¹³ He summoned ten of his slaves and gave them ten pounds and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’

The Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them;^{(A) 15} to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. At once^(B)

²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.^(A)

⁹ Be hospitable to one another without complaining. ¹⁰ Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.^{(A) 11} Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.^(B)

⁷ To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.^{(A) 8} To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,^{(B) 9} to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,^{(C) 10} to another the working of powerful deeds, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.^{(D) 11} All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.^(E)

⁶ We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith;^{(A) 7} ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching;^{(B) 8} the encourager, in encouragement; the giver, in sincerity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.^(C)

Salutation

1 Simeon^[a] Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have received a faith as equally honorable as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

²⁸ And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues.^{(A) 29} Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work powerful deeds?

Salutation

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes in the dispersion:

Greetings.

¹⁰ Am I now seeking human approval or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ.^(A)