The Parable of the Talents

^14 (A)“For ^(B)it will be like a man ^(C)going on a journey, who called his servants^[a] and entrusted to them his property.

^9 (A)Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. ^10 (B)As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, ^(C)as good stewards of God's varied grace: ¹¹ whoever speaks, as one who speaks ^(D)oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves ^(E)by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything ^(F)God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. ^(G)To him belong glory and ^(H)dominion forever and ever. Amen.

^34 (A)It is like a man ^(B)going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants^[a] in charge, ^(C)each with his work, and commands ^(D)the doorkeeper to stay awake.

The Ministry of Apostles

4 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and ^(A)stewards of the mysteries of God. ² Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

¹² He said therefore, ^(A)“A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. ¹³ Calling ^(B)ten of his servants,^[a] he gave them ten minas,^[b] and said to them, ‘Engage in business ^(C)until I come.’ ¹⁴ But ^(D)his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ ¹⁵ When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. ¹⁶ The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ ¹⁷ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant!^[c] Because you have been ^(E)faithful in a very little, ^(F)you shall have authority over ten cities.’ ¹⁸ And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ ¹⁹ And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ ²⁰ Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in ^(G)a handkerchief; ²¹ for I was afraid of you, because you are ^(H)a severe man. You take ^(I)what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ ²² He said to him, ^(J)‘I will condemn you with your own words, ^(K)you wicked servant! You knew that I was ^(L)a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? ²³ Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and 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 the one who has the ten minas.’ ²⁵ And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ ²⁶ ‘I tell you that ^(M)to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ²⁷ But ^(N)as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and ^(O)slaughter them before me.’”

¹¹ And ^(A)he gave the ^(B)apostles, the prophets, the ^(C)evangelists, the ^(D)shepherds^[a] and teachers,^[b]

^6 (A)Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if ^(B)prophecy, ^(C)in proportion to our faith; ⁷ if ^(D)service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; ⁸ the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; ^(E)the one who leads,^[a] with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with ^(F)cheerfulness.

^7 (A)To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of ^(B)wisdom, and to another the utterance of ^(C)knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹ to another ^(D)faith by the same Spirit, to another ^(E)gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another ^(F)the working of miracles, to another ^(G)prophecy, to another ^(H)the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another ^(I)various kinds of tongues, to another ^(J)the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, ^(K)who apportions to each one individually ^(L)as he wills.

One Body with Many Members

¹² For just as ^(M)the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, ^(N)so it is with Christ. ¹³ For ^(O)in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—^(P)Jews or Greeks, slaves^[a] or free—and ^(Q)all were made to drink of one Spirit.

¹⁴ For the body does not consist of one member but of many. ¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? ¹⁸ But as it is, ^(R)God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, ^(S)as he chose. ¹⁹ If all were a single member, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts,^[b] yet one body.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, ²⁴ which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, ²⁵ that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, ^(T)all rejoice together.

²⁷ Now ^(U)you are the body of Christ and individually ^(V)members of it. ²⁸ And ^(W)God has appointed in the church first ^(X)apostles, second ^(Y)prophets, third teachers, then ^(Z)miracles, then ^(AA)gifts of healing, ^(AB)helping, ^(AC)administrating, and ^(AD)various kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?

⁴ Now ^(A)there are varieties of gifts, but ^(B)the same Spirit;