¹² He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. ¹³ So he called ten of his servants^(A) and gave them ten minas.^[a] ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

¹⁴ “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’

¹⁷ “‘Well done, my good servant!’^(A) his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’^(B)