Matthew 25:14-30
New English Translation
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves[a] and entrusted his property to them. 15 To[b] one he gave five talents,[c] to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work[d] and gained five more. 17 In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. 18 But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money in it. 19 After[e] a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. 20 The[f] one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Sir,[g] you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 His master answered,[h] ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 The[i] one with the two talents also came and said, ‘Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more.’ 23 His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed, 25 so[j] I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered,[k] ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter? 27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers,[l] and on my return I would have received my money back with interest![m] 28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten.[n] 29 For the one who has will be given more,[o] and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.[p] 30 And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness,[q] where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 25:14 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
- Matthew 25:15 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:15 sn A talent was equal to 6000 denarii. See the note on this term in 18:24.
- Matthew 25:16 tn Grk “traded with them.”
- Matthew 25:19 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:20 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:20 tn Grk Or “Lord; or “Master” (and so throughout this paragraph).
- Matthew 25:21 tn Grk “His master said to him.”
- Matthew 25:22 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:25 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 25:26 tn Grk “But answering, his master said to him.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
- Matthew 25:27 tn For the translation “deposited my money with the bankers,” see L&N 57.216.
- Matthew 25:27 sn That is, “If you really feared me you should have done a minimum to get what I asked for.”
- Matthew 25:28 tn Grk “the ten talents.”
- Matthew 25:29 tn Grk “to everyone who has, he will be given more.”sn The one who has will be given more. Faithfulness yields great reward (see Matt 13:12; also Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18; 19:26).
- Matthew 25:29 sn The one who has nothing has even what he seems to have taken from him, ending up with no reward at all (see also Luke 8:18). The exact force of this is left ambiguous, but there is no comfort here for those who are pictured by the third slave as being totally unmoved by the master. Though not an outright enemy, there is no relationship to the master either.
- Matthew 25:30 tn The Greek term translated “darkness” (σκότος) is associated with Tartarus in Aeschylus, Eumenides 72; other references to the darkness of death and the underworld can be found throughout the classical literature as far back as Homer. BDAG 932 s.v. σκότος 1 states: “Of the darkness of the place of punishment far removed fr. the heavenly kingdom (Philo, Exsecr. 152 βαθὺ σκότος. Cf. Wsd 17:20; PsSol 14:9.—σκ. κ. βόρβορος ‘gloom and muck’ await those who are untrue to the Eleusinian Mysteries, Ael. Aristid. 22, 10 K.=19 p. 421 D. Of the darkness of death and the underworld in Hom. and the Trag. As the domain of evil spirits PGM 36, 138; Theoph. Ant. 2, 7 [p. 110, 5]) τὸ σκ. τὸ ἐξώτερον the darkness outside Mt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30.”
Matthew 25:14-30
Christian Standard Bible
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey.(A) He called his own servants and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 To one he gave five talents,[a] to another two talents, and to another one talent, depending on each one’s ability. Then he went on a journey.(B) Immediately 16 the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. 17 In the same way the man with two earned two more. 18 But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I’ve earned five more talents.’
21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’(C)
22 “The man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I’ve earned two more talents.’
23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’
24 “The man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a harsh man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed.(D) 25 So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’
26 “His master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy servant!(E) If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, 27 then[b] you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and I would have received my money[c] back with interest when I returned.
28 “‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.(F) 30 And throw this good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness,(G) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
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