Book of Common Prayer

¹³ I preach to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles. I will magnify my office, ¹⁴ so that I might rally those who are my flesh, and might save some of them. ¹⁵ For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what is the receiving of them but life again from death? ¹⁶ For if one piece is holy, the whole lump is holy. And if the root is holy, the branches are holy also.

¹⁷ Though some of the branches are broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, are grafted in among them and made partaker of the root and sap of the olive tree, ¹⁸ do not boast against the branches. For if you boast, remember that you do not bear the root, but the root bears you. ¹⁹ You will say then that the branches are broken off so that you may be grafted in. ²⁰ Well said: because of unbelief they are broken off, and you stand steadfast in faith. Be not high-minded, but fear, ²¹ seeing that God spared not the natural branches, lest perhaps he also not spare you.

²² Behold the kindness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity, but towards you, kindness – if you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you will be hewn off. ²³ And they, if they do not persist in unbelief, will be grafted in again. For God is of power to graft them in again. ²⁴ For if you were cut out of a natural, wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a true olive tree, how much more may the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree again?

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.