Matthew 25:15-30

¹⁵To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left.

¹⁶Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master''s investment.

¹⁷The second did the same.

¹⁸But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master''s money.

¹⁹"After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them.

²⁰The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment.

²¹His master commended him: "Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.''g

²²"The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master''s investment.

²³His master commended him: "Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.''h

²⁴"The servant given one thousand said, "Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error.

²⁵I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.''

²⁶"The master was furious. "That''s a terrible way to live! It''s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least?

²⁷The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.

²⁸Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this "play-it-safe" who won''t go out on a limb.

²⁹i

³⁰Throw him out into utter darkness.''j