Matthew 25:14-30

The Parable of the Talents

14 ¹“For ²it will be like a man ³going on a journey, who called his servants^[a] and entrusted to them his property.

15 To one he gave five ⁴talents, ^[b] to another two, to another one, ⁵to each according to his ability. Then he ⁶went away.

16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.

17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more.

18 But he who had received the one talent went and ⁷dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 Now ⁸after a long time the master of those servants came and ⁹settled accounts with them.

20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more. ’

21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and ¹⁰faithful servant. ^{[c] 11}You have been faithful over a little; ¹²I will set you over much. Enter into ¹³the joy of your master. ’

22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more. ’

23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. ’

24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be ¹⁴a hard man, reaping ¹⁵where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed,

25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here ¹⁶you have what is yours. ’

26 But his master answered him, ‘You ¹⁷wicked and ¹⁸slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?

27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.

28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.

29 ¹⁹For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

30 And ²⁰cast ²¹the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place ²²there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ’

Cross References

• 1. 25:14 For ver. 14-30, [Luke 19:12-27]
• 2. 25:14 [Mark 13:34]
• 3. 25:14 ch. 21:33
• 4. 25:15 ch. 18:24
• 5. 25:15 [Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:11; Eph. 4:7; 1 Pet. 4:10]
• 6. 25:15 [See ver. 14 above]
• 7. 25:18 [ch. 13:44]
• 8. 25:19 [ver. 5]
• 9. 25:19 ch. 18:23; Rom. 14:12; [Luke 16:2]
• 10. 25:21 ver. 23; ch. 24:45
• 11. 25:21 Luke 16:10; 1 Cor. 4:2; [1 Tim. 3:13]
• 12. 25:21 ch. 24:47
• 13. 25:21 Heb. 12:2; [John 15:11]
• 14. 25:24 1 Sam. 25:3
• 15. 25:24 [2 Cor. 8:12]
• 16. 25:25 ch. 20:14
• 17. 25:26 ch. 18:32; Prov. 20:4; Rom. 12:11
• 18. 25:26 ch. 18:32; Prov. 20:4; Rom. 12:11
• 19. 25:29 [Luke 12:48]; See ch. 13:12
• 20. 25:30 See ch. 8:12
• 21. 25:30 [Luke 17:10]
• 22. 25:30 See ch. 8:12

Footnotes

• [a] 25:14 Greek 'bondservants'; also verse 19
• [b] 25:15 A 'talent' was a monetary unit worth about twenty years’ wages for a laborer
• [c] 25:21 Greek 'bondservant'; also verses 23, 26, 30