Matthew 25 27

Matthew 25:27 kjv

Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

Matthew 25:27 nkjv

So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.

Matthew 25:27 niv

Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

Matthew 25:27 esv

Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.

Matthew 25:27 nlt

why didn't you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.'

Matthew 25 verses

Matthew 25 27 Meaning

This verse is the master's direct rebuke to the third servant in the Parable of the Talents, highlighting his lack of initiative and stewardship. It conveys that even the most minimal, safe, and readily available action would have yielded a return on the master's entrusted money. The servant's failure to merely deposit the money with bankers to accrue interest demonstrates his inexcusable idleness and misjudgment of his master's expectations. It underscores the principle that those entrusted with resources, gifts, or opportunities are expected to use them productively, yielding an increase for the owner.

Matthew 25 27 Context

Matthew 25:27 is part of Jesus' teaching on the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), which is delivered in the Olivet Discourse. This discourse (Matthew 24-25) focuses on the signs of the end of the age and Christ's Second Coming, emphasizing the need for vigilance, preparedness, and faithful stewardship for believers awaiting their Lord's return. The parable itself illustrates principles of responsibility and accountability to God. The "talents" represent not just financial wealth, but all resources, abilities, spiritual gifts, and opportunities that God entrusts to individuals. The master in the parable goes on a long journey, symbolizing Christ's ascension and future return. The servants are expected to actively invest and multiply what they have been given. The first two servants diligently engage in this, but the third buries his talent, fearing the master and showing no initiative. This specific verse (Mt 25:27) is the master's counter-argument and indictment of the third servant's slothful excuse (Mt 25:24-25), indicating that even the most minimal, low-risk effort was not undertaken, demonstrating a fundamental misunderstanding of the master's expectations.

Matthew 25 27 Word analysis

• Then (ἔδει, edei): A strong impersonal verb, meaning "it was necessary" or "you ought." It implies an unfulfilled obligation, indicating the master's firm expectation.
• you ought (ἔδει, edei): Combined with "then," this denotes a clear moral or logical imperative; what should have been done.
• to have put (ἔβαλες, ebales): From the Greek verb ballō, meaning "to throw," "to cast," or "to put." In this context, it implies simply depositing or placing, not a complex financial maneuver. It suggests an action requiring minimal effort.
• my money (ἀργύριόν μου, argyrion mou): Argyrion refers specifically to "silver," often used for money. "My money" emphasizes that the ownership remained with the master, and the servant was merely a steward, entrusted with managing it.
• with the bankers (ἐπὶ τοὺς τραπεζίτας, epi tous trapezitas): Trapezites (from trapeza, meaning "table") were literally "table-men" or "money-changers/bankers." They were individuals who handled deposits and loans, providing interest on money placed with them. This was a common and low-risk commercial practice of the day. It represents the simplest, most secure way to generate a return.
• and at my coming (κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν, kagō elthōn): Kai egō elthōn means "and I, having come." This reinforces the certainty of the master's return, which parallels Christ's guaranteed Second Coming, implying an unavoidable time of reckoning.
• I should have received back (ἐκομισάμην ἂν, ekomisamēn an): Komizō means to receive, get back, or recover what is due. The particle an indicates a potential or desired outcome that would have occurred if the servant had acted appropriately. It speaks to a rightful expectation of the master.
• my own (τὸ ἐμὸν, to emon): "That which is mine." Again, reiterates the master's ownership and rightful claim to not just the principal, but also the increase.
• with interest (σὺν τόκῳ, syn tokō): Tokos literally means "birth" or "offspring," and thus by extension, the "offspring" or increase of money, i.e., interest. This clarifies the expected return. While usury (exorbitant interest from the needy) was condemned among Israelites, charging interest in commercial banking activities was an accepted practice, especially with foreigners, and this parable demonstrates the expectation of legitimate increase on investment.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Then you ought to have put my money with the bankers": This phrase directly counters the servant's excuse of fear and identifies a baseline, minimally effortful, and risk-averse action that should have been taken. It highlights that the master's expectation was reasonable and readily achievable, even if the servant lacked entrepreneurial skill or boldness. The negligence was not merely in failing to make a significant profit, but in failing to make any effort to generate a return, even a modest one from a standard, safe source.
• "and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest": This part specifies the logical and expected outcome had the minimal action been taken. It underlines the master's legitimate desire for growth and increase from his capital. It exposes the servant's failure not only as inaction but also as a direct impediment to the master's rightful gain, portraying the master not as harsh, but as simply expecting a reasonable return on his investment. This signifies that accountability involves not merely preserving resources, but ensuring they produce.

Matthew 25 27 Bonus section

• The master's expectation of interest from bankers was a common and legitimate commercial practice of the time, distinct from usury (exploitation of the poor), which was condemned within the Israelite community.
• The third servant's reasoning (fear and belief that the master reaped where he did not sow) is demonstrably false and used by the master to highlight the servant's internal failure. His perception led to inaction.
• This verse subtly reinforces the idea that opportunities are not just for the skilled or audacious. Even basic, low-risk diligence is expected in the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 25 27 Commentary

Matthew 25:27 reveals the heart of the master's disappointment and the nature of the third servant's sin. It's a poignant indictment of unproductive stewardship, revealing that sloth, fear, or a skewed perception of God's character (as a harsh taskmaster) leads to a failure in diligent service. The master expected not extraordinary risk or innovation from the third servant, but the bare minimum: to deposit the money where it could at least passively earn a return. This principle applies to all areas of Christian life: the spiritual gifts God has given (1 Pet 4:10), the time we are allotted (Eph 5:16), the financial resources we possess (Prov 28:8), and the opportunities presented for kingdom work. To bury what God has given, even out of a misguided sense of caution, is to be unfaithful. God desires active participation and the fruit of our lives for His glory, not merely preservation of what He has entrusted. The consequence for inaction is loss and condemnation (Mt 25:30). This verse calls believers to productive living, recognizing that every resource is God's, and we are merely stewards who will give an account.