“ Again, here is what the kingdom of heaven will be like. A man was going on a journey. He sent for his slaves and put them in charge of his money.

“天国又好比一个人要往外国去，就叫了仆人来，把他的家业交给他们，

“天国又好比一个人要出外远行，就叫了仆人来，把他的家业交给他们。

“天国又好比一个人要出外远行，就叫了仆人来，把他的家业交给他们。

“天国就像一个人即将远行，他召来自己的奴仆，把产业托付给他们，

“天国又像一个人要出外远行，就叫自己的仆人来，把产业交给他们。

“天国又好比一个人要出外旅行，就叫来自己的奴仆们，把他所拥有的交托给他们。

「天國又好比一個人要往外國去，就叫了僕人來，把他的家業交給他們，

「天國又好比一個人要出外遠行，就叫了僕人來，把他的家業交給他們。

「天國又好比一個人要出外遠行，就叫了僕人來，把他的家業交給他們。

「天國就像一個人即將遠行，他召來自己的奴僕，把產業託付給他們，

“天國又像一個人要出外遠行，就叫自己的僕人來，把產業交給他們。

『就像一個人要出外去，叫了他的奴僕來，把資財交給他們；

「天國又好比一個人要出外旅行，就叫來自己的奴僕們，把他所擁有的交託給他們。

又如一人將往他方、召其僕以家資付之、

又如一人、將往異地、召僕以所有者予之、

又如一人將往異地、召僕、以家貲付之、

昔有人焉、將遠行、召其諸僕、託以家貲、

“ Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.

“ For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.

“ Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone.

“ For it is just like a man about to go on a journey. He called his own servants and entrusted his possessions to them.

“ For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them.

“ For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.

For it is as when a man, going into another country, called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

“ For it is just like a man going on a journey. He called his own slaves and turned over his possessions to them.

For[ the kingdom of heaven is] as a man travelling into a far country,[ who] called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

“ For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them.

“ For it is like a man, going into another country, who called his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them.

Welcome others into your homes without complaining.God’s gifts of grace come in many forms. Each of you has received a gift in order to serve others. You should use it faithfully.If anyone speaks, they should do it as one speaking God’s words. If anyone serves, they should do it with the strength God provides. Then in all things God will be praised through Jesus Christ. Glory and power belong to him for ever and ever. Amen.

It’s like a man going away. He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge. Each one is given a task to do. He tells the one at the door to keep watch.

Jesus said,“ A man from an important family went to a country far away. He went there to be made king and then return home.So he sent for ten of his slaves. He gave them each about three months’ pay.‘ Put this money to work until I come back,’ he said.“ But those he ruled over hated him. They sent some messengers after him. They were sent to say,‘ We don’t want this man to be our king.’“ But he was made king and returned home. Then he sent for the slaves he had given the money to. He wanted to find out what they had earned with it.“ The first one came to him. He said,‘ Sir, your money has earned ten times as much.’“‘ You have done well, my good slave!’ his master replied.‘ You have been faithful in a very small matter. So I will put you in charge of ten towns.’“ The second slave came to his master. He said,‘ Sir, your money has earned five times as much.’“ His master answered,‘ I will put you in charge of five towns.’“ Then another slave came. He said,‘ Sir, here is your money. I have kept it hidden in a piece of cloth.I was afraid of you. You are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in. You harvest what you did not plant.’“ His master replied,‘ I will judge you by your own words, you evil slave! So you knew that I am a hard man? You knew that I take out what I did not put in? You knew that I harvest what I did not plant?Then why didn’t you put my money in the bank? When I came back, I could have collected it with interest.’“ Then he said to those standing by,‘ Take his money away from him. Give it to the one who has ten times as much.’“‘ Sir,’ they said,‘ he already has ten times as much!’“ He replied,‘ I tell you that everyone who has will be given more. But here is what will happen to anyone who has nothing. Even what they have will be taken away from them.And what about my enemies who did not want me to be king over them? Bring them here! Kill them in front of me!’ ”

So Christ himself gave the gift of the apostles to the church. He gave the prophets and those who preach the good news. And he also gave the pastors and teachers as a gift to the church.

There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given to believers by the same Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way. That is for the good of all.To some people the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To others the same Spirit gives a message of knowledge.To others the same Spirit gives faith. To others that one Spirit gives gifts of healing.To others he gives the power to do miracles. To others he gives the ability to prophesy. To others he gives the ability to tell the spirits apart. To others he gives the ability to speak in different kinds of languages they had not known before. And to still others he gives the ability to explain what was said in those languages.All the gifts are produced by one and the same Spirit. He gives gifts to each person, just as he decides.There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ.We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit. And so we are formed into one body. It didn’t matter whether we were Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink.So the body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts.Suppose the foot says,“ I am not a hand. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body.And suppose the ear says,“ I am not an eye. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body.If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell?God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be.If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body?As it is, there are many parts. But there is only one body.The eye can’t say to the hand,“ I don’t need you!” The head can’t say to the feet,“ I don’t need you!”In fact, it is just the opposite. The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are the ones we can’t do without.The parts that we think are less important we treat with special honor. The private parts aren’t shown. But they are treated with special care.The parts that can be shown don’t need special care. But God has put together all the parts of the body. And he has given more honor to the parts that didn’t have any.In that way, the parts of the body will not take sides. All of them will take care of one another.If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy.You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it.First, God has placed apostles in the church. Second, he has placed prophets in the church. Third, he has placed teachers in the church. Then he has given to the church miracles and gifts of healing. He also has given the gift of helping others and the gift of guiding the church. God also has given the gift of speaking in different kinds of languages.Is everyone an apostle? Is everyone a prophet? Is everyone a teacher? Do all work miracles?

Jesus told his disciples another story. He said,“ There was a rich man who had a manager. Some said that the manager was wasting what the rich man owned.So the rich man told him to come in. He asked him,‘ What is this I hear about you? Tell me exactly how you have handled what I own. You can’t be my manager any longer.’“ The manager said to himself,‘ What will I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig. And I’m too ashamed to beg.I know what I’m going to do. I’ll do something so that when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’“ So he called in each person who owed his master something. He asked the first one,‘ How much do you owe my master?’“‘ I owe 900 gallons of olive oil,’ he replied.“ The manager told him,‘ Take your bill. Sit down quickly and change it to 450 gallons.’“ Then he asked the second one,‘ And how much do you owe?’“‘ I owe 1,000 bushels of wheat,’ he replied.“ The manager told him,‘ Take your bill and change it to 800 bushels.’“ The manager had not been honest. But the master praised him for being clever. The people of this world are clever in dealing with those who are like themselves. They are more clever than God’s people.I tell you, use the riches of this world to help others. In that way, you will make friends for yourselves. Then when your riches are gone, you will be welcomed into your eternal home in heaven.“ Suppose you can be trusted with something very little. Then you can also be trusted with something very large. But suppose you are not honest with something very little. Then you will also not be honest with something very large.Suppose you have not been worthy of trust in handling worldly wealth. Then who will trust you with true riches?Suppose you have not been worthy of trust in handling someone else’s property. Then who will give you property of your own?

So here is how you should think of us. We serve Christ. We are trusted with the mysteries God has shown us.Those who have been given a trust must prove that they are faithful.

“ Again, here is what the kingdom of heaven will be like. A man was going on a journey. He sent for his slaves and put them in charge of his money.He gave five bags of gold to one. He gave two bags to another. And he gave one bag to the third. The man gave each slave the amount of money he knew the slave could take care of. Then he went on his journey.The slave who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work. He earned five bags more.The one with the two bags of gold earned two more.But the man who had received one bag went and dug a hole in the ground. He hid his master’s money in it.“ After a long time the master of those slaves returned. He wanted to collect all the money they had earned.The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five.‘ Master,’ he said,‘ you trusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have earned five more.’“ His master replied,‘ You have done well, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’“ The man with two bags of gold also came.‘ Master,’ he said,‘ you trusted me with two bags of gold. See, I have earned two more.’“ His master replied,‘ You have done well, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’“ Then the man who had received one bag of gold came.‘ Master,’ he said,‘ I knew that you are a hard man. You harvest where you have not planted. You gather crops where you have not scattered seed.So I was afraid. I went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’“ His master replied,‘ You evil, lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I have not planted? You knew that I gather crops where I have not scattered seed?Well then, you should have put my money in the bank. When I returned, I would have received it back with interest.’“ Then his master commanded the other slaves,‘ Take the bag of gold from him. Give it to the one who has ten bags.Everyone who has will be given more. They will have more than enough. And what about anyone who doesn’t have? Even what they have will be taken away from them.Throw that worthless slave outside. There in the darkness, people will weep and grind their teeth.’

“ Listen to another story. A man who owned some land planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it. He dug a pit for a winepress in it. He also built a lookout tower. He rented the vineyard out to some farmers. Then he moved to another place.

We all have gifts. They differ according to the grace God has given to each of us. Do you have the gift of prophecy? Then use it according to the faith you have.If your gift is serving, then serve. If it is teaching, then teach.Is it encouraging others? Then encourage them. Is it giving to others? Then give freely. Is it being a leader? Then work hard at it. Is it showing mercy? Then do it cheerfully.

After all, what is Apollos? And what is Paul? We are only people who serve. We helped you to believe. The Lord has given each of us our own work to do.

Jesus went on to tell the people a story.“ A man planted a vineyard,” he said.“ He rented it out to some farmers. Then he went away for a long time.