¹² He said therefore, A certain high-born man went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and return.

¹³ And having called his own ten bondmen, he gave to them ten minas, and said to them, Trade while I am coming.

¹⁴ But his citizens hated him, and sent an embassy after him, saying, We will not that this [man] should reign over us.

¹⁵ And it came to pass on his arrival back again, having received the kingdom, that he desired these bondmen to whom he gave the money to be called to him, in order that he might know what every one had gained by trading.

¹⁶ And the first came up, saying, [My] Lord, thy mina has produced ten minas.

¹⁷ And he said to him, Well [done], thou good bondman; because thou hast been faithful in that which is least, be thou in authority over ten cities.

¹⁸ And the second came, saying, [My] Lord, thy mina has made five minas.

¹⁹ And he said also to this one, And *thou*, be over five cities.

²⁰ And another came, saying, [My] Lord, lo, [there is] thy mina, which I have kept laid up in a towel.

²¹ For I feared thee because thou art a harsh man: thou takest up what thou hast not laid down, and thou reapest what thou hast not sowed.

²² He says to him, Out of thy mouth will I judge thee, wicked bondman: thou knewest that *I* am a harsh man, taking up what I have not laid down and reaping what I have not sowed.

²³ And why didst thou not give my money to [the] bank; and *I* should have received it, at my coming, with interest?

²⁴ And he said to those that stood by, Take from him the mina and give [it] to him who has the ten minas.

²⁵ And they said to him, Lord, he has ten minas.

²⁶ For I say unto you, that to every one that has shall be given; but from him that has not, that even which he has shall be taken from him.

²⁷ Moreover those mine enemies, who would not [have] me to reign over them, bring them here and slay [them] before me.