Beforehand, he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Conduct business with this until I return,’ he said.
Parallel translations
- WEB He called ten servants of his, and gave them ten mina coins, and told them, ‘Conduct business until I come.’
- KJV And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
- NKJV So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’
- NASB And he called ten of his own slaves and gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business with this money until I come back.’
- NLT Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The nobleman gives ten servants money and commands them to do business until he returns. Christ entrusts his people with responsibilities to steward faithfully while he is away.
Overview
Each servant receives a mina, a sum of money, with the charge to put it to productive use. The point is faithful stewardship of what the Lord has given during the time between his departure and his return. Believers are called not to passivity but to active, fruitful service in anticipation of giving account.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Matt 25:14–15For it is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions.
- John 12:26If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
- 1 Cor 12:7–11Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
- 1 Pet 4:9–11Show hospitality to one another without complaining.
- Rom 12:6–8We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith;
- 1 Cor 12:28–29And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.
- 2 Pet 1:1Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
- Gal 1:10Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
- Jas 1:1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 19:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.