Luke 19:20
in Luke 19Then another servant came and said, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have laid away in a piece of cloth.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I kept laid up in a napkin:
KJV
And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
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This verse in Luke 19
Commentary
18 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
A napkin - A towel. He means by it that he had not wasted it nor thrown it by carelessly, but had been “very careful” of it; so much so as to be at the pains to tie it up in a towel and put it in a safe place, as if he had been “very faithful” to his trust. So many people employ their talents, their learning, their property, their influence.
This site's exposition
here is your mina
on Luke 19:20-23
The third servant gives fear as his reason for laying the mina away in a piece of cloth: you are a harsh man. The master takes the description as the charge without disputing it: I will judge you by your own words.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
In the Gospel, you have heard both the reward of the good servants and the punishment of the bad. The fault of that servant who was reproved and severely punished was this and only this: that he would not put to use what he had received. He preserved it intact, but his master was looking for a profit from it. God is greedy for our salvation. If such condemnation befalls the servant who did not use what he had received, what should they who lose it expect? We therefore are dispensers. We expend, but you receive. We expect a profit on your part—living good lives—for that is the profit from our dispensing. Do not think that you are free from the obligation of dispensing. Of course, you cannot dispense your gifts as from this higher station of ours, but you can dispense them in whatever station you happen to be. When Christ is attacked, defend him. Give an answer to those who complain. Rebuke blasphemers, but keep yourselves far from any fellowship with them. If in this way you gain anyone, you are putting your gifts to use.
Nothing is said of the other servants, who like wasteful debtors lost all that they had received. By those two servants who gained by trading, are signified that small number, who in two companies were sent as dressers of the vineyard; by the remainder all the Jews. It follows, And they said unto him, Lord, he has ten pounds. And lest this should seem unjust, it is added, For to every one that hath, it shall be given.
(de Quæst. Evan. lib. ii. qu. 46.) Or else; That one of those who well employed their money gained ten pounds, another five, signifies that they acquired them for the flock of God, by whom the law was now understood through grace, either because of the ten commandments of the law, or because he, through whom the law was given, wrote five books; and to this belong the ten and five cities over which He appoints them to preside. For the manifold meanings or interpretations which spring up concerning some individual precept or book, when reduced and brought together in one, make as it were a city of living eternal reasons. Hence a city is not a multitude of living creatures, but of reasonable beings bound together by the fellowship of one law. The servants then who bring an account of that which they had received, and are praised for having gained more, represent those giving in their account who have well employed what they had received, to increase their Lord's riches by those who believe on Him, while they who are unwilling to do this are signified by that servant who kept his pound laid up in a napkin; of whom it follows, And the third came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin, &c. For there are some who flatter themselves with this delusion, saying, It is enough for each individual to answer concerning himself, what need then of others to preach and minister, in order that every one should be compelled also to give an account of himself, seeing that in the Lord's sight even they are without excuse to whom the law was not given, and who were not asleep at the time of the preaching of the Gospel, for they might have known the Creator through the creature; and then it follows, For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man, &c. […]
Interest on the Word of God is having in life and deeds things that the Word of God has commanded. When you hear the Word, if you use it and act according to those words that you hear and live according to these words, then you are preparing interest for the Lord. Each of you can make ten talents from five. You will then hear from the Lord, "Well done, good and faithful servant, you shall have power over ten cities." Beware of this, fearing that any one of you may gather "in a napkin" or bury "in the earth" the money that has been received. You know well the nature of the outcome for this kind of man when the Lord comes.
What you have offered to God you shall receive back multiplied. Something like this, although put in another way, is related in the Gospels when in a parable someone received a pound that he might engage in business, and the master of the house demanded the money. If you have caused five to be multiplied to ten, then they are given to you. Hear what Scripture says, "Take his pound, and give it to him who has ten pounds."We therefore appear at least to engage in business for the Lord, but the profits of the business go to us. We appear to offer sacrifice to the Lord, but the things we offer are given back to us. God does not need anything, but he wants us to be rich. He desires our progress through each, individual thing.
11 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
He had Himself fore-shown, by means of a parable, that they should not keep back in secret, fruitless of interest, a single pound, that is, one word of His.
The Medieval Church5 voices
For with a napkin the face of the dead is covered; well then is this idler said to have wrapped up his pound in a napkin, because leaving it dead and unprofitable he neither touched nor increased it.
And the third came saying etc. After he described the form of judgment with respect to all and with respect to the faithful, here he describes it with respect to the negligent, who are all designated in the person of this third servant. Concerning this, …
And another came, saying: Lord, behold thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin. For I feared thee, because thou art a stern man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. The servant who, …
Or to tie up money in a napkin is to hide the gifts we have received under the indolence of a sluggish body.
Let us see what he says: "Lord! here is your mina," take it; "I kept it, wrapped in a handkerchief." A cloth was placed on the head of the deceased Lord (John 20:7), and the face of Lazarus in the tomb was wrapped with a …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
It is all one to them whether the interests of Christ's kingdom sink or swim, go backward or forward; for their parts, they will take no care about it, no pains, be at no expenses, run no hazard. Those are the servants that lay up their pound in a napkin who think it enough to say that they have done no hurt in the world, but did no good.
And another came,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The occasion of our Lord speaking the parable before us, is clear and plain. It was intended to correct the false expectations of the disciples on the subject of Christ's kingdom. It was a prophetic sketch of things present and things to come — which ought to raise solemn thoughts in the minds of all professing Christians. We see, for one thing, in this parable — the present position of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is compared to "a certain nobleman, who went into a far country, to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return."
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The occasion of our Lord speaking the parable before us, is clear and plain. It was intended to correct the false expectations of the disciples on the subject of Christ's kingdom. It was a prophetic sketch of things present and things to come — which ought to raise solemn thoughts in the minds of all professing Christians. We see, for one thing, in this parable — the present position of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is compared to "a certain nobleman, who went into a far country, to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return." When the Lord Jesus left the world, He ascended up into Heaven as a conqueror, leading captivity captive. He is there sitting at the right hand of God, doing the work of a High Priest for His believing people, and ever making intercession for them. But He will not sit there always. He will come forth from the holy of holies to bless His people. He will come again with power and glory — to put down every enemy under His feet, and to set up His universal kingdom on earth. At present "we do not see all things subjected to Him." The devil is the "prince of this world." (Hebrews 2:8; John 14:30.) But the present state of things shall be changed one day. When Christ returns — the kingdoms of the world shall become His! Let these things sink down into our minds. In all our thoughts about Christ — let us never forget His second coming. It is well to know that He lived for us, and died for us, and rose again for us, and intercedes for us. But it is also well to know that He is soon coming again for us! We see, for another thing, in this parable — the present position of all professing Christians. Our Lord compares them to servants who have been left in charge of money by an absent master, with strict directions to use that money well. They are to "Put this money to work, until I come back."
Lord, behold, here is thy pound - See Mat 25:18.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἕτερος | heteros | another | G2087 → | 97 times |
| ἦλθεν | elthen | came | G2064 → | 628 times |
| λέγων· | legon | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| κύριε, | kurie | lord, | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ἰδοὺ | idou | behold | G2400 → | 200 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μνᾶ | mna | mina | G3414 → | 9 times |
| σου | sou | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἣν | hen | which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| εἶχον | eichon | I was keeping | G2192 → | 707 times |
| ἀποκειμένην | apokeimenen | lying | G606 → | |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| σουδαρίῳ· | soudario | a piece of cloth; | G4676 → |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἕτεροςanother
heterosG2087 →97 times
ἦλθενcame
elthenG2064 →628 times
λέγων·saying;
legonG3004 →1325 times
κύριε,lord,
kurieG2962 →711 times
ἰδοὺbehold
idouG2400 →200 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
μνᾶmina
mnaG3414 →9 times
σουof you
souG4771 →2973 times
ἣνwhich
henG3739 →1405 times
εἶχονI was keeping
eichonG2192 →707 times
ἀποκειμένηνlying
apokeimenenG606 →
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
σουδαρίῳ·a piece of cloth;
soudarioG4676 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
James 4:17Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin.
it leads to
- John 9:41
“If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”
- John 13:17
If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
- John 15:22
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.
- 2 Peter 2:21
It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them.
- Luke 12:47–48
That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows.
- John 9:41
Through
Luke 19:13Beforehand, he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Conduct business with this until I return,’ he said.
it leads to
- Matthew 25:14–15
For it is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions.
- John 12:26
If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
- 1 Corinthians 12:7–11
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
- Matthew 25:14–15
Where this verse is studied
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About Luke

This page draws on 18 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, Luke; Ambrose of Milan, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 94; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 19; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, HOMILY ON EXODUS 13.1; Origen of Alexandria, HOMILY ON GENESIS 8; Tertullian, The Prescription Against Heretics; Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke.
