The Parable about the Coins

¹¹ As they were listening to this, Jesus^[a] went on to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and because the people^[b] thought that the kingdom of God would appear immediately. ¹² So he said, “A prince went to a distant country to be appointed king and then to return. ¹³ He called ten of his servants and gave them ten coins.^[c] He told them, ‘Invest this money until I come back.’ ¹⁴ But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation to follow him and to announce, ‘We don’t want this man to rule over us!’

¹⁵ “After he was appointed king, the prince^[d] came back. He ordered the servants to whom he had given the money to be called so he could find out what they had earned by investing. ¹⁶ The first servant^[e] came and said, ‘Sir, your coin has earned ten more coins.’ ¹⁷ The king^[f] told him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.’

¹⁸ “The second servant^[g] came and said, ‘Your coin, sir, has earned five coins.’ ¹⁹ The king^[h] told him, ‘You take charge of five cities.’

²⁰ “Then the other servant^[i] came and said, ‘Sir, look! Here’s your coin. I’ve kept it in a cloth for safekeeping ²¹ because I was afraid of you. You are a hard man. You withdraw what you didn’t deposit and harvest what you didn’t plant.’ ²² The king^[j] told him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you evil servant! You knew, did you, that I was a hard man, and that I withdraw what I didn’t deposit and harvest what I didn’t plant? ²³ Then why didn’t you put my money in the bank? When I returned, I could have collected it with interest.’

²⁴ “So the king^[k] told those standing nearby, ‘Take the coin away from him and give it to the man who has the ten coins.’ ²⁵ They answered him, ‘Sir, he already^[l] has ten coins!’ ²⁶ ‘I tell you, to everyone who has something, more will be given, but from the person who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. ²⁷ But as for these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to be their king—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence!’”