The Parable of the Talents

14 ?Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them


15 To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey


16 The man who had received five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five talents more

17 So also, the one with two talents gained two more


18 But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money


19 ?After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them

20 The man who had received five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'


21 ?His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'


22 ?The man with two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

23 ?His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'


24 ?Then the man who had received one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'


26 ?His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest

28 ?'So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'


The Sheep and the Goats


31 ?When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne

32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats


33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left


34 ?Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world

35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in


36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'


37 ?Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?

38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?


39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'


40 ?The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'

41 ?Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels


42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink


43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44 ?They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'


45 ?He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'


46 ?Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.?