AW) those who had received the mark of the beast^(AX) and worshiped its image.^(AY) The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake^(AZ) of burning sulfur.^{(BA) 21} The rest were killed with the sword^(BB) coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse,^(BC) and all the birds^(BD) gorged themselves on their flesh.

Jesus Questioned About Fasting^(A)

¹⁴ Then John’s^(B) disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often,^(C) but your disciples do not fast?”

¹⁵ Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?^(D) The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.^(E)

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet^(A)

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: ² “The kingdom of heaven is like^(B) a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. ³ He sent his servants^(C) to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

⁴ “Then he sent some more servants^(D) and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

⁵ “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. ⁶ The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. ⁷ The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers^(E) and burned their city.

⁸ “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. ⁹ So go to the street corners^(F) and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ ¹⁰ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good,^(G) and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

¹¹ “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ¹² He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend^(H)?’ The man was speechless.

¹³ “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’^(I)

¹⁴ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”^(J)

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like^(A) ten virgins who took their lamps^(B) and went out to meet the bridegroom.^{(C) 2} Five of them were foolish and five were wise.^{(D) 3} The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴ The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.^(E)

⁶ “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

⁷ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’^(F)

⁹ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

¹⁰ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet.^(G) And the door was shut.

¹¹ “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

¹² “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’^(H)

¹³ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.^(I)

Jesus Questioned About Fasting^(A)

¹⁸ Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting.^(B) Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”

¹⁹ Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. ²⁰ But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them,^(C) and on that day they will fast.