The Life of Jesus

But he answered, `Indeed! I tell you, I don't know you!'

So stay alert, because you know neither the day nor the hour.

"For it will be like a man about to leave home for awhile, who entrusted his possessions to his servants.

To one he gave five talents [equivalent to a hundred years' wages]; to another, two talents; and to another, one talent -- to each according to his ability. Then he left.

The one who had received five talents immediately went out, invested it and earned another five.

Similarly, the one given two earned another two.

But the one given one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

"After a long time, the master of those servants returned to settle accounts with them.

The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the other five and said, `Sir, you gave me five talents; here, I have made five more.'

His master said to him, `Excellent! You are a good and trustworthy servant. You have been faithful with a small amount, so I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and join in your master's happiness!'

Also the one who had received two came forward and said, `Sir, you gave me two talents; here, I have made two more.'

His master said to him, `Excellent! you are a good and trustworthy servant. You have been faithful with a small amount, so I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and join in your master's happiness!'

"Now the one who had received one talent came forward and said, `I knew you were a hard man. You harvest where you didn't plant and gather where you didn't sow seed.

I was afraid, so I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here! Take what belongs to you!'

`You wicked, lazy servant!' said his master, `So you knew, did you, that I harvest where I haven't planted? and that I gather where I didn't sow seed?

Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, so that when I returned, I would at least have gotten back interest with my capital!

Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten.

For everyone who has something will be given more, so that he will have more than enough; but from anyone who has nothing, even what he does have will be taken away.

As for this worthless servant, throw him out in the dark, where people will wail and grind their teeth!'

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, accompanied by all the angels, he will sit on his glorious throne.

All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates sheep from goats.

The `sheep' he will place at his right hand and the `goats' at his left.

"Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you made me your guest,

I needed clothes and you provided them, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.'