Luke 19:10-37

¹⁰The Son of Man has come to search for those who are lost and to save them.”

¹¹As the people were listening to this, Jesus went on to tell them a parable. He did so because he was near Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to be proclaimed at once.

¹²He said, “A nobleman once went to a distant country to receive his appointment to a kingdom and then return.

¹³He called ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds of silver each, and told them to trade with them during his absence.

¹⁴But his subjects hated him and sent envoys after him to say ‘We will not have this man as our king.’

¹⁵On his return, after having been appointed king, he directed that the servants to whom he had given his money should be summoned, so that he might learn what amount of trade they had done.

¹⁶The first came up, and said ‘Sir, your ten pounds have made a hundred.’

¹⁷‘Well done, good servant!’ exclaimed the master. ‘As you have proved trustworthy in a very small matter, I appoint you governor over ten towns.’

¹⁸When the second came, he said ‘Your ten pounds, Sir, have produced fifty.’

¹⁹So the master said to him ‘And you I appoint over five towns.’

²⁰Another servant also came and said ‘Sir, here are your ten pounds; I have kept them put away in a handkerchief.

²¹For I was afraid of you, because you are a stern man. You take what you have not planted, and reap what you have not sown.’

²²The master answered ‘Out of your own mouth I judge you, you worthless servant. You knew that I am a stern man, that I take what I have not planted, and reap what I have not sown?

²³Then why didn't you put my money into a bank? And I, on my return, could have claimed it with interest.

²⁴Take away from him the ten pounds,’ he said to those standing by, ‘and give them to the one who has the hundred.’

²⁵‘But, Sir,’ they said, ‘he has a hundred pounds already!’

²⁶‘I tell you,’ he answered, ‘that, to him who has, more will be given, but, from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.

²⁷But as for my enemies, these men who would not have me as their king, bring them here and put them to death in my presence.’”

²⁸After saying this, Jesus went on in front, going up to Jerusalem.

²⁹It was when Jesus had almost reached Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, that he sent on two of the disciples.

³⁰“Go to the village facing us,” he said, “and, when you get there, you will find a foal tethered, which no one has yet ridden; untie it and lead it here.

³¹And, if anybody asks you ‘Why are you untying it?,’ you are to say this — ‘The Master wants it.’”

³²So the two who were sent went and found it as Jesus had told them.

³³While they were untying the foal, the owners asked them — “Why are you untying the foal?”

³⁴And the two disciples answered — “The Master wants it.”

³⁵Then they led it back to Jesus, and threw their cloaks on the foal and put Jesus on it.

³⁶As he went along, the people kept spreading their cloaks in the road.

³⁷When he had almost reached the place where the road led down the Mount of Olives, everyone of the many disciples began in their joy to praise God loudly for all the miracles that they had seen: