13
"So always be ready, because you don't know the day or the hour the Son of Man will come.
14
"The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was going to another place for a visit. Before he left, he called for his servants and told them to take care of his things while he was gone.
15
He gave one servant five bags of gold, another servant two bags of gold, and a third servant one bag of gold, to each one as much as he could handle. Then he left.
16
The servant who got five bags went quickly to invest the money and earned five more bags.
17
In the same way, the servant who had two bags invested them and earned two more.
18
But the servant who got one bag went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid the master's money.
19
"After a long time the master came home and asked the servants what they did with his money.
20
The servant who was given five bags of gold brought five more bags to the master and said, 'Master, you trusted me to care for five bags of gold, so I used your five bags to earn five more.'
21
The master answered, 'You did well. You are a good and loyal servant. Because you were loyal with small things, I will let you care for much greater things. Come and share my joy with me.'
22
"Then the servant who had been given two bags of gold came to the master and said, 'Master, you gave me two bags of gold to care for, so I used your two bags to earn two more.'
23
The master answered, 'You did well. You are a good and loyal servant. Because you were loyal with small things, I will let you care for much greater things. Come and share my joy with me.'