14. “At that time the Kingdom of heaven will be like this. Once there was a man who was about to go on a journey; he called his servants and put them in charge of his property.
15. He gave to each one according to his ability: to one he gave 5,000 gold coins, to another he gave 2,000, and to another he gave 1,000. Then he left on his journey.
16. The servant who had received 5,000 coins went at once and invested his money and earned another 5,000.
17. In the same way the servant who had received 2,000 coins earned another 2,000.
18. But the servant who had received 1,000 coins went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money.
19. “After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.
20. The servant who had received 5,000 coins came in and handed over the other 5,000. ‘You gave me 5,000 coins, sir,’ he said. ‘Look! Here are another 5,000 that I have earned.’
21. ‘Well done, you good and faithful servant!’ said his master. ‘You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!’
22. “Then the servant who had been given 2,000 coins came in and said, ‘You gave me 2,000 coins, sir. Look! Here are another 2,000 that I have earned.’
23. ‘Well done, you good and faithful servant!’ said his master. ‘You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!’
24. “Then the servant who had received 1,000 coins came in and said, ‘Sir, I know you are a hard man; you reap harvests where you did not sow, and you gather crops where you did not scatter seed.
25. I was afraid, so I went off and hid your money in the ground. Look! Here is what belongs to you.’
26. “ ‘You bad and lazy servant!’ his master said. ‘You knew, did you, that I reap harvests where I did not sow, and gather crops where I did not scatter seed?
27. Well, then, you should have deposited my money in the bank, and I would have received it all back with interest when I returned.