Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “^(A)For it is just like a man ^(B)about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five ^[a](C)talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he ^(D)went on his journey.

Unity of the Spirit

4 Therefore I, ^(A)the prisoner of the Lord, ^(B)urge you to ^(C)walk in a manner worthy of the ^(D)calling with which you have been ^(E)called, ² with all ^(F)humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another ^(G)in love, ³ being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the ^(H)bond of peace. ⁴ There is ^(I)one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one ^(J)hope of your calling; ^5 (K)one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all ^(L)who is over all and through all and in all.

⁷ But ^(M)to each one of us ^(N)grace was given ^(O)according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore ^[a]it says,

⁹ (Now this expression, “He ^(R)ascended,” what ^[b]does it mean except that He also ^[c]had descended into ^(S)the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is Himself also He who ascended ^(T)far above all the heavens, so that He might ^(U)fill all things.) ¹¹ And He ^(V)gave ^(W)some as apostles, some as prophets, some as ^(X)evangelists, some as ^[d]pastors and ^(Y)teachers, ^12 (Z)for the equipping of the ^[e]saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of ^(AA)the body of Christ; ¹³ until we all attain to ^(AB)the unity of the faith, and of the ^[f](AC)knowledge of the Son of God, to a ^(AD)mature man, to the measure of the stature ^[g]which belongs to the ^(AE)fullness of Christ. ^14 [h]As a result, we are ^(AF)no longer to be children, ^(AG)tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by ^(AH)craftiness ^[i]in ^(AI)deceitful scheming; ¹⁵ but ^[j]speaking the truth ^(AJ)in love, ^[k]we are to ^(AK)grow up in all aspects into Him who is the ^(AL)head, that is, Christ, ¹⁶ from whom ^(AM)the whole body, being fitted and held together ^[l]by what every joint supplies, according to the ^[m]proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself ^(AN)in love.

⁴ Now there are ^(A)varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. ⁶ There are varieties of effects, but the same ^(B)God who works all things in all persons. ⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit ^(C)for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given the word of ^(D)wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of ^(E)knowledge according to the same Spirit; ⁹ to another ^(F)faith ^[a]by the same Spirit, and to another ^(G)gifts of ^[b]healing ^[c]by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ and to another the ^[d]effecting of ^[e](H)miracles, and to another ^(I)prophecy, and to another the ^[f](J)distinguishing of spirits, to another various ^(K)kinds of tongues, and to another the ^(L)interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, ^(M)distributing to each one individually just as He ^[g]wills.

¹² For just ^(N)as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, ^(O)so also is Christ. ¹³ For ^[h](P)by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether ^(Q)Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to ^(R)drink of one Spirit.

¹⁴ For ^(S)the body is not one part, but many. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason ^[i]any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason ^[j]any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But now God has ^(T)arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, ^(U)just as He desired. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ But now ^(V)there are many parts, but one body. ²¹ And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, ^[k]it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; ²³ and those parts of the body which we ^[l]consider less honorable, ^[m]on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable, ²⁴ whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked, ²⁵ so that there may be no ^[n]division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is ^[o]honored, all the parts rejoice with it.

²⁷ Now you are ^(W)Christ’s body, and ^(X)individually parts of it. ²⁸ And God has ^[p](Y)appointed in ^(Z)the church, first ^(AA)apostles, second ^(AB)prophets, third ^(AC)teachers, then ^[q](AD)miracles, then ^(AE)gifts of healings, helps, ^(AF)administrations, and various ^(AG)kinds of tongues. ²⁹ All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of ^[r]miracles, are they? ³⁰ All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not ^(AH)interpret, do they? ³¹ But ^(AI)earnestly desire the greater gifts.

And yet, I am going to show you a far better way.