Matthew 25:21
New International Version
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

New Living Translation
“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

English Standard Version
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

Berean Standard Bible
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’

Berean Literal Bible
His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master!'

King James Bible
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

New King James Version
His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

New American Standard Bible
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master.’

NASB 1995
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

NASB 1977
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master.’

Legacy Standard Bible
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

Amplified Bible
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.’

Christian Standard Bible
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’

American Standard Version
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
His master said to him, ''Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I shall set you over much; enter the joy of your Lord.'

Contemporary English Version
"Wonderful!" his master replied. "You are a good and faithful servant. I left you in charge of only a little, but now I will put you in charge of much more. Come and share in my happiness!"

Douay-Rheims Bible
His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant, because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

English Revised Version
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"His master replied, 'Good job! You're a good and faithful servant! You proved that you could be trusted with a small amount. I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and share your master's happiness.'

Good News Translation
'Well done, you good and faithful servant!' said his master. 'You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!'

International Standard Version
"His master told him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy servant! Since you've been trustworthy with a small amount, I'll put you in charge of a large amount. Come and share your master's joy!'

Literal Standard Version
And his lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant, you were faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things; enter into the joy of your lord.

Majority Standard Bible
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’

New American Bible
His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’

NET Bible
His master answered, 'Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.'

New Revised Standard Version
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

New Heart English Bible
"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

Webster's Bible Translation
His lord said to him, Well done thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Weymouth New Testament
"'You have done well, good and trustworthy servant,' replied his master; 'you have been trustworthy in the management of a little, I will put you in charge of much: share your master's joy.'

World English Bible
“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

Young's Literal Translation
'And his lord said to him, Well done, servant, good and faithful, over a few things thou wast faithful, over many things I will set thee; enter into the joy of thy lord.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Parable of the Talents
20The servant who had received the five talents came and presented five more. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’ 22The servant who had received the two talents also came and said, ‘Master, you entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more.’…

Cross References
Proverbs 14:35
A king delights in a wise servant, but his anger falls on the shameful.

Proverbs 28:20
A faithful man will abound with blessings, but one eager to be rich will not go unpunished.

Matthew 24:45
Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time?

Matthew 24:47
Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

Matthew 25:23
His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!'

Luke 12:44
Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

Luke 16:10
Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.


Treasury of Scripture

His lord said to him, Well done, you good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of your lord.

Well.

2 Chronicles 31:20,21
And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God…

Luke 16:10
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

Romans 2:29
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

I will.

Matthew 25:34-40,46
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: …

Matthew 10:40-42
He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me…

Matthew 24:47
Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

enter.

Matthew 25:23
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Psalm 16:10,11
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption…

John 12:26
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Jump to Previous
Bondman Charge Enter Faithful Few Good Great Joy Little Management Master Master's Part Ruler Servant Share Small Trustworthy True.
Jump to Next
Bondman Charge Enter Faithful Few Good Great Joy Little Management Master Master's Part Ruler Servant Share Small Trustworthy True.
Matthew 25
1. The parable of the ten virgins,
14. and of the talents.
31. Also the description of the last judgment.














(21) I will make thee ruler over many things.--Better, I will set thee over many things. The word "ruler" is not in the Greek. Here again, as in Matthew 24:47, we have a glimpse given us into the future that lies behind the veil. So far as the parable brings before us prominently either the final judgment or that which follows upon each man's death, we see that the reward of faithful work lies not in rest only, bat in enlarged activity. The world to come is thus connected by a law of continuity with that in which we live; and those who have so used their "talents" as to turn many to righteousness, may find new spheres of action, beyond all our dreams, in that world in which the ties of brotherhood that have been formed on earth are not extinguished, but, so we may reverently believe, multiplied and strengthened.

Enter thou into the joy of thy lord.--The words are almost too strong for the framework of the parable. A human master would hardly use such language to his slaves. But here, as yet more in the parable that follows, the reality breaks through the symbol, and we hear the voice of the divine Master speaking to His servants, and He bids them share His joy, for that joy also had its source (as He told them but a few hours later) in loyal and faithful service, in having "kept His Father's commandments" (John 15:10-11).

Verse 21. - Well done (εϋ), thou good and faithful servant. He is praised, not for success, but for being "good," i.e. kind and merciful and honest in exercising the trust for others' benefit; and "faithful," true to his master's interests, not idle or inactive, but keeping one object always before him, steadily aiming at fidelity. Some regard the words as a commendation of the servant's works and faith, but this is not the primary meaning according to the context. Over a few things. The sum entrusted to him was considerable in itself, but little compared with the riches of his lord, and little in comparison of the reward bestowed upon him. The Greek here is ἐπὶ ὀλίγα, the accusative case denoting "extending over," or "as regards." I will make thee ruler (σε καταστήσω, I will set thee, Matthew 24:45) over many things; ἐπὶ πολλῶν, the genitive implying fixed authority over. From being a slave he is raised to the position of master. He is treated according to the principle in Luke 16:10, "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much." The spiritual import of this reward is hard to understand, if it is wished to assign to it a definite meaning. It seems to intimate that in the other world Christ's most honoured and faithful followers will have some special work to do for him in guiding and ruling the Church (see on Matthew 19:28; and comp. Luke 19:17, etc.). Enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Here is seen a marked contrast between the hard life of the slave and the happiness of the master. Literalists find here only a suggestion that the lord invites the servant to attend the feast by which his return home was celebrated. Certainly, the word translated "joy" (χαρὰ) may possibly be rendered "feast," as the LXX. translate mishteh in Esther 9:17, and a slave's elevation to his master's table would imply or involve his manumission. On the earthly side of the transaction, this and his extended and more dignified office would be sufficient reward for his fidelity. The spiritual signification of the sentence has been variously interpreted. Some find in it only an explanation of the former part of the award, "I will make thee ruler over many things," conveying no further accession of beatitude. But surely this is an inadequate conception of the guerdon. There are plainly two parts to this. One is advancement to more important position; the second is participation in the fulness of joy which the Lord's presence ensures (Psalm 16:11; Psalm 21:6), which, possessed entirely by himself, he communicates to his faithful. This comprises all blessedness. And it is noted that the joy is not said to enter into us. That indeed, though a blessing unspeakable, would be an inferior boon, as Augustine says; but we enter into the joy, when it is not measured by our capacity for receiving it, but absorbs us, envelops us, becomes our atmosphere, our life. Commentators quote Leighton's beautiful remark, "It is but little that we can receive here, some drops of joy that enter into us; but there we shall enter into joy, as vessels put into a sea of happiness."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

master
κύριος (kyrios)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.

replied,
Ἔφη (Ephē)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5346: To say, declare. Properly, the same as the base of phos and phaino; to show or make known one's thoughts, i.e. Speak or say.

‘Well done,
Εὖ (Eu)
Adverb
Strong's 2095: Well, well done, good, rightly; also used as an exclamation. Neuter of a primary eus; well.

good
ἀγαθὲ (agathe)
Adjective - Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong's 18: A primary word; 'good'.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

faithful
πιστέ (piste)
Adjective - Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4103: Trustworthy, faithful, believing. From peitho; objectively, trustworthy; subjectively, trustful.

servant!
δοῦλε (doule)
Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1401: (a) (as adj.) enslaved, (b) (as noun) a (male) slave. From deo; a slave.

You have been
ἦς (ēs)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

faithful
πιστός (pistos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4103: Trustworthy, faithful, believing. From peitho; objectively, trustworthy; subjectively, trustful.

with
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

a few things;
ὀλίγα (oliga)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3641: Puny; especially neuter somewhat.

I will put
καταστήσω (katastēsō)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2525: From kata and histemi; to place down, i.e. to designate, constitute, convoy.

you {in charge}
σε (se)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

of
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

many things.
πολλῶν (pollōn)
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

Enter
εἴσελθε (eiselthe)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1525: To go in, come in, enter. From eis and erchomai; to enter.

into
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

joy
χαρὰν (charan)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5479: Joy, gladness, a source of joy. From chairo; cheerfulness, i.e. Calm delight.

of
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

your
σου (sou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

master!�
κυρίου (kyriou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.


Links
Matthew 25:21 NIV
Matthew 25:21 NLT
Matthew 25:21 ESV
Matthew 25:21 NASB
Matthew 25:21 KJV

Matthew 25:21 BibleApps.com
Matthew 25:21 Biblia Paralela
Matthew 25:21 Chinese Bible
Matthew 25:21 French Bible
Matthew 25:21 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: Matthew 25:21 His lord said to him 'Well done (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 25:20
Top of Page
Top of Page