Study Desk

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples.

"How terrible for you, blind guides! You teach, ‘If someone swears by the Temple, he isn't bound by his vow; but if he swears by the gold in the Temple, he is bound.'

You also teach, ‘If someone swears by the altar, he isn't bound by his vow; but if he swears by the gift on the altar, he is bound.'

Jesus left and was going away from the Temple when his disciples came to him to call his attention to its buildings.

But God has already reduced the number of days; had he not done so, nobody would survive. For the sake of his chosen people, however, God will reduce the days.

The great trumpet will sound, and he will send out his angels to the four corners of the earth, and they will gather his chosen people from one end of the world to the other.

If the owner of a house knew the time when the thief would come, you can be sure that he would stay awake and not let the thief break into his house.

"Who, then, is a faithful and wise servant? It is the one that his master has placed in charge of the other servants to give them their food at the proper time.

How happy that servant is if his master finds him doing this when he comes home!

Indeed, I tell you, the master will put that servant in charge of all his property.

But if he is a bad servant, he will tell himself that his master will not come back for a long time,

and he will begin to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.

The master will cut him in pieces and make him share the fate of the hypocrites. There he will cry and gnash his teeth.

"At that time the Kingdom of heaven will be like this. Once there was a man who was about to leave home on a trip; he called his servants and put them in charge of his property.

He gave to each one according to his ability: to one he gave five thousand gold coins, to another he gave two thousand, and to another he gave one thousand. Then he left on his trip.

The servant who had received five thousand coins went at once and invested his money and earned another five thousand.

But the servant who had received one thousand coins went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money.

‘Well done, you good and faithful servant!' said his master. ‘You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!'

‘Well done, you good and faithful servant!' said his master. ‘You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!'

‘You bad and lazy servant!' his master said. ‘You knew, did you, that I reap harvests where I did not plant, and gather crops where I did not scatter seed?