Luke 19:11-27

Modern English Version

The Parable of the Ten Pounds^(A)

¹¹ As they heard these things, He continued and told them a parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would immediately appear. ¹² Therefore He said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom and to return. ¹³ So he called his ten servants and entrusted to them ten pounds^[a] and said to them, ‘Trade until I come.’

¹⁴ “But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’

¹⁵ “When he returned, having received the kingdom, he summoned these servants, to whom he had entrusted the money, that he might know what everyone gained by trading.

¹⁶ “The first came, saying, ‘Master, your pound has made ten pounds more.’

¹⁷ “He said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in very little, take authority over ten cities.’

¹⁸ “The second came, saying, ‘Master, your pound has made five pounds more.’

¹⁹ “He said in like manner to him, ‘You, take authority over five cities.’

²⁰ “Then another came, saying, ‘Master, look, here is your pound, which I have kept put away in a napkin. ²¹ For I feared you, because you are an exacting man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’

²² “He said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth will I judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an exacting man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. ²³ Why then did you not deposit my money in the bank, so that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’

²⁴ “Then he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the pound from him and give it to him who has ten pounds.’

²⁵ “They said to him, ‘Master, he has ten pounds.’

²⁶ “ ‘I tell you that to everyone who has will be given. But from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away from him. ²⁷ But as for those enemies of mine, who would not let me reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me.’ ”