“Chapter 48: The Talents,” New Testament Stories (2005), 121–23
“Chapter 48,” New Testament Stories, 121–23
Chapter 48
The Talents
Jesus told His disciples a story about a man who gave his servants some talents. A talent was a large amount of money.
The man gave one servant five talents. He gave another servant two talents. He gave a third servant one talent. Then the man went on a journey.
The servant with five talents worked hard. He earned five more talents. He now had ten talents.
The servant with two talents also worked hard. He earned two more talents. He now had four talents.
The servant with one talent buried it in the ground. He was afraid he would lose it. He did not work to earn any more talents.
When the man came back, he asked the servants what they had done with his talents.
The first servant brought him ten talents. The man was happy. He made the servant a leader over many things and told him to be joyful.
The second servant brought the man four talents. This also made the man happy. He made the second servant a leader over many things and told him to be joyful.
The third servant gave the man back the talent he had buried. The man was not happy. He said the servant was lazy. He should have worked hard to earn more talents.
The man took the talent from the third servant and gave it to the first servant. Then he sent the lazy servant away. The man in the story is like Jesus. We are like the servants. Jesus will judge how we each use the gifts we have been given.