11 Then Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) went on to tell a parable to those who heard all that, because he was getting near to Yerushalem (Jerusalem) and they had assumed that God’s kingdom was going appear straight away. 12 Because of that, he told them, “Once a man of high status was going to a distant country to inherit a kingdom, and then to return after that. 13 So he called his ten slaves and gave them ten silver coins and told them to put them to work until he got back. 14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation out to him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to reign over us.’

15 “But he received his kingdom and then he headed back and sent for those slaves that he had given the silver to, to find out how well they’d traded. 16 The first slave arrived and said, ‘Master, I used your silver coin to earn ten more coins.’ 17 ‘Well done good slave,’ he said, ‘and because you were faithful with a little, I’ll put you in charge of ten cities.’ 18 Then the second slave came and said, ‘Your silver master, gained five more coins.’ 19 ‘You too,’ the master said, ‘will be put in charge of five cities.’ 20 Then another slave came and said, ‘Master, look, here’s your silver that I kept hidden away wrapped in a handkerchief 21 because I was scared of you, knowing that you’re a hard man—picking up what you didn’t put down, and harvesting where you didn’t sow.’ 22 ‘I’ll judge you by your own words,’ the master said, ‘you evil slave! You knew that I’m a hard man, picking up what I didn’t put down, and harvesting what I didn’t sow. 23 So why didn’t you take my silver to the bank? Then went I returned, at least I would have been able to collect some interest.’ 24 Then the master told the others who were standing there, ‘Take the silver coin away from him and give it to the slave who has the ten.’ 25 But they protested, ‘Master, he already has ten coins.’ 26 ‘I’m telling you all,’ the master replied, ‘that everyone who has, will be given more, but the person who doesn’t have, even what they have will be taken away from them.[ref] 27 However, about those enemies of mine who didn’t want me to reign over them: bring them here and strike them down in front of me.’ ”[ref]

14 “It’s like a man who was leaving on a trip. He called his slaves and shared his savings among them for them to manage.[ref] 15 He gave five bags of silver[fn] to one, two bags to another, and one to the other, according to each slave’s ability, and then he departed. 16 In his absence, the one with five bags of silver used it for trading and gained five more bags. 17 Similarly, the one with two bags gained two more bags. 18 But the one who received the one bag, he went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s silver.

19 “Eventually the master of those slaves returned, and he called them in to settle up their accounts. 20 The slave who’d received five bags of silver approached, also bringing the other five bags, and said, ‘Master, you entrusted me with five bags, and look, I gained another five.’ 21 ‘Well done, good and faithful slave,’ said the master. ‘You were faithful with a few things, so I’ll put you in charge of a lot more things. Come and join your master in celebrating.’ 22 The slave who’d received two bags approached and said, ‘Master, you entrusted me with two bags of silver. Look, I gained another two.’ 23 ‘Well done, good and faithful slave,’ said the master. ‘You were faithful with a few things, so I’ll put you in charge of a lot more things. Come and join your master in celebrating.’ 24 Then the slave with one bag of silver also approached, and he said, ‘Master, I knew that you’re a hard man, harvesting where you didn’t plant, and gathering where you didn’t spread seed. 25 So because I was afraid, I went and hid your silver in the ground. So look, here’s all of it back.’ 26 ‘You evil and lazy slave,’ his master answered. ‘You know that I harvest where I didn’t plant, and gather where I didn’t spread seed, 27 so you should’ve at least invested my silver with the bankers, and then I could’ve got it back with some interest. 28 Therefore take the bag of silver off him and give it to the one with ten bags, 29 because everyone who has will be given more, and will have plenty, but anyone who doesn’t have, even what they do have will be taken away from them.[ref] 30 So throw that useless slave out into the darkness where there’ll be crying and a lot of anguish.[ref]