Pre-Tribulation Rapture

⁶Then I heard something like the shout of a vast multitude, and like the boom of many pounding waves, and like the roar of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all] reigns.

⁷"Let us rejoice and shout for joy! Let us give Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb has come [at last] and His bride (the redeemed) has prepared herself."

⁸She has been permitted to dress in fine linen, dazzling white and clean—for the fine linen signifies the righteous acts of the saints [the ethical conduct, personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character of believers].

⁹Then the angel said to me, "Write, ' Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me [further], "These are the true and exact words of God."

¹"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

²Five of them were foolish [thoughtless, silly, and careless], and five were wise [far-sighted, practical, and sensible].

³For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them,

⁴but the wise took flasks of oil along with their lamps.

⁵Now while the bridegroom was delayed, they all began to nod off, and they fell asleep.

⁶But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! The bridegroom [is coming]! Go out to meet him.'

⁷Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order [trimmed the wicks and added oil and lit them].

⁸But the foolish virgins said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.'

⁹But the wise replied, 'No, otherwise there will not be enough for us and for you, too; go instead to the dealers and buy oil for yourselves.'

¹⁰But while they were going away to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut and locked.

¹¹Later the others also came, and said, 'Lord, Lord, open [the door] for us.'

¹²But He replied, 'I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I do not know you [we have no relationship].'

¹³Therefore, be on the alert [be prepared and ready], for you do not know the day nor the hour [when the Son of Man will come].