Luke 19 25

Luke 19:25 kjv

(And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)

Luke 19:25 nkjv

(But they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas.')

Luke 19:25 niv

"?'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!'

Luke 19:25 esv

And they said to him, 'Lord, he has ten minas!'

Luke 19:25 nlt

"'But, master,' they said, 'he already has ten pounds!'

Luke 19 verses

Luke 19 25 Meaning

Luke 19:25 records the collective response of the listeners—likely disciples or bystanders—to the nobleman's (representing Christ) directive to take the mina from the unproductive servant and give it to the servant who had multiplied his one mina into ten. Their exclamation, "Lord, He has ten minas!" expresses a common human reaction: a sense of apparent injustice or bewilderment at the principle of giving more to one who already possesses much. It highlights a focus on present endowment rather than a deeper understanding of faithful stewardship and the divine principle of reward based on diligent work and fruitfulness.

Luke 19 25 Context

Luke 19:25 is part of Jesus' Parable of the Minas (Luke 19:11-27), recounted as Jesus approached Jerusalem. The immediate catalyst for the parable was the disciples' mistaken belief that "the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately" (Luke 19:11). To correct this misunderstanding and teach them about the interval before His return, and their responsibilities during it, Jesus told this parable.

In the parable, a nobleman (representing Christ) departs to a distant country (heaven) to receive a kingdom (His divine rule) and then return. Before leaving, he entrusts ten servants with one mina each, instructing them to "do business with this until I come." Upon his return, he demands an account. Two servants had diligently multiplied their minas—one to ten, another to five. The third servant, out of fear, hid his mina and returned only the original amount.

The nobleman praises and rewards the diligent servants, granting them authority proportionate to their faithfulness. When the unprofitable servant returns his solitary mina, the master takes it from him. It is at this point that the command is given to transfer this mina to the servant who now possesses ten (Luke 19:24), prompting the perplexed interjection found in Luke 19:25 from the onlookers, revealing a human-centric view of fairness that contradicts divine wisdom regarding stewardship and productivity. The nobleman's subsequent explanation in Luke 19:26 directly addresses this concern, asserting the principle of giving more to those who have proven themselves fruitful.

Luke 19 25 Word analysis

• And they said: Greek: Kai eipon (Καὶ εἶπον). This collective "they" likely refers to the "those who heard" (Luke 19:11), the audience gathered around Jesus. It indicates an immediate, spontaneous human reaction to the master's decree. The bystanders are speaking, giving voice to a common perception of human fairness or equity that does not align with the master's kingdom principles.
• to Him: Greek: auto (αὐτῷ). Refers to the "nobleman" in the parable, which allegorically represents Jesus himself.
• Lord: Greek: Kyrie (Κύριε). A respectful address for a master, teacher, or authority figure. In this context, it acknowledges the nobleman's authority, even as they question his judgment based on their limited human understanding. It's an expression of protest and surprise, perhaps implying "Sir, surely you can't mean this!"
• He has: Greek: echei (ἔχει). Simple present tense, emphasizing possession. "He already possesses." This is the core of their objection—the recipient of the transferred mina is already abundantly wealthy (in the parable's terms), making the redistribution seem counterintuitive from a worldly perspective.
• ten minas!: Greek: deka mnas (δέκα μνᾶς). "Deka" means ten. "Mna" (mina) was a unit of Greek weight and money, equivalent to 100 drachmas or denarii (a day's wage for a common laborer), making one mina roughly equal to three months' wages. Therefore, ten minas was a significant sum, representing a substantial investment or wealth (equivalent to over two years' wages). Their exclamation highlights the magnitude of the existing possession, fueling their objection to him receiving even more. In the parable, the minas symbolize resources, opportunities, spiritual gifts, talents, or responsibilities entrusted by God to His servants during the time He is away (before His second coming). The ten minas also represent the result of diligent effort and faithful stewardship, a full measure of what was expected.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• And they said to Him, 'Lord': This phrase captures the immediate, vocal reaction of the audience. Their addressing him as "Lord" indicates recognition of his authority, yet their subsequent statement reveals a human logical contradiction with divine decree. This sets up the critical teaching moment for Jesus to clarify divine economy versus human reasoning. It suggests the discomfort many feel when God's ways do not align with their expected sense of fairness or equal distribution.
• 'He has ten minas!': This is an exclamation of incredulity or protest. The listeners are stating the obvious truth of the prosperous servant's wealth as if it should negate any further blessing. This points to a common human misconception that reward should primarily be based on need or simply being present, rather than on diligent labor, faithful stewardship, and fruitfulness. Their remark acts as a question: Why give to him who already has so much? It implicitly highlights a worldly concept of distributive justice that aims to level economic playing fields, in stark contrast to the divine principle that rewards diligence and productivity. The "ten minas" is not merely existing wealth but the result of responsible engagement with the original gift, making it a symbol of abundant fruit from faithful service.

Luke 19 25 Bonus section

• The human objection in Luke 19:25 reveals a contrast between common societal notions of fairness (which often aim for equal outcomes or redistribution based on initial wealth/need) and God's principles of proportionate reward based on faithful effort and stewardship.
• This verse subtly highlights that while Christ gives gifts (minas) freely, His subsequent distribution of greater responsibility and blessing is conditioned by how those initial gifts are used. It's not about arbitrary favoritism but divine assessment of readiness for greater entrusted tasks.
• The protest here might echo similar human misgivings throughout the Bible about God's sovereign choices or His way of distributing grace and blessing, as seen, for example, in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1-16) where those who worked less received the same pay, causing others to grumble. In both cases, God's prerogative to bless as He wills, based on His own righteous standards (whether generous grace or proportionate reward for stewardship), is the key lesson.

Luke 19 25 Commentary

Luke 19:25 serves as a pivotal interjection in the Parable of the Minas, representing the immediate, unrefined human reaction to a principle of divine justice. The bystanders' protest, "Lord, He has ten minas!" stems from a common, earthly perspective that values distribution based on perceived need or a desire for leveling, rather than performance or return on investment. They were struck by the seemingly illogical act of adding more to someone already abundantly supplied, failing to grasp that in the divine economy, increase is granted not just for existing possession but as a recognition of diligent stewardship, productive labor, and faithful utilization of entrusted resources. The one who started with one mina and cultivated it to ten had proven himself exceptionally trustworthy and capable. God's system rewards active, fruitful engagement with His gifts, whereas hoarding or neglecting them results in loss. This verse thus functions as a perfect setup for Jesus to clarify a core kingdom principle in the subsequent verse (19:26): God gives more to those who faithfully use what they have, not as an arbitrary act, but as a proportionate blessing that builds upon and encourages greater spiritual fruitfulness and responsibility.