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Thursday, July 17th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Contemporary English Version

Luke 19:17

"That's fine, my good servant!" the king said. "Since you have shown that you can be trusted with a small amount, you will be given ten cities to rule."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Civil Service;   Faithfulness;   Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Judgment;   Kingdom of Heaven;   Opportunity;   Pound;   Probation;   Responsibility;   Servant;   Steward;   Trustee;   Unfaithfulness;   Works;   Thompson Chain Reference - Exaltation;   Exaltation-Abasement;   Exalted;   Faithfulness-Unfaithfulness;   Fidelity;   Saints;   The Topic Concordance - Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ;   Kingdom of God;   Servants;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Hatred to Christ;   Parables;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Parable;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Day of the lord;   Millennium;   Parables;   Servant;   Work;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Kingdom of God;   Responsibility;   Reward;   Wealth;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Zacchaeus;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Bethany;   City;   Flagon;   Issachar;   Jerusalem;   Nail;   Nebuchadnezzar;   Thousand Years;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Banking;   Commerce;   Jonah;   Luke, Gospel of;   Weights and Measures;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Parable;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Ambition;   Asceticism (2);   Character;   Common Life;   Complacency;   Debt, Debtor (2);   Discourse;   Equality;   Mammon;   Minister, Ministration;   Money (2);   Pound ;   Praise (2);   Property (2);   Readiness;   Righteous, Righteousness;   Sanctify, Sanctification;   Selfishness;   Social Life;   Sodom;   Steward, Stewardship;   Supremacy;   Talents ;   Trade and Commerce;   Wealth (2);   Winter ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Kingdom, Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven;   Weights and Measures;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Zacch us;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Pound;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   Kingdom or Church of Christ, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Authority in Religion;   Herod;   Millennium: Premillennial View;   Pound;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“‘Well done, good
King James Version (1611)
And he said vnto him, Well, thou good seruant: because thou hast bene faithfull in a very little, haue thou authoritie ouer ten cities.
King James Version
And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
English Standard Version
And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.'
New American Standard Bible
"And he said to him, 'Well done, good slave; since you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to have authority over ten cities.'
New Century Version
The king said to the servant, ‘Excellent! You are a good servant. Since I can trust you with small things, I will let you rule over ten of my cities.'
Amplified Bible
"And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you proved yourself faithful and trustworthy in a very little thing, you shall [now] have authority over ten cities [in my kingdom].'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"And he said to him, 'Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.'
Legacy Standard Bible
And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.'
Berean Standard Bible
His master replied, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you shall have authority over ten cities.'
Complete Jewish Bible
‘Excellent!' he said to him. ‘You are a good servant. Because you have been trustworthy in a small matter, I am putting you in charge of ten towns.'
Darby Translation
And he said to him, Well [done], thou good bondman; because thou hast been faithful in that which is least, be thou in authority over ten cities.
Easy-to-Read Version
The king said to him, ‘That's great! You are a good servant. I see that I can trust you with small things. So now I will let you rule over ten of my cities.'
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he sayd vnto him, Well, good seruant: because thou hast bene faithfull in a very litle thing, take thou authoritie ouer ten cities.
George Lamsa Translation
He said to him, O good servant, because you are found faithful in a little, you will have charge over ten talents. *
Good News Translation
‘Well done,' he said; ‘you are a good servant! Since you were faithful in small matters, I will put you in charge of ten cities.'
Lexham English Bible
And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small thing, have authority over ten cities.'
Literal Translation
And he said to him, Well done , good slave! Because you were faithful in a least thing, have authority over ten cities.
American Standard Version
And he said unto him, Well done, thou good servant: because thou wast found faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
Bible in Basic English
And he said to him, You have done well, O good servant: because you have done well in a small thing you will have authority over ten towns.
Hebrew Names Version
"He said to him, 'Well done, you good servant! Because you were found faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.'
International Standard Version
The kingHe
">[fn] said to him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.'Matthew 25:21; Luke 16:10;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
He saith to him, Well, good servant: because in a little thou art found faithful, thou shalt have rule over ten towns.
Murdock Translation
He said to him: Well done, good servant! As thou hast been faithful over a little, thou shalt have authority over ten towns.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he sayde vnto hym: Well thou good seruaunt, because thou hast ben faythfull in a very litle thing, haue thou aucthoritie ouer ten cities.
English Revised Version
And he said unto him, Well done, thou good servant: because thou wast found faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
World English Bible
"He said to him, 'Well done, you good servant! Because you were found faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.'
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And he said to him, Well done, good servant; because thou hast been faithful in a very little, be thou governor over ten cities.
Weymouth's New Testament
"`Well done, good servant,' he replied; `because you have been faithful in a very small matter, be in authority over ten towns.'
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He seide to hym, Wel be, thou good seruaunt; for in litil thing thou hast be trewe, thou schalt be hauynge power on ten citees.
Update Bible Version
And he said to him, Well done, you good slave: because you were found faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
New English Translation
And the king said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you will have authority over ten cities.'
New King James Version
And he said to him, "Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.'
New Living Translation
"‘Well done!' the king exclaimed. ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.'
New Life Bible
He said to him, ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful in using a little. Now you will be leader over ten cities.'
New Revised Standard
He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.'
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he said to him - Well done! good servant. Because, in a very small thing, thou hast been, faithful, have thou authority over, ten cities.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to him: Well done, thou good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a little, thou shalt have power over ten cities.
Revised Standard Version
And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.'
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And he sayde vnto him: Well good servaute because thou wast faithfull in a very lytell thynge take thou auctorite over ten cities.
Young's Literal Translation
and he said to him, Well done, good servant, because in a very little thou didst become faithful, be having authority over ten cities.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he sayde vnto him: Well thou good seruaut, for so moch as thou hast bene faithfull in the least, thou shalt haue auctorite ouer ten cities.
Mace New Testament (1729)
he answer'd, honest servant, that's well: since your industry has made so much of so little, I give you the government of ten cities.
THE MESSAGE
"He said, ‘Good servant! Great work! Because you've been trustworthy in this small job, I'm making you governor of ten towns.'
Simplified Cowboy Version
"'Great job, cowboy!' the new ranch manager said. 'You've done well. You were given a little and returned it to me better. I'm going to make you the new cow boss.'

Contextual Overview

11 The crowd was still listening to Jesus as he was getting close to Jerusalem. Many of them thought that God's kingdom would soon appear, 12 and Jesus told them this story: A prince once went to a foreign country to be crowned king and then to return. 13 But before leaving, he called in ten servants and gave each of them some money. He told them, "Use this to earn more money until I get back." 14 But the people of his country hated him, and they sent messengers to the foreign country to say, "We don't want this man to be our king." 15 After the prince had been made king, he returned and called in his servants. He asked them how much they had earned with the money they had been given. 16 The first servant came and said, "Sir, with the money you gave me I have earned ten times as much." 17 "That's fine, my good servant!" the king said. "Since you have shown that you can be trusted with a small amount, you will be given ten cities to rule." 18 The second one came and said, "Sir, with the money you gave me, I have earned five times as much." 19 The king said, "You will be given five cities." 20 Another servant came and said, "Sir, here is your money. I kept it safe in a handkerchief.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Well: Genesis 39:4, 1 Samuel 2:30, Matthew 25:21, Romans 2:29, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 2 Timothy 2:10, 1 Peter 1:7, 1 Peter 5:4

been: Luke 16:10, Luke 22:30, Matthew 25:21, Revelation 2:26-29

Reciprocal: Genesis 39:6 - he left Matthew 24:45 - is Matthew 24:47 - That Matthew 25:20 - behold Luke 12:17 - shall Luke 12:44 - that he will Luke 22:29 - General John 5:44 - and John 12:43 - the praise of God 1 Corinthians 7:31 - use 1 Timothy 3:13 - they

Cross-References

Genesis 13:10
This happened before the Lord had destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. And when Lot looked around, he saw there was plenty of water in the Jordan Valley. All the way to Zoar the valley was as green as the garden of the Lord or the land of Egypt.
Genesis 18:22
The men turned and started toward Sodom. But the Lord stayed with Abraham,
Genesis 19:14
Lot went to the men who were engaged to his daughters and said, "Hurry and get out of here! The Lord is going to destroy this city." But they thought he was joking, and they laughed at him.
Genesis 19:15
Early the next morning the two angels tried to make Lot hurry and leave. They said, "Take your wife and your two daughters and get out of here as fast as you can! If you don't, every one of you will be killed when the Lord destroys the city."
Genesis 19:16
At first, Lot just stood there. But the Lord wanted to save him. So the angels took Lot, his wife, and his two daughters by the hand and led them out of the city.
Genesis 19:18
Lot answered, "You have done us a great favor, sir. You have saved our lives, but please don't make us go to the hills. That's too far away. The city will be destroyed before we can get there, and we will be killed when it happens.
Genesis 19:22
Hurry! Run! I can't do anything until you are safely there." The town was later called Zoar because Lot had said it was small.
Genesis 19:26
On the way, Lot's wife looked back and was turned into a block of salt.
Genesis 19:31
One day his older daughter said to her sister, "Our father is old, and there are no men anywhere for us to marry.
Genesis 19:32
Let's get our father drunk! Then we can sleep with him and have children."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said unto him, well, thou good servant,.... Signifying he had well done, and had approved himself to be an honest, diligent, and laborious servant; who, having the grace of God, which made him a good man, and gifts and abilities, which made him a good minister of Christ, he made a good use them, freely communicated the good things of the Gospel, and being employed in a good work, he performed it well:

because thou hast been faithful in a very little; had preached the pure Gospel of Christ, and the whole of it, and sought not to please men, but the Lord only; not his own glory, but Christ's; abode by him and his interest, notwithstanding all reproaches and persecutions, and so acted a faithful part to Christ: "in a very little"; not that the Gospel is in itself little, or of small account; it is a treasure in earthen vessels; and contains the unsearchable riches of Christ: nor are gifts to preach it little things; they are instances of rich and amazing grace; but they are little, or, rather, the use and exercise of them are little, in comparison of the glory and happiness such faithful servants shall enjoy: from whence it appears, that since there is no proportion between what they do, and what they shall have, that therefore it is not of merit but of grace; and which is expressed in the following clause:

have thou authority over ten cities; which is to be understood, not in a literal sense, as if the apostles should have the jurisdiction over so many cities, or churches in so many cities among the Gentiles, after the destruction of Jerusalem, which were planted by their means and ministry; for nothing of this kind appears in the word of God: and much less after the second coming of Christ, shall faithful ministers of the word have power over so many cities, literally taken; for both in the kingdom state and in the ultimate glory, there will be but one beloved city, the holy city, the new Jerusalem: nor is any thing in particular, in a metaphorical sense, intended; only, in general, that the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of it, will be given unto them; and they shall reign with Christ on earth a thousand years; and shall also have a crown of glory, life, and righteousness bestowed on them, and shall sit on the throne with Christ; and besides all this, the persons they have been instrumental to, will be their joy, and crown of rejoicing. A learned writer l explains these ten cities, by the ten horns of the dragon, and beast in Revelation 12:3 by which are meant ten kings, or kingdoms, Revelation 17:12. These indeed will be overcome by Christ, and they that are with him, and will hate the Romish antichrist, and destroy him; so that, it seems, there will be revolutions in these kingdoms; and large conversions to the faith of Christ, which seems to be what this writer means by authority over them.

l Teelmanni Specimen Explic. Parabol. p. 51.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 25:20-21.

Ten cities - We are not to suppose that this will be “literally” fulfilled in heaven. Christ teaches here that our reward in heaven will be “in proportion” to our faithfulness in improving our talents on earth.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 19:17. Over ten cities. — This is to be understood as referring to the new kingdom which the nobleman had just received. His former trustiest and most faithful servants he now represents as being made governors, under him, over a number of cities, according to the capacity he found in each; which capacity was known by the improvement of the minas.


 
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