Book of Common Prayer

¹³ Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Insofar as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I celebrate my particular ministry, ¹⁴ so that, if possible, I can make my “flesh” jealous, and save some of them. ¹⁵ If their casting away, you see, means reconciliation for the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

The two olive trees

¹⁶ Take another illustration: if the first fruits are holy, so is the whole lump.

And another: if the root is holy, so are the branches.

¹⁷ But if some of the branches were broken off, and you—a wild olive tree!—were grafted in among them, and came to share in the root of the olive with its rich sap, ¹⁸ don’t boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember this: it isn’t you that supports the root, but the root that supports you.

¹⁹ I know what you’ll say next: “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ²⁰ That’s all very well. They were broken off because of unbelief—but you stand firm by faith. Don’t get big ideas about it; instead, be afraid. ²¹ After all, if God didn’t spare the natural branches, there’s a strong possibility he won’t spare you.

²² Note carefully, then, that God is both kind and severe. He is severe to those who have fallen, but he is kind to you, provided you continue in his kindness—otherwise you too will be cut off. ²³ And they, too, if they do not remain in unbelief, will be grafted back in. God is able, you see, to graft them back in. ²⁴ For if you were cut out of what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will they, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

The parable of the talents

¹⁴ “This is what it will be like,” Jesus went on. “It will be like a man who was going off on a journey. He summoned his slaves, and handed over control of his property to them. ¹⁵ He gave five talents to the first, two to the next, and one to the last—each according to his ability. Then he left.

“Straight away ¹⁶ the man who had been given the five talents went out and traded with them, and made five more. ¹⁷ Similarly, the one who had received two talents went and made another two. ¹⁸ But the one who received a single talent went and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹ “After a long time, the master of those slaves came back and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The man who had received five talents came forward and gave him the other five talents. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you gave me five talents. Look: I’ve made another five!’ ²¹ ‘Well done indeed,’ said his master. ‘You’re an excellent slave, and loyal too! You’ve been trustworthy with small things, and now I’m going to put you in charge of bigger ones. Come and join your master’s celebration!’

²² “Then the man who had had the two talents came forward. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you gave me two talents. Look: I’ve made another two!’ ²³ ‘Well done indeed,’ said his master. ‘You’re an excellent slave, and loyal too! You’ve been trustworthy with small things, and now I’m going to put you in charge of bigger ones. Come and join your master’s celebration!’

²⁴ “Then the man who had had the one talent came forward. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you were a hard man. You reap where you didn’t sow, and you profit from things you never invested in. ²⁵ So I was scared! I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here it is: it’s yours, you can have it back.’

²⁶ “ ‘You’re a wicked and lazy slave!’ answered his master. ‘So! You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow, and profit from investments I never made? ²⁷ Then you should have put my money with the bankers, and when I returned I would have received back what I had with interest!’

²⁸ “ ‘So take the talent from him,’ he went on, ‘and give it to the man who has ten talents.’ ²⁹ (If someone already has something, you see, they will be given more, and they’ll have plenty. But if someone has nothing, even what they have will be taken away from them.) ³⁰ ‘But as for this useless slave, throw him outside in the dark, where people weep and grind their teeth.’ ”