Thematic Bible: Trustee


Thematic Bible



Therefore he said, "A certain nobleman traveled to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. And summoning ten of his own slaves, he gave them ten minas and said to them, 'Do business {until I come back}.' But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to be king over us!' read more.
And it happened that when he returned [after] receiving the kingdom, he ordered these slaves to whom he had given the money to be summoned to him, so that he could know what they had gained by trading. So the first arrived, saying, 'Sir, your mina has made ten minas more!' And he said to him, 'Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small thing, {have authority} over ten cities.' And the second came, saying, 'Sir, your mina has made five minas.' So he said to this one also, 'And you be over five cities.' And another came, saying, 'Sir, behold your mina, which I had put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth. For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man--you withdraw what you did not deposit, and you reap what you did not sow!' He said to him, '{By your own words} I will judge you, wicked slave! You knew that I am a severe man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. And why did you not give my money to the bank, and I, [when I] returned, would have collected it with interest?' And to the bystanders he said, 'Take away from him the mina and give [it] to the one who has the ten minas!' And they said to him, 'Sir, he has ten minas.' 'I tell you that to everyone who has, [more] will be given. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. But these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them--bring [them] here and slaughter them [in] my presence!'"

For [it is] like a man going on a journey. He summoned his own slaves and handed over his property to them. And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to each one according to his own ability, and he went on a journey immediately. The one who had received the five talents went out [and] traded with them and gained five more. read more.
In the same way the one [who had] the two gained two more. But the one who had received the one went away [and] dug up the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. And the one who had received the five talents came up [and] brought five more talents, saying, 'Master, you handed over to me five talents. See, I have gained five more talents!' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few [things]; I will put you [in charge] over many [things]. Enter into the joy of your master!' And the one [who had] the two talents also came up [and] said, 'Master, you handed over to me two talents. See, I have gained two talents more!' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few [things]; I will put you [in charge] over many [things]. Enter into the joy of your master!' And the one who had received the one talent came up also [and] said, 'Master, [because I] knew you, that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering from where you did not scatter [seed]. And [because I] was afraid, I went away [and] hid your talent in the ground. See, you have [what is] yours!' But his master answered [and] said to him, 'Evil and lazy slave! You knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather from where I did not scatter [seed]. Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and [when I] returned I would have gotten back [what was] mine with interest! Therefore take the talent from him and give [it] to the one who has the ten talents.

" 'If a man gives to his neighbor money or objects to watch over and it is stolen from the house of the man, if the thief is found, he will make double restitution. If the thief is not found, the owner of the house will be brought {to the sanctuary} [to learn] whether or not he reached out his hand to his neighbor's possession. Concerning every account of transgression--concerning an ox, concerning a donkey, concerning small livestock, concerning clothing, concerning all lost property--where [someone] says, "This belongs to me," the matter of the two of them will come to God; whomever God declares guilty will make double restitution to his neighbor. read more.
" 'If a man gives to his neighbor a donkey or an ox or small livestock or any beast to watch over and it dies or is injured or is captured [when] there is no one who sees, the oath of Yahweh will be between the two of them [concerning] whether or not he has reached out his hand to his neighbor's possession, and its owner will accept [this], and he will not make restitution. But if indeed it was stolen from him, he will make restitution to its owner. If indeed it was torn to pieces, he will bring it as evidence--the mangled carcass; he will not make restitution.

"When a person {displays infidelity} against Yahweh and he deceives his fellow citizen regarding something entrusted or {a pledge} or stealing or he exploits his fellow citizen, or he finds lost property and lies about it and swears {falsely} {in regard to} any one of these things by which {a person} might commit sin, {and when} he sins and is guilty, then he shall bring back {the things he had stolen} or {what he had extorted} or {something with which he had been entrusted} or the lost property that he had found, read more.
or {regarding} anything about which he has sworn {falsely}, then he shall repay it {according to} its value and shall add one-fifth of its value to it--he must give it {to whom it belongs} on the day of his guilt offering. And he must bring as his guilt offering to Yahweh a ram without defect from the flock by your valuation as a guilt offering to the priest, and the priest shall make atonement for him {before} Yahweh, and he shall be forgiven {anything} from all that he might do {by which he might incur guilt}."