14  For it is as if a man going away out of a country called his own bondmen and delivered to them his substance. 15  And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to each according to his particular ability, and immediately went away out of the country. 16  And he that had received the five talents went and trafficked with them, and made five other talents. 17  In like manner also he that had received the two, he also gained two others. 18  But he that had received the one went and dug in the earth, and hid the money of his lord. 19  And after a long time the lord of those bondmen comes and reckons with them. 20  And he that had received the five talents came to him and brought five other talents, saying, My lord, thou deliveredst me five talents; behold, I have gained five other talents besides them. 21  His lord said to him, Well, good and faithful bondman, thou wast faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things: enter into the joy of thy lord. 22  And he also that had received the two talents came to him and said, My lord, thou deliveredst me two talents; behold, I have gained two other talents besides them. 23  His lord said to him, Well, good and faithful bondman, thou wast faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24  And he also that had received the one talent coming to him said, My lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hadst not sowed, and gathering from where thou hadst not scattered, 25  and being afraid I went away and hid thy talent in the earth; behold, thou hast that which is thine. 26  And his lord answering said to him, Wicked and slothful bondman, thou knewest that I reap where I had not sowed, and gather from where I had not scattered; 27  thou oughtest then to have put my money to the money-changers, and when I came I should have got what is mine with interest. 28  Take therefore the talent from him, and give it to him that has the ten talents: 29  for to every one that has shall be given, and he shall be in abundance; but from him that has not, that even which he has shall be taken from him. 30  And cast out the useless bondman into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

31  But when the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit down upon his throne of glory, 32  and all the nations shall be gathered before him; and he shall separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33  and he will set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left. 34  Then shall the King say to those on his right hand, Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the world’s foundation: 35  for I hungered, and ye gave me to eat; I thirsted, and ye gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; 36  naked, and ye clothed me; I was ill, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came to me. 37  Then shall the righteous answer him saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungering, and nourished thee; or thirsting, and gave thee to drink? 38  and when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in; or naked, and clothed thee? 39  and when saw we thee ill, or in prison, and came to thee? 40  And the King answering shall say to them, Verily, I say to you, Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me. 41  Then shall he say also to those on the left, Go from me, cursed, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42  for I hungered, and ye gave me not to eat; I thirsted, and ye gave me not to drink; 43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye did not clothe me; ill, and in prison, and ye did not visit me. 44  Then shall they also answer saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungering, or thirsting, or a stranger, or naked, or ill, or in prison, and have not ministered to thee? 45  Then shall he answer them saying, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye have not done it to one of these least, neither have ye done it to me. 46  And these shall go away into eternal punishment, and the righteous into life eternal.