THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS

 

Matthew 25: 14-30

14 Again,

It will be like a man going on a Journey,

Who called His Servants

And entrusted His property to them.

15 To one He gave Five Talents of money,

To another Two,

and to another One Talent,

Each according to his ability.

Then He went on His Journey.

16 The man who had received the Five Talents

Went at once and put his money to work

And Gained Five more.

17 So also, the one with the Two Talents

Gained Two more.

18 But the man who had received the One Talent

Went off, dug a hole in the ground

And hid his Master's money.

19 After a long time

The Master of those Servants returned

And Settled Accounts with them.

20 The man who had received the Five Talents

Brought the other Five.

'Master,' he said,

'You Entrusted me with Five Talents.

See, I have Gained Five more.'

21 His Master replied,

'WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT!

YOU HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL WITH A FEW THINGS;

I WILL PUT YOU IN CHARGE OF MANY THINGS.

COME AND SHARE IN YOUR MASTER'S HAPPINESS!'

22 The man with the Two Talents also came.

'Master,' he said,

'You Entrusted me with Two Talents;

See, I have Gained Two more.'

23 His Master replied,

'WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT!

YOU HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL WITH A FEW THINGS;

I WILL PUT YOU IN CHARGE OF MANY THINGS.

COME AND SHARE IN YOUR MASTER'S HAPPINESS!'

24 Then the man who had received the One Talent came.

'Master,' he said,

'I knew that You are a Hard man,

Harvesting where You have not Sown

And Gathering where You have not Scattered Seed.

25 So I was Afraid

And went out and Hid Your Talent in the ground.

See, here is what belongs to You.'

26 His Master replied,

'You Wicked, Lazy Servant!

SO YOU KNEW THAT I HARVEST

WHERE I HAVE NOT SOWN

AND GATHER WHERE I HAVE NOT SCATTERED SEED?

27 WELL THEN,

YOU SHOLD HAVE PUT MY MONEY

ON DEPOSIT WITH THE BANKERS,

SO THAT WHEN I RETURNED

I WOULD HAVE RECEIVED IT BACK WITH INTEREST.

28 'TAKE THE TALENT FROM HIM

AND GIVE IT TO THE ONE WHO HAS THE TEN TALENTS.

29 FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS WILL BE GIVEN MORE,

AND HE WILL HAVE AN ABUNDANCE.

WHOEVER DOES NOT HAVE,

EVEN WHAT HE HAS WILL BE TAKEN FROM HIM.

30 AND THROW THAT WORTHLESS SERVANT OUTSIDE,

INTO THE DARKNESS,

WHERE THERE WILL BE

WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.'

(Matthew 25:14-30)