Luke 19:12–27

¹²He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive a kingdom^d and then return. ¹³Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten pounds, and said to them, ‘Trade with these till I come.’ ¹⁴But his citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ ¹⁵When he returned, having received the kingdom,^d he commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading. ¹⁶The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your pound has made ten pounds more.’ ¹⁷And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ ¹⁸And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your pound has made five pounds.’ ¹⁹And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ ²⁰Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your pound, which I kept laid away in a napkin; ²¹for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man; you take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.’ ²²He said to him, ‘I will condemn you out of your own mouth, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? ²³Why then did you not put my money into the bank, and at my coming I should have collected it with interest?’ ²⁴And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the pound from him, and give it to him who has the ten pounds.’ ²⁵(And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten pounds!’) ²⁶‘I tell you, that to every one who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ²⁷But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me.’ ”