(A)The apostles said to (B)the Lord, “Increase our faith!” But (C)the Lord said, “If you [a]had faith [b]the size of (D)a mustard seed, you could say to this (E)mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would [c]obey you.

“Now which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him after he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and recline at the table to eat’? On the contrary, will he not say to him, ‘(F)Prepare something for me to eat, and properly [d]clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and [e]afterward you [f]may eat and drink’? He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? 10 So you too, when you do all the things which were commanded you, say, ‘We are [g]unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 17:6 Lit have
  2. Luke 17:6 Lit like
  3. Luke 17:6 Lit have obeyed
  4. Luke 17:8 Lit belt up
  5. Luke 17:8 Lit after these things
  6. Luke 17:8 Lit will
  7. Luke 17:10 I.e., possibly unworthy of praise

The Apostles Ask For More Faith. The Smallest Amount Is Enough

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase faith for us”. And the Lord said, “If you have faith like a seed[a] of a mustard-plant, you would say to this mulberry-tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’, and it would have obeyed you. And who from-among you is there who, having a slave plowing or shepherding, will say to him having come in from the field, ‘Immediately having come-to the table, fall back [to eat]!’? But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something I may have-for-dinner. And having girded-yourself, be serving me until I eat and drink. And after these things, you will eat and drink’? He does not have gratitude[b] for the slave because he did the things having been commanded, does he? 10 So also you, when you do all the things having been commanded to you, be saying that ‘We are unprofitable[c] slaves. We have done what we were obligated to do’”.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 17:6 That is, the tiniest amount of faith is enough because God does the work, not you.
  2. Luke 17:9 Or, thankfulness.
  3. Luke 17:10 No matter how far our faith in action extends, we are unable to bring our Master any gain exceeding His investment in us.