What will you do with the talents
Talents
Matthew 25:14–30 (the Parable of the Talents) summary:
Jesus tells a parable about a master who prepares to go on a journey. He entrusts his property to three servants, giving each according to his ability: one receives five talents, another two, and the third one. The servants who received five and two talents immediately put the money to work and double their amounts. The servant with one talent buries it in the ground and returns only the original amount.
When the master returns, he commends the two faithful servants, praising their stewardship and rewarding them by giving greater responsibilities and inviting them to share in his joy. The fearful servant who hid his talent is rebuked for laziness and wickedness. The master takes the one talent away from him and gives it to the servant with ten talents. The unprofitable servant is cast out into "outer darkness," where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The parable emphasizes responsible use of what God entrusts to people—abilities, resources, or opportunities—and warns against fear, inactivity, and unfaithfulness. It highlights accountability, the expectation of fruitfulness, and the principle that faithful stewardship leads to greater responsibility and participation in the master's joy.
(ai summarized)
“ “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”