independentparticipialrelativecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
The ten virgins — the bridegroom delayed and the shut door 25:1–13
vv. 1–5 — ten virgins, one delay: the wise take oil, all sleep
1
Τότε ὁμοιωθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν δέκα παρθένοις,independent — the discourse runs on from ch. 24 — Τότε keys the parable to the parousia; the bridegroom is the returning Christ (cf. 9:15)
αἵτινες λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας ἑαυτῶν ἐξῆλθον εἰς ὑπάντησιν τοῦ νυμφίου.relative — αἵτινες nearly a simple relative — εἰς ὑπάντησιν, the formal reception of an arriving dignitary; the secondary 'and the bride' is not printed
2
πέντε δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἦσαν μωραὶ καὶ πέντε φρόνιμοι.independent — the decisive split — μωραί against φρόνιμοι, the very pair of 7:24–27
3
αἱ γὰρ μωραὶ λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ' ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον.cause — γάρ cashes out the labels — lamps but no reserve ἔλαιον, the readiness one cannot borrow; concessive λαβοῦσαι kept in-line
4
αἱ δὲ φρόνιμοι ἔλαβον ἔλαιον ἐν τοῖς ἀγγείοις μετὰ τῶν λαμπάδων ἑαυτῶν.cause — the answering δέ-half, coordinate under ἦσαν — separate flasks beside the lamps: the wise's whole difference is provision
5
χρονίζοντος δὲ τοῦ νυμφίουparticipial — genitive absolute, forward-leaning on ἐνύσταξαν — χρονίζω, the delay-motif of the whole discourse (24:48; 25:19)
ἐνύσταξαν πᾶσαι καὶ ἐκάθευδον.independent — ingressive aorist, then imperfect — all ten nod off and sleep on; sleep is no fault here, unpreparedness is
vv. 6–9 — the midnight cry: oil that cannot be borrowed
6
μέσης δὲ νυκτὸς κραυγὴ γέγονεν·independent — dramatic perfect γέγονεν — the alarm at the deepest, least expected hour
Ἰδοὺ ὁ νυμφίος,content — verbless presentative exclamation — the herald's shout, hung on κραυγή
ἐξέρχεσθε εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτοῦ.content — the summons — εἰς ἀπάντησιν, the going-out to receive the arriving one (cf. 1 Thess 4:17)
7
τότε ἠγέρθησαν πᾶσαι αἱ παρθένοι ἐκεῖναι καὶ ἐκόσμησαν τὰς λαμπάδας ἑαυτῶν.independent — all ten wake and trim — the common response that exposes the uncommon provision
8
αἱ δὲ μωραὶ ταῖς φρονίμοις εἶπαν·independent — the lack surfaces at the worst moment — speech-frame
Δότε ἡμῖν ἐκ τοῦ ἐλαίου ὑμῶν,content — the desperate plea — partitive ἐκ as the object of δότε
ὅτι αἱ λαμπάδες ἡμῶν σβέννυνται.cause — the ground — progressive σβέννυνται, flickering out in process
9
ἀπεκρίθησαν δὲ αἱ φρόνιμοι λέγουσαι·independent — the refusal — the Semitic 'answered, saying' frame
Μήποτε οὐ μὴ ἀρκέσῃ ἡμῖν καὶ ὑμῖν·content — μήποτε with οὐ μή — the cautious emphatic denial: realism, not selfishness; readiness will not stretch to ten lamps
πορεύεσθε μᾶλλον πρὸς τοὺς πωλοῦνταςcontent — the redirect — μᾶλλον, the better course than begging
καὶ ἀγοράσατε ἑαυταῖς.content — reflexive ἑαυταῖς — the non-transferable purchase
vv. 10–12 — the ready enter and the door is shut
10
ἀπερχομένων δὲ αὐτῶν ἀγοράσαιparticipial — genitive absolute with purpose infinitive, forward-leaning on ἦλθεν — absent at the moment that matters
ἦλθεν ὁ νυμφίος,independent — the arrival at last — precisely while the foolish are away
καὶ αἱ ἕτοιμοι εἰσῆλθον μετ' αὐτοῦ εἰς τοὺς γάμους,independent — αἱ ἕτοιμοι — 'the ready,' the parable's criterion; the γάμοι, the messianic banquet (cf. 22:2)
καὶ ἐκλείσθη ἡ θύρα.independent — ἐκλείσθη — the irrevocable close of the day of grace (cf. Luke 13:25)
11
ὕστερον δὲ ἔρχονται καὶ αἱ λοιπαὶ παρθένοι λέγουσαι·independent — historic present ἔρχονται — the latecomers' vivid arrival, too late
Κύριε κύριε, ἄνοιξον ἡμῖν.content — the doubled κύριε of 7:21–22 — urgent address that avails nothing without prior readiness
12
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν·independent — the bridegroom's reply — speech-frame
Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν,content — the ἀμήν-formula inside the parable — the solemn verdict
οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς.content — οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς — no relationship (cf. 7:23); what the shut door tests
v. 13 — the moral: watch
13
Γρηγορεῖτε οὖν,independent — the punch line at discourse level — γρηγορεῖτε, the refrain of 24:42–44 capping the parable; Byz. adds 'in which the Son of Man comes' (not printed)
ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε τὴν ἡμέραν οὐδὲ τὴν ὥραν.cause — the hidden timing grounds the perpetual watch — the comprehensive 'neither day nor hour'
The talents — faithful stewardship and the master's joy 25:14–30
vv. 14–18 — the trust: five, two, one — each κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν δύναμιν
14
Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος ἀποδημῶν ἐκάλεσεν τοὺς ἰδίους δούλουςcomparative — suspended Ὥσπερ — the apodosis ('so it will be') is never expressed; the comparison itself carries the story, so it stands flush as the parable's mainline
καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ,independent — παραδίδωμι — the entrusting that creates the interval of stewardship
15
καὶ ᾧ μὲν ἔδωκεν πέντε τάλαντα, ᾧ δὲ δύο, ᾧ δὲ ἕν, ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν δύναμιν,independent — distributive ᾧ μέν … ᾧ δέ — a talent is some twenty years' wages; the trust is vast and measured to the man
καὶ ἀπεδήμησεν.independent — the departure begins the testing interval
εὐθέωςphrase modifier — read with v. 16 by the critical editions — the adverb leans forward onto πορευθείς: the first servant acts without delay
16
πορευθεὶς ὁ τὰ πέντε τάλαντα λαβὼν ἠργάσατο ἐν αὐτοῖςindependent — ἐργάζομαι — active investment of the capital; the identifying λαβών kept in-line
καὶ ἐκέρδησεν ἄλλα πέντε·independent — the doubling — ἐκέρδησεν (the aorist is read against the present/imperfect variants)
17
ὡσαύτως ὁ τὰ δύο ἐκέρδησεν ἄλλα δύο.independent — ὡσαύτως — the lesser trust doubled in the same proportion; faithfulness, not amount, is what will count
18
ὁ δὲ τὸ ἓν λαβὼν ἀπελθὼν ὤρυξεν γῆνindependent — the third servant's contrast — burial, the recognized safe-keeping (cf. 13:44), here the refusal of service
καὶ ἔκρυψεν τὸ ἀργύριον τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ.independent — τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ — the money remains the master's; safe but fruitless
vv. 19–23 — the reckoning: two reports, one identical joy
19
μετὰ δὲ πολὺν χρόνον ἔρχεται ὁ κύριος τῶν δούλων ἐκείνωνindependent — historic present — 'after a long time,' the delayed return echoing v. 5; the master's coming is the parousia
καὶ συναίρει λόγον μετ' αὐτῶν.independent — συναίρει λόγον — the audit idiom of 18:23; the eschatological reckoning
20
καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ τὰ πέντε τάλαντα λαβὼν προσήνεγκεν ἄλλα πέντε τάλαντα λέγων·independent — the first reckoning — he produces the increase; speech-frame
Κύριε, πέντε τάλαντά μοι παρέδωκας·content — the master's gift acknowledged first — παρέδωκας before ἐκέρδησα
ἴδε ἄλλα πέντε τάλαντα ἐκέρδησα.content — ἴδε — the doubled trust presented
21
ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ·independent — the commendation — speech-frame
Εὖ, δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ,content — verbless exclamation and vocative — πιστός, the steward's cardinal virtue (cf. 24:45)
ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός,content — ὀλίγα — even the vast talents are 'little' beside what follows
ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω·content — the asyndetic reward — promotion to greater trust (cf. 24:47)
εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου.content — the climactic welcome — the master's own χαρά, the kingdom's banquet (cf. v. 10)
22
προσελθὼν δὲ καὶ ὁ τὰ δύο τάλαντα εἶπεν·independent — the second reckoning — the report mirrors the first word for word
Κύριε, δύο τάλαντά μοι παρέδωκας·content — the same formula, proportioned to the lesser trust
ἴδε ἄλλα δύο τάλαντα ἐκέρδησα.content — the same doubling — the two servants stand on equal footing
23
ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ·independent — the second commendation — speech-frame
Εὖ, δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ,content — identical to v. 21 — the refrain: reward keyed to faithfulness, not yield
ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός,content — the same 'little' — two talents no less than five
ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω·content — the same promotion
εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου.content — the same joy — the verbatim repetition is the parable's point
vv. 24–30 — the one-talent servant: slander, fear, and the outer darkness
24
προσελθὼν δὲ καὶ ὁ τὸ ἓν τάλαντον εἰληφὼς εἶπεν·independent — the third reckoning — the perfect εἰληφώς, the standing fact of his trust; speech-frame
Κύριε, ἔγνων σεcontent — ἔγνων σε with prolepsis — his settled (and mistaken) estimate of the master
ὅτι σκληρὸς εἶ ἄνθρωπος,content — the slander — σκληρός, the accusing caricature that excuses his own inaction
θερίζων ὅπου οὐκ ἔσπειραςparticipial — adjectival participle with its ὅπου-clause — the proverbial grasper who profits where he never invested
καὶ συνάγων ὅθεν οὐ διεσκόρπισας,participial — the parallel participle — συνάγων ὅθεν, gathering whence he winnowed nothing
25
καὶ φοβηθεὶς ἀπελθὼν ἔκρυψα τὸ τάλαντόν σου ἐν τῇ γῇ·content — the excuse completed — causal φοβηθείς: fear, not faith, drove the burial
ἴδε ἔχεις τὸ σόν.content — τὸ σόν — preservation mistaken for fidelity: nothing lost, nothing gained
26
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ εἶπεν αὐτῷ·independent — the verdict — speech-frame
Πονηρὲ δοῦλε καὶ ὀκνηρέ,content — verbless vocative — πονηρέ and ὀκνηρέ, the exact antitheses of 'good and faithful' (vv. 21, 23)
ᾔδειςcontent — the excuse turned back on him — the pluperfect taking up his own claim as a question
ὅτι θερίζω ὅπου οὐκ ἔσπειραcontent — the servant's charge quoted back verbatim, now first person
καὶ συνάγω ὅθεν οὐ διεσκόρπισα;content — the second half of the quotation — even on his own slander he stands condemned
27
ἔδει σε οὖν βαλεῖν τὰ ἀργύριά μου τοῖς τραπεζίταις,content — ἔδει — the imperfect of unfulfilled obligation: even minimal diligence would have sufficed
καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐγὼ ἐκομισάμην ἂν τὸ ἐμὸν σὺν τόκῳ.content — aorist with ἄν — the unreal apodosis: σὺν τόκῳ, the yield the deposit would have earned
28
ἄρατε οὖν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ τὸ τάλαντονcontent — the sentence executed — command to the attendants
καὶ δότε τῷ ἔχοντι τὰ δέκα τάλαντα·content — the unused trust reallocated to the most fruitful
29
τῷ γὰρ ἔχοντι παντὶ δοθήσεται καὶ περισσευθήσεται·cause — the kingdom maxim (cf. 13:12) grounding the command — divine passives: grace responded to grows
τοῦ δὲ μὴ ἔχοντος καὶ ὃ ἔχει ἀρθήσεται ἀπ' αὐτοῦ.cause — the maxim's dark half, coordinate under δότε — grace neglected is forfeited
30
καὶ τὸν ἀχρεῖον δοῦλον ἐκβάλετε εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον·content — ἀχρεῖος — 'useless'; expulsion from the lit hall, Matthew's image of final exclusion (8:12; 22:13)
ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων.content — the refrain that bursts the parable frame (cf. 24:51) — kept inside the master's speech with the punctuation
The sheep and the goats — the Son of Man judges the nations 25:31–46
vv. 31–33 — the Son of Man enthroned; all nations parted as a flock
31
Ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄγγελοι μετ' αὐτοῦ,conditional — forward ὅταν (typed cnd; no temporal key) — the Danielic figure of Dan 7:13–14; the shorter ἄγγελοι read against 'holy angels'
τότε καθίσει ἐπὶ θρόνου δόξης αὐτοῦ·independent — the τότε-apodosis — enthronement to judge; θρόνος δόξης, the Hebraic genitive of quality
32
καὶ συναχθήσονται ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη,independent — divine passive — πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, the universal assize
καὶ ἀφορίσει αὐτοὺς ἀπ' ἀλλήλων,independent — ἀφορίζω — the judicial division of the mingled mass
ὥσπερ ὁ ποιμὴν ἀφορίζει τὰ πρόβατα ἀπὸ τῶν ἐρίφων,comparative — backward ὥσπερ on ἀφορίσει — the evening parting of the mixed flock: the Judge's effortless discrimination
33
καὶ στήσει τὰ μὲν πρόβατα ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ, τὰ δὲ ἐρίφια ἐξ εὐωνύμων.independent — μέν … δέ — right hand of favor, ill-omened left: the placement anticipates the verdict before a word is spoken
vv. 34–40 — the King and the sheep: the litany of mercy and the ἐφ' ὅσον answer
34
τότε ἐρεῖ ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῖς ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ·independent — the Son of Man now named ὁ βασιλεύς — the first verdict's speech-frame
Δεῦτε, οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ πατρός μου,content — δεῦτε, a hortatory particle — verbless summons; nominative for vocative, 'blessed of my Father' (contrast the unattributed curse of v. 41)
κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου.content — κληρονομέω — inheritance, not wage; prepared ὑμῖν from creation (against the fire prepared for the devil, v. 41)
35
ἐπείνασα γὰρ καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν,cause — the γάρ-ground of the verdict — the litany begins: the King in the hungry
ἐδίψησα καὶ ἐποτίσατέ με,cause — second of six — the coordinate litany runs level
ξένος ἤμην καὶ συνηγάγετέ με,cause — συνάγω of hospitality — the alien received
36
γυμνὸς καὶ περιεβάλετέ με,cause — the copula elided as the litany tightens
ἠσθένησα καὶ ἐπεσκέψασθέ με,cause — ἐπισκέπτομαι — the visit that brings care, not mere presence
ἐν φυλακῇ ἤμην καὶ ἤλθατε πρός με.cause — sixth and costliest — coming to the prisoner; the six ordinary mercies complete
37
τότε ἀποκριθήσονται αὐτῷ οἱ δίκαιοι λέγοντες·independent — οἱ δίκαιοι — the verdict's own name for the sheep; the counter-litany's speech-frame
Κύριε, πότε σε εἴδομεν πεινῶντα καὶ ἐθρέψαμεν, ἢ διψῶντα καὶ ἐποτίσαμεν;content — the astonished πότε — their mercy was unselfconscious, done to the needy for their own sake
38
πότε δέ σε εἴδομεν ξένον καὶ συνηγάγομεν, ἢ γυμνὸν καὶ περιεβάλομεν;content — the second pair — each question echoing the King's words back
39
πότε δέ σε εἴδομεν ἀσθενοῦντα ἢ ἐν φυλακῇ καὶ ἤλθομεν πρός σε;content — the final pair closes the puzzled counter-litany — the righteous cannot recall serving the King as such
40
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐρεῖ αὐτοῖς·independent — the answer that unlocks the whole scene — speech-frame
Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν,content — the ἀμήν-formula on the King's lips
ἐφ' ὅσον ἐποιήσατε ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων,conditional — ἐφ' ὅσον protasis of degree, forward-leaning (typed cnd) — τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου debated: Christ's disciples, or all the needy; ἑνί, even one counts
ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε.content — emphatic ἐμοί — the King's identification with the least; the verse the two litanies were built to reach
vv. 41–45 — the King and the goats: the litany negated
41
Τότε ἐρεῖ καὶ τοῖς ἐξ εὐωνύμων·independent — the dark counterpart of v. 34 — the second verdict's speech-frame
Πορεύεσθε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ οἱ κατηραμένοιcontent — πορεύεσθε against δεῦτε — dismissal from the presence (cf. 7:23); οἱ κατηραμένοι left unattributed, no 'of my Father'
εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον τὸ ἡτοιμασμένον τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ.phrase modifier — the goal phrase mirroring v. 34's kingdom — prepared for the devil, not for humans: the telling asymmetry
42
ἐπείνασα γὰρ καὶ οὐκ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν,cause — the litany negated — the same γάρ-ground, the same deeds, this time undone: sin as omission
ἐδίψησα καὶ οὐκ ἐποτίσατέ με,cause — the second withholding
43
ξένος ἤμην καὶ οὐ συνηγάγετέ με,cause — hospitality refused
γυμνὸς καὶ οὐ περιεβάλετέ με,cause — the elided copula again as the negations tighten
ἀσθενὴς καὶ ἐν φυλακῇ καὶ οὐκ ἐπεσκέψασθέ με.cause — the last two needs compressed under one withheld ἐπεσκέψασθε — the omissions condemn
44
τότε ἀποκριθήσονται καὶ αὐτοὶ λέγοντες·independent — καὶ αὐτοί — the cursed echo the righteous' protest; speech-frame
Κύριε, πότε σε εἴδομεν πεινῶντα ἢ διψῶντα ἢ ξένον ἢ γυμνὸν ἢ ἀσθενῆ ἢ ἐν φυλακῇ καὶ οὐ διηκονήσαμέν σοι;content — the six needs run together in one self-justifying breath — διηκονήσαμεν: they would have served the King, just not the least
45
τότε ἀποκριθήσεται αὐτοῖς λέγων·independent — the counter-identification — speech-frame
Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν,content — the ἀμήν-formula, mirroring v. 40
ἐφ' ὅσον οὐκ ἐποιήσατε ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἐλαχίστων,conditional — the negated ἐφ' ὅσον protasis, forward-leaning — 'my brothers' now dropped, the scope perhaps widened to the needy generally
οὐδὲ ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε.content — οὐδὲ ἐμοί — failure toward the least is failure toward the King
v. 46 — the two eternities
46
καὶ ἀπελεύσονται οὗτοι εἰς κόλασιν αἰώνιον,independent — the discourse's last sentence — κόλασις αἰώνιος, the penal destiny of the cursed
οἱ δὲ δίκαιοι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.independent — verb elided in the balanced antithesis — the same αἰώνιος weighs both halves, closing the Olivet discourse on the two ways
Analysis. Matthew 25 is the Olivet discourse's close, and the chapter never leaves Jesus' mouth: no verb of saying occurs anywhere in it — the speech runs on from 24:4 — so, on the matthew6 mid-sermon convention, the discourse's own clauses stand flush-left at depth 0 and only what the discourse itself quotes indents: each parable's internal dialogue nests blue beneath its own verbs of saying (εἶπαν, λέγουσαι, ἔφη, ἐρεῖ), two levels down where speech sits inside speech (the ἀμὴν-λέγω verdicts of vv. 12, 40, 45). The shape shows three panels of one lesson. In the virgins (vv. 1–13) the mainline narrates to the shut door, the genitive absolutes of delay and absence (vv. 5, 10) leaning forward anchor-less, and the panel closes at discourse level on γρηγορεῖτε οὖν. In the talents (vv. 14–30) the suspended Ὥσπερ of v. 14 — its apodosis never expressed — is laid flush as the parable's own mainline (the anacoluthon flagged, not hidden), εὐθέως is read with v. 16 as the critical editions divide it, and the three reckonings print as parallel frames: two faithful reports and the twice-identical commendation (v. 21 = v. 23), then the third servant's slander with its θερίζων-ὅπου caricature chaining deep, the master quoting it back to him, and the γάρ-maxim of v. 29 hanging under δότε. In the sheep and goats (vv. 31–46) the forward ὅταν opens the assize, the shepherd ὥσπερ hangs backward on ἀφορίσει, and the two verdicts mirror: Δεῦτε against Πορεύεσθε, the sixfold ἐπείνασα-litany coordinate as the γάρ-ground of each (positive under κληρονομήσατε, negated under Πορεύεσθε), the astonished πότε-questions of righteous and cursed alike, and the twin ἐφ' ὅσον protases (typed cnd) leaning forward on their ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε apodoses. Cruxes taken: τοῦ νυμφίου at v. 1 without the secondary καὶ τῆς νύμφης; v. 13 without the Byzantine 'in which the Son of Man comes'; τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων (v. 40) is tagged with the debate (Christ's disciples, or all the needy) and v. 45's dropped 'my brothers' noted as the possible widening; and at v. 46 the one adjective αἰώνιος weighing both κόλασις and ζωή is left doing exactly that.