Faithful service

¹¹ As they listened to this, Jesus told them another parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought God’s kingdom would appear right away. ¹² He said, “A certain man who was born into royalty went to a distant land to receive his kingdom and then return. ¹³ He called together ten servants and gave each of them money worth four months’ wages.^[a] He said, ‘Do business with this until I return.’ ¹⁴ His citizens hated him, so they sent a representative after him who said, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’ ¹⁵ After receiving his kingdom, he returned and called the servants to whom he had given the money to find out how much they had earned. ¹⁶ The first servant came forward and said, ‘Your money has earned a return of one thousand percent.’ ¹⁷ The king replied, ‘Excellent! You are a good servant. Because you have been faithful in a small matter, you will have authority over ten cities.’

¹⁸ “The second servant came and said, ‘Master, your money has made a return of five hundred percent.’ ¹⁹ To this one, the king said, ‘You will have authority over five cities.’

²⁰ “Another servant came and said, ‘Master, here is your money. I wrapped it up in a scarf for safekeeping. ²¹ I was afraid of you because you are a stern man. You withdraw what you haven’t deposited and you harvest what you haven’t planted.’ ²² The king replied, ‘I will judge you by the words of your own mouth, you worthless servant! You knew, did you, that I’m a stern man, withdrawing what I didn’t deposit, and harvesting what I didn’t plant? ²³ Why then didn’t you put my money in the bank? Then when I arrived, at least I could have gotten it back with interest.’

²⁴ “He said to his attendants, ‘Take his money and give it to the one who has ten times as much.’ ²⁵ ‘But Master,’ they said, ‘he already has ten times as much!’ ²⁶ He replied, ‘I say to you that everyone who has will be given more, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ²⁷ As for my enemies who don’t want me as their king, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’”

²⁸ After Jesus said this, he continued on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.