Matthew 25:14-30

New American Standard Bible

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. ¹⁶ The one who had received the five ^(E)talents immediately went and did business with them, and earned five more talents. ¹⁷ In the same way the one who had received the two talents earned two more. ¹⁸ But he who received the one talent went away and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his ^[b]master’s money.

¹⁹ “Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *^(F)settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The one who had received the five ^(G)talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have earned five more talents.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and ^(H)faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will ^(I)put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your ^[c]master.’

²² “Also the one who had received the two ^(J)talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have earned two more talents.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and ^(K)faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master.’

²⁴ “Now the one who had received the one ^(L)talent also came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed. ²⁵ And I was afraid, so I went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you still have what is yours.’

²⁶ “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You ^[d]worthless, lazy slave! Did you know that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have ^[e]put my money in the bank, and ^[f]on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. ²⁸ Therefore: take the talent away from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

²⁹ “^(M)For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. ³⁰ And throw the worthless slave into ^(N)the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.