Matthew 25 · Verse 8

Matthew 25:8

And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Matthew 25:8, King James Version

Matthew 25:8 in other translations

BSBThe foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
WEBThe foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
ASVAnd the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out.
YLTand the foolish said to the prudent, Give us of your oil, because our lamps are going out;
DARBYAnd the foolish said to the prudent, Give us of your oil, for our torches are going out.
BBEAnd the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lights are going out.
WebsterAnd the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil: for our lamps are gone out.

What does Matthew 25:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out--rather, as in the Margin, "are going out"; for oil will not light an extinguished lamp, though it will keep a burning one from going out. Ah! now at length they have discovered not only their own folly, but the wisdom of the other class, and they do homage to it. They did not perhaps despise them before, but they thought them righteous overmuch; now they are forced, with bitter mortification, to wish they were like them.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 8.

(1) "gone" or, "are going" (b) "out" Lk 12:35

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 Our lamps are gone out - Σβεννυνται, are going out. So then it is evident that they were once lighted. They had once hearts illuminated and warmed by faith and love; but they had backslidden from the salvation of God, and now they are excluded from heaven, because, through their carelessness, they have let the light that was in them become darkness, and have not applied in time for a fresh supply of the salvation of God. A Jewish rabbin supposes God addressing man thus: - I give thee my lamp, give thou me thy lamp; if thou keep my lamp I will keep thy lamp; but if thou extinguish my lamp I will extinguish thy lamp. That is, I give thee my Word and testimonies to be a light unto thy feet and a lanthorn to thy steps, to guide thee safely through life; give me thy Soul and all its concerns, that I may defend and save thee from all evil: keep my Word, walk in my ways, and I will keep thy Soul that nothing shall injure it; but if thou trample under foot my laws, I will cast thy soul into outer darkness.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 25:1-13

The circumstances of the parable of the ten virgins were taken from the marriage customs among the Jews, and explain the great day of Christ's coming. See the nature of Christianity. As Christians we profess to attend upon Christ, to honour him, also to be waiting for his coming. Sincere Christians are the wise virgins, and hypocrites the foolish ones. Those are the truly wise or foolish that are so in the affairs…

Read the full comment on Matthew 25:1-13 →

Matthew 25:8 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

αἱhai<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
μωραὶmōraithe foolishG3474
ταῖςtaisto theG3588
φρονίμοιςphronimoiswiseG5429
εἶπαν·eipansaid;G2036
δότεdotedo giveG1325
ἡμῖνhēminusG3165
ἐκekofG1537
τοῦtoutheG3588
ἐλαίουelaiouoilG1637
ὑμῶν,humōnof you,G4771
ὅτιhotiforG3754
αἱhaitheG3588
λαμπάδεςlampadeslampsG2985
ἡμῶνhēmōnof usG3165
σβέννυνται.¶sbennuntaiare going out.G4570

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 25:8

  • Proverbs 13:9

    The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

  • Luke 12:35

    Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

  • Hebrews 4:1

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

  • Matthew 13:20-21

    But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

  • Revelation 3:9

    Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

  • Proverbs 20:20

    Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

  • Job 8:13-14

    So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish: Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider’s web.

  • Job 18:5

    Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine.

  • Job 21:17

    How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.

  • Proverbs 4:18-19

    But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

  • Luke 16:24

    And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

  • 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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Give.
3:9; Lu 16:24; Ac 8:24; Re 3:9
for.
13:20,21; Job 8:13,14; 18:5; 21:17; Pr 4:18,19; 13:9; 20:20; Lu 8:18
Lu 12:35
gone out. or, going out.
Heb 4:1

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 25:7

    Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

  • Matthew 25:8

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

  • Matthew 25:9

    But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

Read all of Matthew 25

Matthew 25:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y las fatuas dijeron á las prudentes: Dadnos de vuestro aceite; porque nuestras lámparas se apagan.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les folles dirent aux prudentes: Donnez-nous de votre huile, car nos lampes s’éteignent.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Die Törichten aber sprachen zu den Klugen: Gebet uns von eurem Öl, denn unsere Lampen erlöschen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Fatuæ autem sapientibus dixerunt: Date nobis de oleo vestro, quia lampades nostræ extinguuntur.