_The Jews gather in Jerusalem to attend the feast. The
Christines go to Jericho. Jesus dines with Zaccheus. He
relates the parable of the ten talents._
The great passover of the Jews, the feast of spring, was calling every
loyal Jew up to Jerusalem.
2 Ten days before the feast the Lord and his disciples left the
Ephriam hills and, by the Jordan way, went down to Jericho.
3 And as they entered Jericho a wealthy publican came out to see the
Lord; but he was small in stature and the throng was great and he
could see him not.
4 A tree, a sycamore, stood by the way and he climbed up the tree and
found a seat among its boughs.
5 When Jesus came, he saw the man and said, O Zaccheus, make haste,
come down; I would abide with you today.
6 And Zaccheus came down and joyfully received the Lord; but many of
the stricter sect called out and said,
7 For shame! he goes to lodge with Zaccheus, the sinner and the
publican.
8 But Jesus did not care for what they said; he went his way with
Zaccheus, who was a man of faith, and as they talked together Zaccheus
said,
9 Lord, I have ever tried to do the right; I give unto the poor half
of my goods, and if by any means I wrong a man, I right the wrong by
paying him four fold.
10 And Jesus said to him, Your life and faith are known to God, and
lo, the benedictions of the Lord of hosts abide with you and all your
house.
11 Then Jesus spoke a parable to all; he said, A vassal of an emperor
was made a king, and he went to the foreign land to claim his rights
and take the kingdom to himself.
12 Before he went he called ten trusted servants and to each he gave a
pound and said,
13 Go forth and use these pounds as you have opportunity, that you may
gain for me more wealth. And then he went his way.
14 And after many days he came again, and called the ten, demanding a
report.
15 The first one came and said, Lord, I have gained for you nine
pounds; you gave me one and here are ten.
16 The king replied, Well done, you faithful man; because you have
been faithful in a little thing I judge that you will be a faithful
servant in a greater thing;
17 Behold, I make you ruler over nine important cities of my realm.
18 The second came and said, Lord, I have gained for you four pounds;
you gave me one, and here are five.
19 The king replied, and you have proven up your faithfulness. Behold,
I make you ruler over four important cities of my realm.
20 Another came and said, Lord, I have doubled what you gave to me.
You gave one pound to me and here are two.
21 The ruler said, And you have proved your faithfulness; Behold, I
make you ruler over one important city of my realm.
22 Another came and said, Lord, here is what you gave to me. I knew
you were an austere man, oft reaping where you did not sow and I was
sore afraid, and so I took the pound you gave to me and hid it in a
secret place; and here it is.
23 The king exclaimed, You slothful man! you knew what I required,
that I expected every man to do his best.
24 If you were timid and afraid to trust your judgment in the marts of
trade, why did you not go forth and put my money out for gain, that I
could have my own with interest?
25 Then turning to the steward of his wealth the ruler said, Take you
this pound and give it unto him who has by diligence earned nine.
26 For lo, I say, that every one who uses what he has and gains, shall
have abundantly; but he who hides away his talent in the earth shall
forfeit what he has.