Luke 19:11-27

The Parable of the Ten Minas

11 While the people were listening to this, Jesus proceeded to tell them a parable, because He was near Jerusalem and they thought the kingdom of God would appear imminently. ¹

12 So He said, “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to lay claim to his kingship and then return.

13 Beforehand, he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ^[a] ‘Conduct business with this until I return,’ he said.

14 But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’

15 When he returned from procuring his kingship, he summoned the servants to whom he had given the money, to find out what each one had earned.

16 The first servant came forward and said, ‘Master, your mina has produced ten more minas.’

17 His master replied, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you shall have authority over ten cities.’

18 The second servant came and said, ‘Master, your mina has made five minas.’

19 And to this one he said, ‘You shall have authority over five cities.’

20 Then another servant came and said, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have laid away in a piece of cloth. ^[b]

21 For I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.’

22 His master replied, ‘You wicked servant, I will judge you by your own words. So you knew that I am a harsh man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?

23 Why then did you not deposit my money in the bank, and upon my return I could have collected it with interest?’

24 Then he told those standing by, ‘Take the mina from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’

25 ‘Master,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’

26 He replied, ‘I tell you that everyone who has will be given more; but the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

27 And these enemies of mine who were unwilling for me to rule over them, bring them here and slay them in front of me.’”

Cross References

• 1. (Matthew 25:14–30)

Footnotes

• [a] That is, he gave each servant one mina. A mina was most likely a silver coin worth a hundred drachmas, that is, about a hundred days’ wages.
• [b] Greek soudariō