Matthew 25:15 kjv
And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
Matthew 25:15 nkjv
And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
Matthew 25:15 niv
To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
Matthew 25:15 esv
To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
Matthew 25:15 nlt
He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last ? dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.
Matthew 25 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 12:48 | ...to whom much is given, much will be required... | Great responsibility comes with great entrustment. |
| 1 Pet 4:10 | As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another... | Use diverse gifts for service. |
| 1 Cor 4:2 | Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. | Essential quality for a steward is faithfulness. |
| Tit 1:7 | For an overseer, as God's steward, must be blameless... | Leaders are examples of stewardship. |
| Prov 28:20 | A faithful man will abound with blessings... | Faithfulness leads to abundance. |
| Rom 12:6 | Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us... | God gives gifts distinctly by grace. |
| 1 Cor 12:11 | All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each | The Spirit distributes gifts as He wills. |
| Eph 4:7 | But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's | Christ's measure determines gifts. |
| 1 Cor 12:18 | But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as | God's design in distributing abilities. |
| 2 Cor 10:13 | ...we boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us. | Ministry is within God's apportioned measure. |
| Matt 16:27 | For the Son of Man is going to come...and repay each in accordance with | Jesus' return brings recompense for deeds. |
| Rev 22:12 | "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each | Christ will reward deeds upon His return. |
| Lk 19:11-27 | Parable of the Minas/Pounds. | Parallel parable on responsibility & return. |
| Heb 9:27 | ...it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment... | All face judgment for life's deeds. |
| Rom 14:12 | So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. | Personal accountability to God. |
| Col 3:23 | Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men... | Work diligently, viewing it as for the Lord. |
| 1 Cor 3:13 | ...each one's work will become manifest... | Works revealed and tested at judgment. |
| John 15:8 | By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit... | Bearing much fruit glorifies God. |
| Prov 13:4 | The soul of the diligent will be richly supplied. | Diligence brings prosperity. |
| Phil 2:12-13 | ...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God | Work out faith, empowered by God's working. |
| Ps 139:1-4 | O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down... | God's intimate knowledge of human capabilities. |
Matthew 25 verses
Matthew 25 15 Meaning
Matthew 25:15 details the master's distribution of "talents" – significant units of currency or wealth – to his servants, explicitly stating that these gifts were allocated "to each according to his ability." This highlights divine sovereignty in the bestowal of resources, opportunities, or spiritual endowments, acknowledging individual capacity. The master's subsequent departure signifies a period of time given for these entrusted resources to be stewarded actively, anticipating future accountability upon his return.
Matthew 25 15 Context
Matthew 25:15 is an integral part of the Parable of the Talents (Matt 25:14-30), which is delivered by Jesus as part of His Olivet Discourse (Matt 24-25). This discourse primarily addresses eschatological themes, focusing on the signs of His coming and the end of the age. Chapters 24 and 25 comprise Jesus' teaching on preparedness for His second advent. Following the Parable of the Ten Virgins, which emphasizes the need for spiritual readiness and vigilance, the Parable of the Talents shifts focus to the active stewardship and responsible use of entrusted resources during the Lord's "absence" (His ascension and delay before the Second Coming). The immediate context shows the master distributing varying amounts before a long journey, setting the stage for the accountability of his servants upon his return. It is a lesson about diligently serving the Kingdom of Heaven until Christ returns.
Matthew 25 15 Word analysis
- To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one,
- This opening phrase highlights the sovereign, unequal distribution of resources or opportunities. Not everyone receives the same, challenging human notions of absolute equality in endowment. It sets the scene for differing levels of responsibility and subsequent outcomes. The diversity in gifting mirrors the diverse body of Christ.
- talents (Greek: τάλαντον, talanton)
- Significance: A talent was not an innate ability (as in modern English usage) but a very large unit of currency, weight, or treasure. It represented an immense sum. One talent was equivalent to about 6,000 denarii (a denarius was a day's wage for a laborer), meaning a single talent could be the wages for 15-20 years. Thus, even the servant with "one talent" received a substantial amount, highlighting the immense trust and resources entrusted to each servant. The word talent symbolizes anything valuable that God entrusts to believers – spiritual gifts, time, material wealth, opportunities, influence, health, and intellectual capacities.
- each according to his ability. (Greek: κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν δύναμιν, kata tēn idian dynamin)
- κατὰ (kata): "according to," denoting standard or measure.
- ἰδίαν (idian): "his own," emphasizing individual, personal ability.
- δύναμιν (dynamin): "ability," "power," "strength," "inherent capability." This is crucial. The master (God) is portrayed as discerning and just, distributing based on a clear, pre-existing knowledge of each servant's inherent capacity and potential. It signifies that God is wise in His allocation of resources, not giving beyond what one can handle, and expecting returns commensurate with what was given. It is not an arbitrary assignment but a precise and thoughtful one. This challenges the notion that resources are given without consideration for a person's individual readiness or calling.
- Then he went on his journey.
- This phrase marks a period of waiting, signifying the time between Christ's first and second comings. It implies the master's absence and a testing period for the servants. During this "journey," the servants are expected to actively manage and grow what they have been given. For believers, this is the current age, an opportunity to labor for the Kingdom before Christ's return for reckoning.
Matthew 25 15 Bonus section
The underlying principle of divine proportionality found in this verse serves as a crucial theological bedrock. It assures believers that God does not give tasks without also giving the corresponding strength or gifts. Conversely, it underscores that our responsibility is proportionate to what we have received. It challenges both excuses for idleness (like feeling ill-equipped) and potential pride in greater endowments, reminding that all ability and opportunity come from the Lord. This verse acts as a bridge from the passive waiting of the virgins (Matt 25:1-13) to the active stewardship expected in the Kingdom. It defines the "preparation" for the Lord's return not merely as readiness but as faithful activity and multiplication of entrusted gifts.
Matthew 25 15 Commentary
Matthew 25:15 lays the groundwork for the Parable of the Talents by illustrating God's sovereign and just distribution of His gifts. The unequal allocation of "talents"—representing not just financial wealth but all entrusted resources like spiritual gifts, time, opportunities, and influence—underscores that God equips His servants uniquely and purposefully. He does not treat everyone identically, but rather according to their "ability" (God-given capacity and spiritual gifting), demonstrating His wisdom and foresight. The master's departure signals the interval of Christ's ascension until His second coming, a period during which believers are called to actively steward what they have received, not to passively await His return. The essence of the verse emphasizes that every believer is entrusted with something significant, proportioned perfectly by a discerning God, and is expected to be fruitful and diligent in its management while anticipating the ultimate day of reckoning. This sets the stage for accountability, highlighting that the measure of expectation is directly tied to the measure of the gift.