17. He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’
18. Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’
19. And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’
20. Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief,
21. for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding person; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’
22. He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding person, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant;
23. why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’
24. And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’
25. But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’