Matthew 25:14–30

¹⁴For it is as if a man going away out of a country called his own bondmen and delivered to them his substance. ¹⁵And 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. ¹⁶And he that had received the five talents went and trafficked with them, and made five other talents. ¹⁷In like manner also he that had received the two, he also gained two others. ¹⁸But he that had received the one went and dug in the earth, and hid the money of his lord. ¹⁹And after a long time the lord of those bondmen comes and reckons with them. ²⁰And 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. ²¹His 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. ²²And 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. ²³His 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. ²⁴And 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, ²⁵and being afraid I went away and hid thy talent in the earth; behold, thou hast that which is thine. ²⁶And 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; ²⁷thou oughtest then to have put my money to the money-changers, and when I came I should have got what is mine with interest. ²⁸Take therefore the talent from him, and give it to him that has the ten talents: ²⁹for 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. ³⁰And cast out the useless bondman into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.