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Matthew 25:14-30
For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted
his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to
another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one
who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and
made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents
made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off
and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time
the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one
who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents,
saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five
more talents.’ 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.’ And the one with the two
talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two
talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ 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.’
Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying,
‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow,
and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went
and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his
master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap
where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to
have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have
received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and
give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more
will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have
nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless
slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.’
Matthew 20:1-16
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the
morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers
for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out
about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he
said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is
right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three
o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found
others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle
all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them,
‘You also go into the vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the
vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about
five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the
first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also
received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled
against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you
have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the
scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no
wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs
to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I
not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious
because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be
last."
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