Brethren, working together with him, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in any one's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Ἀδελφοί, συνεργοῦντες δὲ καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν μὴ εἰς κενὸν τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ δέξασθαι ὑμᾶς - λέγει γάρ, Καιρῷ δεκτῷ ἐπήκουσά σου, καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ σωτηρίας ἐβοήθησά σοι· ἰδού, νῦν καιρὸς εὐπρόσδεκτος, ἰδού, νῦν ἡμέρα σωτηρίας - μηδεμίαν ἐν μηδενὶ διδόντες προσκοπήν, ἵνα μὴ μωμηθῇ ἡ διακονία· ἀλλʼ ἐν παντὶ συνιστῶντες ἑαυτοὺς ὡς θεοῦ διάκονοι, ἐν ὑπομονῇ πολλῇ, ἐν θλίψεσιν, ἐν ἀνάγκαις, ἐν στενοχωρίαις, ἐν πληγαῖς, ἐν φυλακαῖς, ἐν ἀκαταστασίαις, ἐν κόποις, ἐν ἀγρυπνίαις, ἐν νηστείαις, ἐν ἁγνότητι, ἐν γνώσει, ἐν μακροθυμίᾳ, ἐν χρηστότητι, ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ ἀνυποκρίτῳ, ἐν λόγῳ ἀληθείας, ἐν δυνάμει θεοῦ, διὰ τῶν ὅπλων τῆς δικαιοσύνης τῶν δεξιῶν καὶ ἀριστερῶν, διὰ δόξης καὶ ἀτιμίας, διὰ δυσφημίας καὶ εὐφημίας· ὡς πλάνοι καὶ ἀληθεῖς· ὡς ἀγνοούμενοι, καὶ ἐπιγινωσκόμενοι· ὡς ἀποθνῄσκοντες, καὶ ἰδού, ζῶμεν· ὡς παιδευόμενοι, καὶ μὴ θανατούμενοι· ὡς λυπούμενοι, ἀεὶ δὲ χαίροντες· ὡς πτωχοί, πολλοὺς δὲ πλουτίζοντες· ὡς μηδὲν ἔχοντες, καὶ πάντα κατέχοντες.

يَُّا إِخْوَة، إِذْ نَحْنُ عَامِلُونَ مَعَهُ نَطْلُبُ أَنْ لاَ تَقْبَلُوا نِعْمَةَ اللهِ بَاطِلاً. لأَنَّهُ يَقُولُ: ((فِي وَقْتٍ مَقْبُولٍ سَمِعْتُكَ، وَفِي يَوْمِ خَلاَصٍ أَعَنْتُكَ)). هُوَذَا الآنَ وَقْتٌ مَقْبُولٌ. هُوَذَا الآنَ يَوْمُ خَلاَصٍ. وَلَسْنَا نَجْعَلُ عَثْرَةً فِي شَيْءٍ لِئَلاَّ تُلاَمَ الْخِدْمَةُ. بَلْ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ نُظْهِرُ أَنْفُسَنَا كَخُدَّامِ اللهِ، فِي صَبْرٍ كَثِيرٍ، فِي شَدَائِدَ، فِي ضَرُورَاتٍ، فِي ضِيقَاتٍ، فِي ضَرَبَاتٍ، فِي سُجُونٍ، فِي اضْطِرَابَاتٍ، فِي أَتْعَابٍ، فِي أَسْهَارٍ، فِي أَصْوَامٍ، فِي طَهَارَةٍ، فِي عِلْمٍ، فِي أَنَاةٍ، فِي لُطْفٍ، فِي الرُّوحِ الْقُدُسِ، فِي مَحَبَّةٍ بِلاَ رِيَاءٍ، فِي كَلاَمِ الْحَقِّ، فِي قُوَّةِ اللهِ بِسِلاَحِ الْبِرِّ لِلْيَمِينِ وَلِلْيَسَارِ. بِمَجْدٍ وَهَوَانٍ. بِصِيتٍ رَدِيءٍ وَصِيتٍ حَسَنٍ. كَمُضِلِّينَ وَنَحْنُ صَادِقُونَ. كَمَجْهُولِينَ وَنَحْنُ مَعْرُوفُونَ. كَمَائِتِينَ وَهَا نَحْنُ نَحْيَا. كَمُؤَدَّبِينَ وَنَحْنُ غَيْرُ مَقْتُولِينَ. كَحَزَانَى وَنَحْنُ دَائِماً فَرِحُونَ. كَفُقَرَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُغْنِي كَثِيرِينَ. كَأَنْ لاَ شَيْءَ لَنَا وَنَحْنُ نَمْلِكُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ.

The Lord said this parable: "A man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." As he said these things he cried out: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην· Ἄνθρωπος ἀποδημῶν ἐκάλεσε τοὺς ἰδίους δούλους καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ᾧ μὲν ἔδωκε πέντε τάλαντα, ᾧ δὲ δύο, ᾧ δὲ ἕν, ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν δύναμιν, καὶ ἀπεδήμησεν εὐθέως. πορευθεὶς δὲ ὁ τὰ πέντε τάλαντα λαβὼν εἰργάσατο ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐποίησεν ἄλλα πέντε τάλαντα. ὡσαύτως καὶ ὁ τὰ δύο ἐκέρδησε καὶ αὐτὸς ἄλλα δύο. ὁ δὲ τὸ ἓν λαβὼν ἀπελθὼν ὤρυξεν ἐν τῇ γῇ καὶ ἀπέκρυψε τὸ ἀργύριον τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ. μετὰ δὲ χρόνον πολὺν ἔρχεται ὁ κύριος τῶν δούλων ἐκείνων καὶ συναίρει μετ᾿ αὐτῶν λόγον. καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ τὰ πέντε τάλαντα λαβὼν προσήνεγκεν ἄλλα πέντε τάλαντα λέγων· κύριε, πέντε τάλαντά μοι παρέδωκας· ἴδε ἄλλα πέντε τάλαντα ἐκέρδησα ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς. ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ· εὖ, δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ! ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός, ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω· εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου. προσελθὼν δὲ καὶ ὁ τὰ δύο τάλαντα λαβὼν εἶπε· κύριε, δύο τάλαντά μοι παρέδωκας· ἴδε ἄλλα δύο τάλαντα ἐκέρδησα ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς. ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ· εὖ, δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ! ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός, ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω· εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου. προσελθὼν δὲ καὶ ὁ τὸ ἓν τάλαντον εἰληφὼς εἶπε· κύριε· ἔγνων σε ὅτι σκληρὸς εἶ ἄνθρωπος, θερίζων ὅπου οὐκ ἔσπειρας καὶ συνάγων ὅθεν οὐ διεσκόρπισας· καὶ φοβηθεὶς ἀπελθὼν ἔκρυψα τὸ τάλαντόν σου ἐν τῇ γῇ· ἴδε ἔχεις τὸ σόν. ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· πονηρὲ δοῦλε καὶ ὀκνηρέ! ᾔδεις ὅτι θερίζω ὅπου οὐκ ἔσπειρα καὶ συνάγω ὅθεν οὐ διεσκόρπισα! ἔδει οὖν σε βαλεῖν τὸ ἀργύριόν μου τοῖς τραπεζίταις, καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐγὼ ἐκομισάμην ἂν τὸ ἐμὸν σὺν τόκῳ. ἄρατε οὖν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ τὸ τάλαντον καὶ δότε τῷ ἔχοντι τὰ δέκα τάλαντα. τῷ γὰρ ἔχοντι παντὶ δοθήσεται καὶ περισσευθήσεται, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ μὴ ἔχοντος καὶ ὃ ἔχει ἀρθήσεται ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ. καὶ τὸν ἀχρεῖον δοῦλον ἐκβάλετε εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον· ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων.

¹⁴(( قال الرب هذا المثل : إِنْسَانٌ مُسَافِرٌ دَعَا عَبِيدَهُ وَسَلَّمَهُمْ أَمْوَالَهُ ،¹⁵فَأَعْطَى وَاحِداً خَمْسَ وَزَنَاتٍ ،وَآخَرَ وَزْنَتَيْنِ ،وَآخَرَ وَزْنَةً .كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ عَلَى قَدْرِ طَاقَتِهِ. وَسَافَرَ لِلْوَقْتِ. ¹⁶فَمَضَى الَّذِي أَخَذَ الْخَمْسَ وَزَنَاتٍ وَتَاجَرَ بِهَا ،فَرَبِحَ خَمْسَ وَزَنَاتٍ أُخَرَ. ¹⁷وَهَكَذَا الَّذِي أَخَذَ الْوَزْنَتَيْنِ ،رَبِحَ أَيْضاً وَزْنَتَيْنِ أُخْرَيَيْنِ. ¹⁸وَأَمَّا الَّذِي أَخَذَ الْوَزْنَةَ فَمَضَى وَحَفَرَ فِي الأَرْضِ وَأَخْفَى فِضَّةَ سَيِّدِهِ. ¹⁹وَبَعْدَ زَمَانٍ طَوِيلٍ أَتَى سَيِّدُ أُولَئِكَ الْعَبِيدِ وَحَاسَبَهُمْ. ²⁰فَجَاءَ الَّذِي أَخَذَ الْخَمْسَ وَزَنَاتٍ وَقَدَّمَ خَمْسَ وَزَنَاتٍ أُخَرَ قَائِلاً: يَا سَيِّدُ ،خَمْسَ وَزَنَاتٍ سَلَّمْتَنِي. هُوَذَا خَمْسُ وَزَنَاتٍ أُخَرُ رَبِحْتُهَا فَوْقَهَا. ²¹فَقَالَ لَهُ سَيِّدُهُ: نِعِمَّا أَيُّهَا الْعَبْدُ الصَّالِحُ وَالأَمِينُ! كُنْتَ أَمِيناً فِي الْقَلِيلِ فَأُقِيمُكَ عَلَى الْكَثِيرِ. ادْخُلْ إِلَى فَرَحِ سَيِّدِكَ. ²²ثُمَّ جَاءَ الَّذِي أَخَذَ الْوَزْنَتَيْنِ وَقَالَ: يَا سَيِّدُ ،وَزْنَتَيْنِ سَلَّمْتَنِي. هُوَذَا وَزْنَتَانِ أُخْرَيَانِ رَبِحْتُهُمَا فَوْقَهُمَا. ²³قَالَ لَهُ سَيِّدُهُ: نِعِمَّا أَيُّهَا الْعَبْدُ الصَّالِحُ الأَمِينُ! كُنْتَ أَمِيناً فِي الْقَلِيلِ فَأُقِيمُكَ عَلَى الْكَثِيرِ. ادْخُلْ إِلَى فَرَحِ سَيِّدِكَ. ²⁴ثُمَّ جَاءَ أَيْضاً الَّذِي أَخَذَ الْوَزْنَةَ الْوَاحِدَةَ وَقَالَ: يَا سَيِّدُ ،عَرَفْتُ أَنَّكَ إِنْسَانٌ قَاسٍ ،تَحْصُدُ حَيْثُ لَمْ تَزْرَعْ ،وَتَجْمَعُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَمْ تَبْذُرْ. ²⁵فَخِفْتُ وَمَضَيْتُ وَأَخْفَيْتُ وَزْنَتَكَ فِي الأَرْضِ. هُوَذَا الَّذِي لَكَ. ²⁶فَأَجَابَ سَيِّدُهُ وَقَالَ لَهُ : أَيُّهَا الْعَبْدُ الشِّرِّيرُ وَالْكَسْلاَنُ،عَرَفْتَ أَنِّي أَحْصُدُ حَيْثُ لَمْ أَزْرَعْ ،وَأَجْمَعُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَمْ أَبْذُرْ، ²⁷فَكَانَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ تَضَعَ فِضَّتِي عِنْدَ الصَّيَارِفَةِ ،فَعِنْدَ مَجِيئِي كُنْتُ آخُذُ الَّذِي لِي مَعَ رِباً. ²⁸فَخُذُوا مِنْهُ الْوَزْنَةَ وَأَعْطُوهَا لِلَّذِي لَهُ الْعَشْرُ وَزَنَاتٍ. ²⁹لأَنَّ كُلَّ مَنْ لَهُ يُعْطَى ،فَيَزْدَادُ وَمَنْ لَيْسَ لَهُ فَالَّذِي عِنْدَهُ يُؤْخَذُ مِنْهُ. ³⁰وَالْعَبْدُ الْبَطَّالُ اطْرَحُوهُ إِلَى الظُّلْمَةِ الْخَارِجِيَّةِ ،هُنَاكَ يَكُونُ الْبُكَاءُ وَصَرِيرُ الأَسْنَانِ ولما قال هذا نادى من له أذنان للسمع فليسمع .