Book of Common Prayer

¹³ Now I say this to you who are not Jews. I am an apostle to those who are not Jews, so I think highly of the work I have been sent to do.

¹⁴ I want the people of my own nation, the Jews, to be jealous. Then I may be able to save some of them.

¹⁵ God turned away from the Jews in order to bring the world back to himself. Then if that is true, when he takes the Jews back to himself, will not that be like making dead people live?

¹⁶ If the first piece of bread is holy, so is all the rest which came from the same bread mix. If the root of a tree is holy, the branches are holy also.

¹⁷ Maybe some of the tree's branches were broken off. And you, a branch from a wild olive tree, were made to grow on the tree among the branches. You then have the good water that comes from the root of the olive tree.

¹⁸ But do not think that you are better than the tree's own branches. If you do, remember it is not you that holds the root in place. But it is the root that holds you.

¹⁹ Then you will say, `The branches were broken off so that I might be joined to the tree.'

²⁰ That is true. They were broken off because they did not believe. And you have your place only because you believe. So do not be proud, but fear.

²¹ If God punished the tree's own branches, he will punish you also.

²² See how kind God is. And see how hard he is. He is hard on those who have fallen. But God is kind to you if you go on following in his ways. If you do not, you also will be broken off.

²³ God will also put back the other branches if they believe. God is able to put the Jews back where they belong.

²⁴ You were cut off from a wild olive tree. And you were put on a good olive tree. That is not the way trees grow. But it can be done. And so, even more, the Jewish branches will be put back on their own olive tree.

¹⁴ `The kingdom of heaven will be like the time a man went to a country far away. He called his servants and put them in charge of his money.

¹⁵ He gave five bags of money to one servant. He gave two bags of money to another servant. He gave one bag of money to another servant. He gave to each one what he was able to be in charge of. Then he went away.

¹⁶ `Right away the servant who had five bags of money began to buy and sell things with it. He made five bags of money more than he had at first.

¹⁷ `The servant who had two bags of money did the same thing as the one who had five bags. He also made two bags of money more than he had at first.

¹⁸ But the man who had only one bag of money dug a hole in the ground. And he hid his master's money in the ground.

¹⁹ `After a long time, the master of those servants came home. He asked what they had done with his money.

²⁰ The servant who had been given five bags of money brought five bags more to his master. He said, "Sir, you gave me five bags of money. See, I have made five bags more money."

²¹ `His master said, "You have done well. You are a good servant. I can trust you. You have taken good care of a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come, have a good time with your master."

²² `The servant who had been given two bags of money came and said to his master, "Sir, you gave me two bags of money. I have made two bags more money."

²³ His master said, "You have done well. You are a good servant. I can trust you. You have taken good care of a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come, have a good time with your master."

²⁴ `The servant who had been given one bag of money came and said, "Sir, I knew that you were a hard man. You cut grain where you did not plant. You pick fruit where you put nothing in.

²⁵ I was afraid. So I went and hid your money in the ground. Here is your money."

²⁶ `His master answered him, "You are a bad and lazy servant. You knew that I cut grain where I did not plant. You knew that I pick fruit where I put nothing in.

²⁷ You should have put my money in the bank. Then when I came home, I would have had my money with interest on it.

²⁸ So take the money away from him. Give it to the one who has ten bags.

²⁹ Anyone who has some will get more, and he will have plenty. But he who does not get anything, even the little that he has will be taken away from him.

³⁰ Take this good-for-nothing servant! Put him out in the dark place outside. People there will cry and make a noise with their teeth." '