Matthew
25: 14-30
The Parable of the Talents
14"Again, it will be like a man
going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents,
and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put
his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one
with the two talents gained two more. 18But 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. 20The
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 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 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. 25So
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? 27Well then, you should 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. 29For 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. 30And throw that
worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth.'
