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In the same way the one who had received the two talents earned two more.
Matthew 25:17 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two.
  • KJV And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
  • BSB Likewise, the one with the two talents gained two more.
  • NKJV And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
  • NLT The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more.

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

Likewise the servant with two talents gained two more. Faithfulness is the same standard for those given less.

Overview

The second servant, with fewer resources, shows the same diligence and proportionate gain. His example proves that faithfulness, not the size of the gift, is what counts. God measures stewardship by what we do with what we have. Every believer, however gifted, is called to this same active faithfulness.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 21

  • Prov 3:9–10Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase:
  • Eph 5:16redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
  • Mark 14:3–8While he was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard — very costly. She broke the jar, and poured it over his head.
  • 1 Kgs 18:3–4Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly;
  • Acts 9:36–39Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated, means Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did.
  • 2 Cor 9:11–14you being enriched in everything to all liberality, which produces through us thanksgiving to God.
  • Gen 18:19For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Yahweh may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”
  • Eccl 11:1–6Cast your bread on the waters; for you shall find it after many days.
  • Heb 6:10–11For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.
  • 1 Pet 4:10As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.
  • 1 Tim 5:10being approved by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has been hospitable to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, and if she has diligently followed every good work.
  • Acts 10:2a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God.
  • Col 4:17Tell Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it.”
  • Gal 6:9–10Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don’t give up.
  • 2 Tim 1:16–18May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain,
  • Acts 11:29–30As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea;
  • 2 Cor 8:12For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you don’t have.
  • 2 Kgs 4:8–10One day Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman; and she persuaded him to eat bread. So it was, that as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat bread.
  • Job 29:11–17For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it commended me:
  • 2 Sam 19:32Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even eighty years old. He had provided the king with sustenance while he stayed at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.
  • Job 31:16–22“If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (12)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Matthew videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Matthew 25:17YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MatthewMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 25:17 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.