12. Therefore he said, “A certain nobleman traveled to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.
13. And summoning ten of his own slaves, he gave them ten minas and said to them, ‘Do business until I come back.’
14. But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to be king over us!’
15. 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.
16. So the first arrived, saying, ‘Sir, your mina has made ten minas more!’
17. And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small thing, have authority over ten cities.’
18. And the second came, saying, ‘Sir, your mina has made five minas.’
19. So he said to this one also, ‘And you be over five cities.’
20. And another came, saying, ‘Sir, behold your mina, which I had put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth.
21. 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!’
22. 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.
23. And why did you not give my money to the bank, and I, when I returned, would have collected it with interest?’