Wise Servants Will Put Their Talents To Work For The Master While He Is Gone

¹⁴ “For it ^[a] is just like a man going-on-a-journey— he called his own slaves and handed over his possessions to them. ¹⁵ And he gave five talents^[b] to one, and two to another, and one to another— to each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey. ¹⁶ Immediately^[c] having gone, the one having received the five talents worked with them and gained another five. ¹⁷ Similarly, the one having received the two talents gained another two. ¹⁸ But the one having received the one talent, having gone, dug [a hole in] the ground and hid his master’s silver talent. ¹⁹ Now after much time, the master of those slaves comes and settles the account with them. ²⁰ And having come to him, the one having received the five talents brought another five talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed-over five talents to me. Look, I gained another five talents’. ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well^[d] done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful over a few things. I will put you in charge over many things. Enter into the joy of your master’. ²² And also having come to him, the one having received the two talents said, ‘Master, you handed over two talents to me. Look, I gained another two talents’. ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful over a few things. I will put you in charge over many things. Enter into the joy of your master’. ²⁴ And also having come to him, the one having received^[e] the one talent said, ‘Master, I knew you— that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering from where you did not scatter^[f] [threshings]. ²⁵ And having become afraid, having gone, I hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours’. ²⁶ But having responded, his master said to him, ‘Evil and lazy slave! You knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather from where I did not scatter^[g]! ²⁷ Therefore you should-have put my money with the bankers. And having come, I would have received-back what was mine with interest. ²⁸ Therefore take the talent away from him, and give it to the one having the ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone having, it will be given, and he will be caused-to-abound. But from the one not having, even what he has will be taken away from him. ³⁰ And throw-out the unprofitable^[h] slave into the outer darkness’. In that place, there will be the weeping and the grinding of teeth.