Luke 19:11–23

The Parable of the Ten Minas

19:11 While the people were listening to these things, Jesus28 proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem,29 and because they thought30 that the kingdom of God31 was going to32 appear immediately. 19:12 Therefore he said, “A nobleman33 went to a distant country to receive34 for himself a kingdom and then return.35 19:13 And he summoned ten of his slaves,36 gave them ten minas,37 and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ 19:14 But his citizens38 hated39 him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man40 to be king41 over us!’ 19:15 When42 he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summoned43 these slaves to whom he had given the money. He wanted44 to know how much they had earned45 by trading. 19:16 So46 the first one came before him and said, ‘Sir,47 your mina48 has made ten minas more.’ 19:17 And the king49 said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful50 in a very small matter, you will have authority51 over ten cities.’ 19:18 Then52 the second one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has made five minas.’ 19:19 So53 the king54 said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 19:20 Then another55 slave56 came and said, ‘Sir, here is57 your mina that I put away for safekeeping58 in a piece of cloth.59 19:21 For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe60 man. You withdraw61 what you did not deposit62 and reap what you did not sow.’ 19:22 The king63 said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words,64 you wicked slave!65 So you knew, did you, that I was a severe66 man, withdrawing what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow? 19:23 Why then didn’t you put67 my money in the bank,68 so that when I returned I could have collected it with interest?’

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28	tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
29	map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
30	tn The present active infinitive δοκεῖν (dokein) has been translated as causal.
31	sn Luke means here the appearance of the full kingdom of God in power with the Son of Man as judge as Luke 17:22–37 describes.
32	tn Or perhaps, “the kingdom of God must appear immediately (see L&N 71.36).
33	tn Grk “a man of noble birth” or “a man of noble status” (L&N 87.27).
34	sn Note that the receiving of the kingdom takes place in the far country. This suggests that those in the far country recognize and acknowledge the king when his own citizens did not want him as king (v. 14; cf. John 1:11–12).
35	sn The background to this story about the nobleman who went … to receive for himself a kingdom had some parallels in the area’s recent history: Archelaus was appointed ethnarch of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea in 4 b.c., but the people did not like him. Herod the Great also made a similar journey to Rome where he was crowned King of Judea in 40 b.c., although he was not able to claim his kingdom until 37 b.c.
36	tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.
37	sn That is, one for each. A mina was a Greek monetary unit worth one hundred denarii or about four months’ wages for an average worker based on a six-day work week.
38	tn Or “subjects.” Technically these people were not his subjects yet, but would be upon his return. They were citizens of his country who opposed his appointment as their king; later the newly-appointed king will refer to them as his “enemies” (v. 27).
39	tn The imperfect is intense in this context, suggesting an ongoing attitude.
40	tn Grk “this one” (somewhat derogatory in this context).
41	tn Or “to rule.”
42	tn Grk “And it happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
43	tn Grk “he said for these slaves to be called to him.” The passive construction has been translated as an active one and simplified to “he summoned.”
44	tn Grk “in order that he might know” (a continuation of the preceding sentence). Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “he” as subject and the verb “wanted” to convey the idea of purpose.
45	sn The Greek verb earned refers to profit from engaging in commerce and trade (L&N 57.195). This is an examination of stewardship.
46	tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the royal summons.
47	tn Or “Lord”; or “Master.” (and so throughout this paragraph).
48	tn See the note on the word “minas” in v. 13.
49	tn Grk “he”; the referent (the nobleman of v. 12, now a king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
50	* Lk 16:10
51	sn The faithful slave received expanded responsibility (authority over ten cities) as a result of his faithfulness; this in turn is an exhortation to faithfulness for the reader.
52	tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
53	tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the second slave’s report.
54	tn Grk “he”; the referent (the nobleman of v. 12, now a king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
55	sn Though ten were given minas, the story stops to focus on the one who did nothing with the opportunity given to him. Here is the parable’s warning about the one who does not trust the master. This figure is called “another,” marking him out as different than the first two.
56	tn The word “slave” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied for stylistic reasons.
57	tn Grk “behold.”
58	tn Or “that I stored away.” L&N 85.53 defines ἀπόκειμαι (apokeimai) here as “to put something away for safekeeping—‘to store, to put away in a safe place.’ ”
59	tn The piece of cloth, called a σουδάριον (soudarion), could have been a towel, napkin, handkerchief, or face cloth (L&N 6.159).
60	tn Or “exacting,” “harsh,” “hard.”
61	tn Grk “man, taking out.” The Greek word can refer to withdrawing money from a bank (L&N 57.218), and in this context of financial accountability that is the most probable meaning. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “you” as subject and translating the participle αἴρεις (aireis) as a finite verb.
62	tn The Greek verb τίθημι (tithēmi) can be used of depositing money with a banker to earn interest (L&N 57.217). In effect the slave charges that the master takes what he has not earned.
63	tn Grk “He”; the referent (the nobleman of v. 12, now a king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
64	tn Grk “out of your own mouth” (an idiom).
65	tn Note the contrast between this slave, described as “wicked,” and the slave in v. 17, described as “good.”
66	tn Or “exacting,” “harsh,” “hard.”
67	tn That is, “If you really feared me why did you not do a minimum to get what I asked for?”
68	tn Grk “on the table”; the idiom refers to a place where money is kept or managed, or credit is established, thus “bank” (L&N 57.215).

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