Book of Common Prayer

³³ O the deepness of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out. ³⁴ For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor? ³⁵ Or who has given to him first, that he should be recompensed? ³⁶ For from him, and through him, and for him, are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

The sweet living, love, and works of the people who believe in Christ.

12 I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercifulness of God, to make your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable serving of God. ² Do not fashion yourselves to this world, but be changed in your nature by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is that good, that favourable, and perfect will of God.

¹⁴ Likewise it will be as a certain man, ready to take his journey to a strange country, called his servants and delivered his goods to them. ¹⁵ And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one – to every man according to his ability – and straightaway departed. ¹⁶ Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and won another five talents. ¹⁷ Likewise, he who received two gained another two. ¹⁸ But he who received the one went and dug a hole in the earth, and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹ After a long season, the lord of those servants came and reckoned with them. ²⁰ Then came he that had received five talents, and brought another five talents, saying, Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have gained with them five talents more. ²¹ Then his master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in a little; I will appoint you over much. Enter into your master’s joy!

²² Also he who received two talents came and said, Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have won two other talents with them. ²³ And his master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in a little; I will appoint you over much. Go in, into your master’s joy.

²⁴ Then he who had received the one talent came and said, Master, I considered that you were a hard man, who reaps where you did not sow and gathers where you did not scatter, ²⁵ and was therefore afraid, and went and hid your talent in the earth. Here, have your talent.

²⁶ His master answered and said to him, You evil servant, and slothful: you knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? ²⁷ You ought therefore to have put my money with the moneychangers, and then at my coming I would have received what is my own with profit. ²⁸ Take therefore the talent from him, and give it to the one who has ten talents. ²⁹ For every person who has will be given more, and he will have abundance; and from him who has not, shall be taken away even what he has. ³⁰ And cast that unprofitable servant into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.