Luke 19:13-24 ▼

13 He called ten of his servants and gave them ten coins. He told them, 'Invest this money until I come back.'

14 But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation to follow him and to announce, 'We don't want this man to rule over us!'

15 |After he was appointed king, the prince came back. He ordered the servants to whom he had given the money to be called so he could find out what they had earned by investing.

16 The first servant came and said, 'Sir, your coin has earned ten more coins.'

17 The king told him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.'

18 |The second servant came and said, 'Your coin, sir, has earned five coins.'

19 The king told him, 'You take charge of five cities.'

20 |Then the other servant came and said, 'Sir, look! Here's your coin. I've kept it in a cloth for safekeeping

21 because I was afraid of you. You are a hard man. You withdraw what you didn't deposit and harvest what you didn't plant.'

22 The king told him, 'I will judge you by your own words, you evil servant! You knew, did you, that I was a hard man, and that I withdraw what I didn't deposit and harvest what I didn't plant?

23 Then why didn't you put my money in the bank? When I returned, I could have collected it with interest.'

24 |So the king told those standing nearby, 'Take the coin away from him and give it to the man who has the ten coins.'