He gave one servant five talents [Note: This 'talent' was a large sum of money in the form of a certain weight of silver. It was the equivalent of sixty years of a farm laborer's wages, or about $750,000 in income]. He gave two talents to another servant and one talent to another. He gave to each one an amount in keeping with his ability [to invest it wisely], and then left on his trip.

"For the kingdom of heaven is similar to a man who planned to go on a trip to a distant country, so called his servants and entrusted to each of them a large sum of money [Note: The narrative that follows suggests that the man was turning over some of his assets to financial managers to invest for him].

But the one who was given one talent went and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money.

For to every person who has [something], more will be given, so he will have plenty. But from the person who has [virtually] nothing, even that [little bit] he has will be taken away [from him].

The one who had been given five talents came bringing another five and reported, 'Master, you entrusted me with five talents. Look, I have earned five more with them.'

The one with the five talents soon invested the money in business transactions which netted him five more.

His master said to him, 'Well done, you are a good and trustworthy servant. You have been trustworthy over a [relatively] few things, [so] I will place you over many things. Come and share in your master's joy.'

And we [all] have different gifts, in harmony with the unearned favor [God has] shown us. If our gift is the ability to prophesy [i.e., to speak for God], we should make use of this gift in harmony with the amount of faith we have.

And huge hailstones, weighing about one hundred pounds each, fell on people from the sky, and they cursed God because of this plague of hailstones, for it was an extremely severe plague.

you should have therefore deposited my money in the bank [so] when I returned, [at least] I would have received my own money back, with interest.

In the same way the one who was given two talents made two more.

and I was afraid, so I went away and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you [can] have your own talent [back].'

Take the one talent away from him, therefore, and give it to the servant who had the ten talents.

When he began figuring, one of his servants, who owed him a huge sum of money [Note: The amount is variously estimated to be as much as $50,000,000 in 1994], was brought to him.

And the gentleman said to him also, 'You [will] have charge over five towns.'

And the one who was given two talents came and reported, 'Master, you entrusted me with two talents. Look, I have earned two more with them.'

Now after a long time the master of these servants returned [from his trip] and proceeded to go over his accounts with each of them.

But his master said to him, 'You wicked, lazy servant. [Since] you knew that I reaped where I had not sown and gathered where I had not scattered seed,

Then the one who was given [only] one talent came and reported, 'Master, I knew you were a difficult man who reaped where you had not sown, and gathered a harvest where you had not scattered seed,

So, he called ten of his slaves and gave each of them a sum of money [Note: The amount of each sum was equivalent to one hundred days of a farm laborer's pay, or about $7,000 in 1994]. [Then] he said to them, 'Invest this money until I return.'

His master replied, 'Well done, you are a good and trustworthy servant. You have been trustworthy over a [relatively] few things, so I will place you over many things. Come and share in your master's joy.'

As each of you has received a gift [from God], you should make use of it [in the body], so that you will be [good] caretakers of the many unearned ways that God favors you.

For God does not change His mind about the gifts He gives and the people He calls [to Him].

Throw out that worthless servant into the [place of] outer darkness, where there will be crying and excruciating pain.

And the master of that servant felt deep pity [for him], so released him [from custody] and canceled his debt.

Then another slave appeared and said, 'Look, master, here is your sum of money. I kept it [safely] wrapped up in a cloth,

And the gentleman replied, 'Well done, you are a good slave. Because you have proven trustworthy over a [relatively] very small matter, you will [now] have charge over ten towns.'