The Parable of the Ten Minas

11 Now as the people were listening to this, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 So he said, “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself and then return. 13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I return.’ 14 But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15 When he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summoned the servants to whom he had given the money, to find out [fn]who had gained what by engaging in business. 16 The first came before him and said, ‘Master, yoʋr mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 The king said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because yoʋ have been faithful in a very small matter, take authority over ten cities.’ 18 The second came and said, ‘Master, yoʋr mina has made five minas.’ 19 The king said to him, ‘Yoʋ are to be over five cities.’ 20 [fn]Another came and said, ‘Master, behold, here is yoʋr mina, which I kept put away in a piece of cloth. 21 For I was afraid of yoʋ, because yoʋ are a stern man. Yoʋ take out what yoʋ did not put in, and yoʋ reap what yoʋ did not [fn]sow.’ 22 The king said to him, ‘I will condemn yoʋ by the words coming out of yoʋr own mouth, yoʋ evil servant. Yoʋ knew, did yoʋ, that I was a stern man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not [fn]sow? 23 Why then did yoʋ not deposit my money in the bank, and when I came I would have collected it with interest?’ 24 Then he said to those standing nearby, ‘Take the mina from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ 25 But they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas!’ 26 The king said, ‘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 [fn]from him. 27 But as for those enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in front of me.’ ”