¹²He said therefore, o“A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. ¹³Calling pten of his servants,1 he gave them ten minas,2 and said to them, ‘Engage in business quntil I come.’ ¹⁴But rhis citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ ¹⁵When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. ¹⁶The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ ¹⁷And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant!3 Because you have been sfaithful in a very little, tyou shall have authority over ten cities.’ ¹⁸And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ ¹⁹And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ ²⁰Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in ua handkerchief; ²¹for I was afraid of you, because you are va severe man. You take wwhat you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ ²²He said to him, x‘I will condemn you with your own words, yyou wicked servant! You knew that I was va severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? ²³Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ ²⁴And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ ²⁵And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ ²⁶‘I tell you that zto everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ²⁷But ras for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and aslaughter them before me.’”

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