The Bride Is Being Prepared

Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins,

who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom,

and five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.

For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,

but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps.

Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.

But at midnight there was a shout,

"Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him."

Then all those virgins rose, and trimmed their lamps.

And the foolish said to the prudent,

"Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out."

But the prudent answered, saying, "No, there will not be enough for us and you too;

go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves."

And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came,

and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast;

and the door was shut.

And later the other virgins also came, saying, "Lord, lord, open up for us."

But he answered and said, "Truly I say to you, I do not know you."

Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

--Matthew 25:1-13

All the virgins heard the call.

"Behold the bridegroom! Come out to meet him."

Not all the virgins were prepared.

This book offers six progressive levels of preparation.