The Saints Gospel 137

The Bridegroom and the Entrusted Talents

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“Then the kingdom of the heavens will be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five prudent. For the foolish took their lamps but did not take oil with them. The prudent took oil in containers along with their lamps. As the bridegroom delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. At midnight a cry arose: ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins arose and put their lamps in order. The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ The prudent answered, ‘There may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to those selling and buy for yourselves.’ While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came. Those who were ready entered with him into the wedding feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ He answered, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ Therefore keep watch, because you know neither the day nor the hour.

“For it is like a man traveling abroad, who called his own slaves and handed over his belongings to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, each according to his own ability, and traveled abroad. Immediately the one who received the five talents went and traded with them and gained another five. Likewise the one with two gained another two. But the one who received one went away, dug in the ground, and hid his master’s silver. After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. The one who received five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over five talents to me. Look, I gained another five talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful over a few things; I will appoint you over many. Enter into your master’s joy.’ The one with two talents also came and said, ‘Master, you handed over two talents to me. Look, I gained another two talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful over a few things; I will appoint you over many.

“Enter into your master’s joy.’ The one who received one talent also came and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering from where you did not scatter. I was afraid, so I went away and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’ His master answered him, ‘Evil and idle slave! You knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather from where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have deposited my silver with the bankers, and when I came I would have recovered what is mine with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will have abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken. Cast the useless slave into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and grinding of teeth.’”

← 136 My Words Will Not Pass Away · The Saints Gospel: all scenes · 138 The King and the Least of His Brothers →

Saints Translation · The Saints Gospel · a harmony of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts 1 · words of Christ in red · working draft awaiting specialist review.