“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them.
Parallel translations
- WEB “For it is like a man, going into another country, who called his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them.
- KJV For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
- BSB For it is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions.
- ESV “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.
- NKJV “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.
- NLT “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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 kingdom is like a man entrusting his goods to servants before a journey. Christ gives his people responsibilities to manage in his absence.
Overview
This parable of the talents pictures the time between Christ's departure and return. The master entrusts genuine wealth to his servants, expecting faithful stewardship. It teaches that waiting for Christ is active, not passive: we are accountable for what he has given. How we use our entrusted gifts reveals our true relationship to the Lord.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Mark 13:34“It is like a man, traveling to another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.
- Luke 19:12–27He said therefore, “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
- Rom 12:6–8Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith;
- 1 Pet 4:9–11Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
- Matt 25:14–30“For it is like a man, going into another country, who called his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them.
- 1 Cor 4:1–2So let a man think of us as Christ’s servants, and stewards of God’s mysteries.
- Eph 4:11He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;
- 1 Cor 12:4Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
- 1 Cor 12:7–29But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all.
- Matt 21:33“Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household, who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it, dug a wine press in it, built a tower, leased it out to farmers, and went into another country.
- Luke 16:1–12He also said to his disciples, “There was a certain rich man who had a manager. An accusation was made to him that this man was wasting his possessions.
- 1 Cor 3:5Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed; and each as the Lord gave to him?
- Luke 20:9He began to tell the people this parable. “A man planted a vineyard, and rented it out to some farmers, and went into another country for a long time.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 25:14 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.