because the Kingdom of heaven is like this. Once there was a king who decided to check on his servants' accounts.

He had just begun to do so when one of them was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.

"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.

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.

The servant who had received five thousand coins came in and handed over the other five thousand. 'You gave me five thousand coins, sir,' he said. 'Look! Here are another five thousand that I have earned.'

Then the servant who had been given two thousand coins came in and said, 'You gave me two thousand coins, sir. Look! Here are another two thousand that I have earned.'

Then the servant who had received one thousand coins came in and said, 'Sir, I know you are a hard man; you reap harvests where you did not plant, and you gather crops where you did not scatter seed.

'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?

Now, take the money away from him and give it to the one who has ten thousand coins.

As for this useless servant---throw him outside in the darkness; there he will cry and gnash his teeth.'

Joanna, whose husband Chuza was an officer in Herod's court; and Susanna, and many other women who used their own resources to help Jesus and his disciples.

The Lord answered, "Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant? He is the one that his master will put in charge, to run the household and give the other servants their share of the food at the proper time.

But Abram answered, "Sovereign LORD, what good will your reward do me, since I have no children? My only heir is Eliezer of Damascus.

So at the door of the house, they said to the servant in charge,

King David commanded all the officials of Israel to assemble in Jerusalem. So all the officials of the tribes, the officials who administered the work of the kingdom, the leaders of the clans, the supervisors of the property and livestock that belonged to the king and his sons---indeed all the palace officials, leading soldiers, and important men---gathered in Jerusalem.

You should think of us as Christ's servants, who have been put in charge of God's secret truths.

The one thing required of such servants is that they be faithful to their master.

For since a church leader is in charge of God's work, he should be without fault. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered, or a drunkard or violent or greedy for money.

Each one, as a good manager of God's different gifts, must use for the good of others the special gift he has received from God.

"There was once a rich man who dressed in the most expensive clothes and lived in great luxury every day.

After a few days the younger son sold his part of the property and left home with the money. He went to a country far away, where he wasted his money in reckless living.

But this son of yours wasted all your property on prostitutes, and when he comes back home, you kill the prize calf for him!'

Another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it hidden in a handkerchief.

A lazy person is as bad as someone who is destructive.

She would never acknowledge that I am the one who gave her the grain, the wine, the olive oil, and all the silver and gold that she used in the worship of Baal.

And when you ask, you do not receive it, because your motives are bad; you ask for things to use for your own pleasures.