A Story About Three Servants^(A)

¹⁴ “·The kingdom of heaven [^LIt] is like a man who was going ·to another place for a visit [on a journey/trip]. Before he left, he called for his servants and ·told them to take care of his things while he was gone [^Lentrusted his possessions/wealth to them]. ¹⁵ He gave one servant five ·bags of gold [^Ltalents; ^Ca talent was worth about 6,000 denarii, or twenty years’ wages for a laborer], another servant two ·bags of gold [^Ltalents], and a third servant one ·bag of gold [^Ltalent], to each one ·as much as he could handle [^Laccording to his ability]. Then he left. ¹⁶ The servant who got five ·bags [^Ltalents] went quickly ·to invest the money [and traded with them; and put the money to work] and ·earned [gained] five more. ¹⁷ In the same way, the servant who had two ·invested [traded with] them and ·earned [gained] two more. ¹⁸ But the servant who got one went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

¹⁹ “After a long time the master came home and ·asked the servants what they did with his money [settled/went over the accounts with them]. ²⁰ The servant who was given five ·bags of gold [^Ltalents] brought five more ·bags [^Ltalents] to the master and said, ‘Master, you trusted me to care for five ·bags of gold [^Ltalents], ·so I used your five to earn [^Lsee, I have earned] five more.’ ²¹ The master answered, ‘You did well. You are a good and ·loyal [faithful] servant. Because you were ·loyal [faithful] with ·small [a few] things, I will ·let you care for [put you in charge of] ·much greater [many] things. ·Come and share my joy with me [^LEnter into the joy of your master].’

²² “Then the servant who had been given two ·bags of gold [^Ltalents] came to the master and said, ‘Master, you ·gave me [trusted me with] two ·bags of gold [^Ltalents] to care for, ·so I used your two bags to earn [^Lsee, I have earned] two more.’ ²³ The master answered, ‘You did well. You are a good and ·loyal [faithful] servant. Because you were ·loyal [faithful] with ·small [a few] things, I will ·let you care for [put you in charge of] ·much greater [many] things. ·Come and share my joy with me [^LEnter into the joy of your master].’

²⁴ “Then the servant who had been given one ·bag of gold [^Ltalent] came to the master and said, ‘Master, I knew that you were a ·hard [harsh; exacting; demanding] man. You ·harvest things [reap where] you did not ·plant [sow]. You gather crops where you did not sow any seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid and went and hid your ·money [^Ttalent] in the ground. [^LSee] Here is ·your bag of gold [^Lwhat is yours].’ ²⁶ [^LBut] The master answered, ‘You are a wicked and lazy servant! You say you knew that I ·harvest things [reap where] I did not ·plant [sow] and that I gather crops where I did not sow any seed. ²⁷ So you should have put my ·gold [money] in the bank. Then, when I came home, I would have received ·my gold [what was mine] back with interest.’

²⁸ “·So the master told his other servants, ‘[^LTherefore,] Take the ·bag of gold [^Ltalent] from that servant and give it to the servant who has ten ·bags of gold [^Ltalents]. ²⁹ [^LFor] Those who have much will ·get [be given] more, and they will have ·much more than they need [an abundance]. But those who do not have much will have ·everything [even what they have] taken away from them.’ ³⁰ Then the master said, ‘Throw that ·useless [worthless] servant ·outside, into the darkness [or into the outer darkness,] where ·people will cry and grind their teeth with pain [^Tthere will be weeping and gnashing of teeth; ^Cindicating agony and remorse].