51 Bible Verses about Privileges

Why, who gives you your superiority, my brother? Or what have you that you did not receive? And if you really did receive it, why boast as if this were not so?

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a maiden betrothed to a man of the name of Joseph, a descendant of David. The maiden's name was Mary. So Gabriel went into the house and said to her, "Joy be to you, favoured one! the Lord is with you."read more.
She was greatly agitated at his words, and wondered what such a greeting meant. But the angel said, "Do not be frightened, Mary, for you have found favour with God. You will conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you are to call His name JESUS. He will be great and He will be called 'Son of the Most High.' And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His forefather David; and He will be King over the House of Jacob for the Ages, and of His Kingdom there will be no end." "How can this be," Mary replied, "seeing that I have no husband?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for this reason your holy offspring will be called 'the Son of God.' And see, your relative Elizabeth--she also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For no promise from God will be impossible of fulfilment." "I am the Lord's maidservant," Mary replied; "may it be with me in accordance with your words!" And then the angel left her.

For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is God's gift, and is not on the ground of merit-- so that it may be impossible for any one to boast.

although I myself might have some excuse for confidence in outward ceremonies. If any one else claims a right to trust in them, far more may I: circumcised, as I was, on the eighth day, a member of the race of Israel and of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew sprung from Hebrews; as to the Law a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the Church; as to the righteousness which comes through Law, blameless.read more.
Yet all that was gain to me--for Christ's sake I have reckoned it loss. Nay, I even reckon all things as pure loss because of the priceless privilege of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. And for His sake I have suffered the loss of everything, and reckon it all as mere refuse, in order that I may win Christ and be found in union with Him, not having a righteousness of my own, derived from the Law, but that which arises from faith in Christ--the righteousness which comes from God through faith.

To them belongs recognition as God's sons, and they have His glorious Presence and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the Temple service, and the ancient Promises. To them the Patriarchs belong, and from them in respect of His human lineage came the Christ, who is exalted above all, God blessed throughout the Ages. Amen.

I ask then, Has God cast off His People? No, indeed. Why, I myself am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham and of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast off His People whom He knew beforehand. Or are you ignorant of what Scripture says in speaking of Elijah--how he pleaded with God against Israel, saying, "Lord, they have put Thy Prophets to death, and have overthrown Thy altars; and, now that I alone remain, they are thirsting for my blood"?read more.
But what did God say to him in reply? "I have reserved for Myself 7,000 men who have never bent the knee to Baal." In the same way also at the present time there has come to be a remnant whom God in His grace has selected. But if it is in His grace that He has selected them, then His choice is no longer determined by human actions. Otherwise grace would be grace no longer. How then does the matter stand? It stands thus. That which Israel are in earnest pursuit of, they have not obtained; but God's chosen servants have obtained it, and the rest have become hardened. And so Scripture says, "God has given them a spirit of drowsiness--eyes to see nothing with and ears to hear nothing with--even until now." And David says, "Let their very food become a snare and a trap to them, a stumbling-block and a retribution. Let darkness come over their eyes that they may be unable to see, and make Thou their backs continually to stoop." I ask, however, "Have they stumbled so as to be finally ruined?" No, indeed; but by their lapse salvation has come to the Gentiles in order to arouse the jealousy of the descendants of Israel; and if their lapse is the enriching of the world, and their overthrow the enriching of the Gentiles, will not still greater good follow their restoration?

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has crowned us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ; even as, in His love, He chose us as His own in Christ before the creation of the world, that we might be holy and without blemish in His presence. For He pre-destined us to be adopted by Himself as sons through Jesus Christ--such being His gracious will and pleasure--read more.
to the praise of the splendour of His grace with which He has enriched us in the beloved One. It is in Him, and through the shedding of His blood, that we have our deliverance--the forgiveness of our offences--so abundant was God's grace, the grace which He, the possessor of all wisdom and understanding, lavished upon us,

So that if any one is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old state of things has passed away; a new state of things has come into existence. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and has appointed us to serve in the ministry of reconciliation. We are to tell how God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not charging men's transgressions to their account, and that He has entrusted to us the Message of this reconciliation.read more.
On Christ's behalf therefore we come as ambassadors, God, as it were, making entreaty through our lips: we, on Christ's behalf, beseech men to be reconciled to God. He has made Him who knew nothing of sin to be sin for us, in order that in Him we may become the righteousness of God.

Among them all of us also formerly passed our lives, governed by the inclinations of our lower natures, indulging the cravings of those natures and of our own thoughts, and were in our original state deserving of anger like all others. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the intense love which He bestowed on us, caused us, dead though we were through our offences, to live with Christ--it is by grace that you have been saved--read more.
raised us with Him from the dead, and enthroned us with Him in the heavenly realms as being in Christ Jesus, in order that, by His goodness to us in Christ Jesus, He might display in the Ages to come the transcendent riches of His grace. For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is God's gift, and is not on the ground of merit-- so that it may be impossible for any one to boast.

It is God who has delivered us out of the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us into the Kingdom of His dearly-loved Son, in whom we have our redemption--the forgiveness of our sins.

because it is through Him that Jews and Gentiles alike have access through one Spirit to the Father.

Standing then acquitted as the result of faith, let us enjoy peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also, as the result of faith, we have obtained an introduction into that state of favour with God in which we stand, and we exult in hope of some day sharing in God's glory.

Since then, brethren, we have free access to the Holy place through the blood of Jesus, by the new and ever-living way which He opened up for us through the rending of the veil--that is to say, of His earthly nature-- and since we have a great Priest who has authority over the house of God,read more.
let us draw near with sincerity and unfaltering faith, having had our hearts sprinkled, once for all, from consciences oppressed with sin, and our bodies bathed in pure water.

For you have not come to a material object all ablaze with fire, and to gloom and darkness and storm and trumpet-blast and the sound of words-- a sound of such a kind that those who heard it entreated that no more should be added. For they could not endure the order which had been given, "Even a wild beast, if it touches the mountain, shall be stoned to death;"read more.
and so terrible was the scene that Moses said, "I tremble with fear." On the contrary you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the ever-living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to countless hosts of angels, to the great festal gathering and Church of the first-born, whose names are recorded in Heaven, and to a Judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus the negotiator of a new Covenant, and to the sprinkled blood which speaks in more gracious tones than that of Abel.

And in this consists the Life of the Ages--in knowing Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.

But Jesus cried aloud, "He who believes in me, believes not so much in me, as in Him who sent me; and he who sees me sees Him who sent me. I have come like light into the world, in order that no one who believes in me may remain in the dark.

"I am the Way," replied Jesus, "and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you--all of you--knew me, you would fully know my Father also. From this time forward you know Him and have seen Him."

But, when the time was fully come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born subject to Law, in order to purchase the freedom of all who were subject to Law, so that we might receive recognition as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of His Son to enter your hearts and cry "Abba! our Father!"read more.
Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir also through God's own act.

For those who are led by God's Spirit are, all of them, God's sons. You have not for the second time acquired the consciousness of being--a consciousness which fills you with terror. But you have acquired a deep inward conviction of having been adopted as sons--a conviction which prompts us to cry aloud, "Abba! our Father!" The Spirit Himself bears witness, along with our own spirits, to the fact that we are children of God;read more.
and if children, then heirs too--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ; if indeed we are sharers in Christ's sufferings, in order that we may also be sharers in His glory.

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus; for all of you who have been baptized into Christ, have clothed yourselves with Christ. In Him the distinctions between Jew and Gentile, slave and free man, male and female, disappear; you are all one in Christ Jesus.read more.
And if you belong to Christ, then you are indeed true descendants of Abraham, and are heirs in fulfilment of the promise.

and you have quite forgotten the encouraging words which are addressed to you as sons, and which say, "My son, do not think lightly of the Lord's discipline, and do not faint when He corrects you; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines: and He scourges every son whom He acknowledges." The sufferings that you are enduring are for your discipline. God is dealing with you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?read more.
And if you are left without discipline, of which every true son has had a share, that shows that you are bastards, and not true sons. Besides this, our earthly fathers used to discipline us and we treated them with respect, and shall we not be still more submissive to the Father of our spirits, and live? It is true that they disciplined us for a few years according as they thought fit; but He does it for our certain good, in order that we may become sharers in His own holy character. Now, at the time, discipline seems to be a matter not for joy, but for grief; yet it afterwards yields to those who have passed through its training a result full of peace--namely, righteousness.

But you are a chosen race, a priesthood of kingly lineage, a holy nation, a people belonging specially to God, that you may make known the perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. Once you had not found mercy, but now you have.

You are therefore no longer mere foreigners or persons excluded from civil rights. On the contrary you share citizenship with God's people and are members of His family. You are a building which has been reared on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, the cornerstone being Christ Jesus Himself, in union with whom the whole fabric, fitted and closely joined together, is growing so as to form a holy sanctuary in the Lord;read more.
in whom you also are being built up together to become a fixed abode for God through the Spirit.

And He turned towards His disciples and said to them apart, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! For I tell you that many Prophets and kings have desired to see the things you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things you hear, and have not heard them."

(And His disciples came and asked Him, "Why do you speak to them in figurative language?" "Because," He replied, "while to you it is granted to know the secrets of the Kingdom of the Heavens, to them it is not. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever has not, from him even what he has shall be taken away.read more.
I speak to them in figurative language for this reason, that while looking they do not see, and while hearing they neither hear nor understand. And in regard to them the prophecy of Isaiah is receiving signal fulfilment: "'You will hear and hear and by no means understand, and you will look and look and by no means see. For this people's mind is stupefied, their hearing has become dull, and their eyes they have closed; to prevent their ever seeing with their eyes, or hearing with their ears, or understanding with their minds, and turning back, so that I might heal them.' "But as for you, blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For I solemnly tell you that many Prophets and holy men have longed to see the sights you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the words you hear, and have not heard them.

When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language. "To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language; that "'They may look and look but not see, and listen and listen but not understand, lest perchance they should return and be pardoned.'"

The disciples proceeded to ask Him what this parable meant. "To you," He replied, "it is granted to know the secrets of the Kingdom of God; but all others are taught by parables, in order that they may see and yet not see, and may hear and yet not understand.

No longer do I call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because all that I have heard from the Father I have made known to you.

Yet when we are among mature believers we do speak words of wisdom; a wisdom not belonging, however, to the present age nor to the leaders of the present age who are soon to pass away. But in dealing with truths hitherto kept secret we speak of God's wisdom--that hidden wisdom which, before the world began, God pre-destined, so that it should result in glory to us; a wisdom which not one of the leaders of the present age possesses, for if they had possessed it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.read more.
But--to use the words of Scripture--we speak of things which eye has not seen nor ear heard, and which have never entered the heart of man: all that God has in readiness for them that love Him. For us, however, God has drawn aside the veil through the teaching of the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, including the depths of the divine nature. For, among human beings, who knows a man's inner thoughts except the man's own spirit within him? In the same way, also, only God's Spirit is acquainted with God's inner thoughts. But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which comes forth from God, that we may know the blessings that have been so freely given to us by God.

There were Prophets who earnestly inquired about that salvation, and closely searched into it--even those who spoke beforehand of the grace which was to come to you. They were eager to know the time which the Spirit of Christ within them kept indicating, or the characteristics of that time, when they solemnly made known beforehand the sufferings that were to come upon Christ and the glories which would follow. To them it was revealed that they were serving not themselves but you, when they foretold the very things which have now been openly declared to you by those who, having been taught by the Holy Spirit which had been sent from Heaven, brought you the Good News. Angels long to stoop and look into these things.

No longer do I call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because all that I have heard from the Father I have made known to you. It is not you who chose me, but it is I who chose you and appointed you that you might go and be fruitful and that your fruit might remain; so that whatever petition you present to the Father in my name He may give you.

And last of all, as to one of untimely birth, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the Apostles, and am not fit to be called an Apostle--because I persecuted the Church of God. But what I am I am by the grace of God, and His grace bestowed upon me did not prove ineffectual. But I labored more strenuously than all the rest--yet it was not I, but God's grace working with me.

No one's silver or gold or clothing have I coveted. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have provided for my own necessities and for the people with me. In all things I have set you an example, showing you that, by working as I do, you ought to help the weak, and to bear in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, "'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

But we desire to let you know, brethren, of the grace of God which has been bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia; how, while passing through great trouble, their boundless joy even amid their deep poverty has overflowed to increase their generous liberality. For I can testify that to the utmost of their power, and even beyond their power, they have of their own free will given help.read more.
With earnest entreaty they begged from us the favour of being allowed to share in the service now being rendered to God's people. They not only did this, as we had expected, but first of all in obedience to God's will they gave their own selves to the Lord and to us. This led us to urge Titus that, as he had previously been the one who commenced the work, so he should now go and complete among you this act of beneficence also. Yes, just as you are already very rich in faith, readiness of speech, knowledge, unwearied zeal, and in the love that is in you, implanted by us, see to it that this grace of liberal giving also flourishes in you. I am not saying this by way of command, but to test by the standard of other men's earnestness the genuineness of your love also. For you know the condescending goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ--how for your sakes He became poor, though He was rich, in order that you through His poverty might grow rich. But in this matter I give you an opinion; for my doing this helps forward your own intentions, seeing that not only have you begun operations, but a year ago you already had the desire to do so. And now complete the doing also, in order that, just as there was then the eagerness in desiring, there may now be the accomplishment in proportion to your means. For, assuming the earnest willingness, the gift is acceptable according to whatever a man has, and not according to what he has not. I do not urge you to give in order that others may have relief while you are unduly pressed, but that, by equalization of burdens, your superfluity having in the present emergency supplied their deficiency, their superfluity may in turn be a supply for your deficiency later on, so that there may be equalization of burdens. Even as it is written, "He who gathered much had not too much, and he who gathered little had not too little."

But do not forget that he who sows with a niggardly hand will also reap a niggardly crop, and that he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Let each contribute what he has decided upon in his own mind, and not do it reluctantly or under compulsion. "It is a cheerful giver that God loves." And God is able to bestow every blessing on you in abundance, so that richly enjoying all sufficiency at all times, you may have ample means for all good works.read more.
As it is written, "He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor, his almsgiving remains for ever." And God who continually supplies seed for the sower and bread for eating, will supply you with seed and multiply it, and will cause your almsgiving to yield a plentiful harvest. May you be abundantly enriched so as to show all liberality, such as through our instrumentality brings thanksgiving to God.

As for us Apostles, let any one take this view of us--we are Christ's officers, and stewards of God's secret truths. This being so, it follows that fidelity is what is required in stewards.

"Who therefore is the loyal and intelligent servant to whom his master has entrusted the control of his household to give them their rations at the appointed time? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes shall find so doing! In solemn truth I tell you that he will give him the management of all his wealth.read more.
But if the man, being a bad servant, should say in his heart, 'My master is a long time in coming,' and should begin to beat his fellow servants, while he eats and drinks with drunkards; the master of that servant will arrive on a day when he is not expecting him and at an hour of which he has not been informed; he will treat him with the utmost severity and assign him a place among the hypocrites: there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

"Who, then," replied the Lord, "is the faithful and intelligent steward whom his Master will put in charge of His household to serve out their rations at the proper times? Blessed is that servant whom his Master when He comes shall find so doing. I tell you truly that He will put him in authority over all His possessions.read more.
But if that servant should say in his heart, 'My Master is a long time in coming,' and should begin to beat the menservants and the maids, and to eat and drink, drinking even to excess; that servant's Master will come on a day when he is not expecting Him and at an hour that he knows not of, and will punish him severely, and make him share the lot of the unfaithful. And that servant who has been told his Master's will and yet made no preparation and did not obey His will, will receive many lashes. But he who had not been told it and yet did what deserved the scourge, will receive but few lashes. To whomsoever much has been given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been entrusted, of him a larger amount will be demanded.

Or do you not know that your bodies are a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is within you--the Spirit whom you have from God? And you are not your own, for you have been redeemed at infinite cost. Therefore glorify God in your bodies.

Obey your leaders and be submissive to them. For they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will have to give account; that they may do this with joy and not with lamentation. For that would be of no advantage to you.

In the morning the praetors sent their lictors with the order, "Release those men." So the jailer brought Paul word, saying, "The praetors have sent orders for you to be released. Now therefore you can go, and proceed on your way in peace." But Paul said to them, "After cruelly beating us in public, without trial, Roman citizens though we are, they have thrown us into prison, and are they now going to send us away privately? No, indeed! Let them come in person and fetch us out."read more.
This answer the lictors took back to the praetors, who were alarmed when they were told that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. Accordingly they came and apologized to them; and, bringing them out, asked them to leave the city.

Then Paul, fixing a steady gaze on the Sanhedrin, said, "Brethren, it is with a perfectly clear conscience that I have discharged my duties before God up to this day." On hearing this the High Priest Ananias ordered those who were standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. "Before long," exclaimed Paul, "God will strike you, you white-washed wall! Are you sitting there to judge me in accordance with the Law, and do you yourself actually break the Law by ordering me to be struck?"

"Listen to another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, made a fence round it, dug a wine-tank in it, and built a strong lodge; then let the place to vine-dressers, and went abroad. When vintage-time approached, he sent his servants to the vine-dressers to receive his share of the grapes; but the vine-dressers seized the servants, and one they cruelly beat, one they killed, one they pelted with stones.read more.
Again he sent another party of servants more numerous than the first; and these they treated in the same manner. Later still he sent to them his son, saying, "'They will respect my son.' "But the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said to one another, "'Here is the heir: come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.' "So they seized him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and killed him. When then the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-dressers?" "He will put the wretches to a wretched death," was the reply, "and will entrust the vineyard to other vine-dressers who will render the produce to him at the vintage season." "Have you never read in the Scriptures," said Jesus, "'The Stone which the builders rejected has been made the Cornerstone: this Cornerstone came from the Lord, and is wonderful in our eyes'? "That, I tell you, is the reason why the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and given to a nation that will exhibit the power of it.

Then He began to speak to them in figurative language. "There was once a man," He said, "who planted a vineyard, fenced it round, dug a pit for the wine-tank, and built a strong lodge. Then he let the place to vine-dressers and went abroad. At vintage-time he sent one of his servants to receive from the vine-dressers a share of the grapes. But they seized him, beat him cruelly and sent him away empty-handed.read more.
Again he sent to them another servant: and as for him, they wounded him in the head and treated him shamefully. Yet a third he sent, and him they killed. And he sent many besides, and them also they ill-treated, beating some and killing others. He had still one left whom he could send, a dearly-loved son: him last of all he sent, saying, "'They will treat my son with respect.' "But those men--the vine-dressers--said to one another, "'Here is the heir: come, let us kill him, and then the property will one day be ours.' "So they took him and killed him, and flung his body outside the vineyard. What, therefore, will the owner of the vineyard do?" "He will come and put the vine-dressers to death," they said; "and will give the vineyard to others."

Then He proceeded to speak a parable to the people. "There was a man," He said, "who planted a vineyard, let it out to vine-dressers, and went abroad for a considerable time. At vintage-time he sent a servant to the vine-dressers, for them to give him a share of the crop; but the vine-dressers beat him cruelly and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent a second servant; and him too they beat and ill treated and sent away empty-handed.read more.
Then again he sent a third; and this one also they wounded and drove away. Then the owner of the vineyard said, "'What am I to do? I will send my son--my dearly-loved son: they will probably respect him.' "But when the vine-dressers saw him, they discussed the matter with one another, and said, "'This is the heir: let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.' "So they turned him out of the vineyard and murdered him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and put these vine-dressers to death, and give the vineyard to others." "God forbid!" exclaimed the hearers.

"Why, it is like a man who, when going on his travels, called his bondservants and entrusted his property to their care. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one--to each according to his individual capacity; and then started from home. Without delay the one who had received the five talents went and employed them in business, and gained five more.read more.
In the same way he who had the two gained two more. But the man who had received the one went and dug a hole and buried his master's money. "After a long lapse of time the master of those servants returned, and had a reckoning with them. The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, and said, "'Sir, it was five talents that you entrusted to me: see, I have gained five more.' "'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.' "The second, who had received the two talents, came and said, "'Sir, it was two talents you entrusted to me: see, I have gained two more.' "'Good and trustworthy servant, you have done well,' his master replied; 'you have been trustworthy in the management of a little, I will put you in charge of much: share your master's joy.' "But, next, the man who had the one talent in his keeping came and said, "'Sir, I knew you to be a severe man, reaping where you had not sown and garnering what you had not winnowed. So being afraid I went and buried your talent in the ground: there you have what belongs to you.' "'You wicked and slothful servant,' replied his master, 'did you know that I reap where I have not sown, and garner what I have not winnowed? Your duty then was to deposit my money in some bank, and so when I came I should have got back my property with interest. So take away the talent from him, and give it to the man who has the ten.' (For to every one who has, more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him who has nothing, even what he has shall be taken away.) But as for this worthless servant, put him out into the darkness outside: *there* will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.'

So He said to them, "A man of noble family travelled to a distant country to obtain the rank of king, and to return. And he called ten of his servants and gave each of them a pound, instructing them to trade with the money during his absence. "Now his countrymen hated him, and sent a deputation after him to say, 'We are not willing that he should become our king.'read more.
And upon his return, after he had obtained the sovereignty, he ordered those servants to whom he had given the money to be summoned before him, that he might learn their success in trading. "So the first came and said, "'Sir, your pound has produced ten pounds more.' "'Well done, good servant,' he replied; 'because you have been faithful in a very small matter, be in authority over ten towns.' "The second came, and said, "'Your pound, Sir, has produced five pounds.' "So he said to this one also, "'And you, be the governor of five towns.' "The next came. "'Sir,' he said, 'here is your pound, which I have kept wrapt up in a cloth. For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man: you take up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow.' "'By your own words,' he replied, 'I will judge you, you bad servant. You knew me to be a severe man, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow: why then did you not put my money into a bank, that when I came I might have received it back with interest? "And he said to those who stood by, "'Take the pound from him and give it to him who has the ten pounds.' ("They said to him, "`Sir, he already has ten pounds.') "'I tell you that to every one who has anything, more shall be given; and from him who has not anything, even what he has shall be taken away. But as for those enemies of mine who were unwilling that I should become their king, bring them here, and cut them to pieces in my presence.'"