Matius 25:14-27

The Parable of the Talents

25:14 “For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves ¹  and entrusted his property to them. 25:15 To ²  one he gave five talents, ³  to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 25:16 The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work ⁴  and gained five more. 25:17 In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. 25:18 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. 25:19 After ⁵  a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. 25:20 The ⁶  one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Sir, ⁷  you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 25:21 His master answered, ⁸  ‘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.’ 25:22 The ⁹  one with the two talents also came and said, ‘Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more.’ 25:23 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.’ 25:24 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, 25:25 so ¹⁰  I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ 25:26 But his master answered, ¹¹  ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter? 25:27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, ¹²  and on my return I would have received my money back with interest! ¹³ 

[25:14]  ¹ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.

[25:15]  ² tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[25:15]  ³ sn A talent was equal to 6000 denarii. See the note on this term in 18:24.

[25:16]  ⁴ tn Grk “traded with them.”

[25:19]  ⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[25:20]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[25:20]  ⁷ tn Grk Or “Lord; or “Master” (and so throughout this paragraph).

[25:21]  ⁸ tn Grk “His master said to him.”

[25:22]  ⁹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[25:25]  ¹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[25:26]  ¹¹ tn Grk “But answering, his master said to him.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.

[25:27]  ¹² tn For the translation “deposited my money with the bankers,” see L&N 57.216.

[25:27]  ¹³ sn That is, “If you really feared me you should have done a minimum to get what I asked for.”