^12 (A)Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.

The Parable of the Talents^(A)

^14 (B)“For the kingdom of heaven is ^(C)like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. ¹⁵ And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, ^(D)to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. ¹⁶ Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. ¹⁷ And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. ¹⁸ But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. ¹⁹ After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

²⁰ “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ ²¹ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were ^(E)faithful over a few things, ^(F)I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into ^(G)the joy of your lord.’ ²² He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ ²³ His lord said to him, ^(H)‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into ^(I)the joy of your lord.’

²⁴ “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

²⁶ “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You ^(J)wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. ²⁷ So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

^29 (K)‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the unprofitable servant ^(L)into the outer darkness. ^(M)There will be weeping and ^(N)gnashing of teeth.’

⁷ Behold, He is coming with ^(A)clouds, and every eye will see Him, even ^(B)they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

²² who has gone into heaven and ^(A)is at the right hand of God, ^(B)angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

²⁸ so ^(A)Christ was ^(B)offered once to bear the sins ^(C)of many. To those who ^(D)eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

^12 (A)Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. ¹³ So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten ^[a]minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’ ^14 (B)But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’

¹⁵ “And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. ¹⁶ Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’ ¹⁷ And he said to him, ^(C)‘Well done, good servant; because you were ^(D)faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ ¹⁸ And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’ ¹⁹ Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’

²⁰ “Then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief. ^21 (E)For I feared you, because you are ^[b]an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ ²² And he said to him, ^(F)‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. ^(G)You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. ²³ Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’

²⁴ “And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.’ ²⁵ (But they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas.’) ²⁶ ‘For I say to you, ^(H)that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. ²⁷ But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.’ ”

^9 (A)Therefore God also ^(B)has highly exalted Him and ^(C)given Him the name which is above every name, ^10 (D)that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and ^(E)that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

²⁰ which He worked in Christ when ^(A)He raised Him from the dead and ^(B)seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ^21 (C)far above all ^(D)principality^[a] and ^[b]power and ^[c]might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

²² And ^(E)He put all things under His feet, and gave Him ^(F)to be head over all things to the church, ^23 (G)which is His body, ^(H)the fullness of Him ^(I)who fills all in all.

²⁵ For He must reign ^(A)till He has put all enemies under His feet.