TO LAURIE 　 Laurie (1 July 2013) "Patti C. who are the 10 virgins?" 　 Hi Laurie!   Thanks for you letter and positive comments on my study on the Ten Virgins. I am posting a part 2 to that study, and I hope that makes my position clearer. Yet, your question is a very good one and here is what I believe. The lamps are the Word of God, or the Torah. The oil is the Gospel, that is preached to them by the Two Witnesses and the 144,000 during the first half of the Tribulation. The extra oil is the Holy Spirit they receive if they believe the Gospel, accept Christ into their hearts and are born again and have a personal relationship with Jesus.   The foolish virgins may have believed the Gospel, had the initial oil, but they did not have a personal relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Jesus tells them to depart as he does not KNOW them.   About the wise telling the foolish to go buy oil, the wise seem to know that the foolish are still worldly in that they are not born again, so if they trust in the world then go buy it. This is impossible, there is no way they could buy salvation, it is a free gift that they did not accept, even though they had ample opportunity to do so before the Second Coming.   Just how I see it, hope that answers what you were asking.   Many blessing to you!!   Agape! Patti C.