Matthew 25:24

22 The servant who had received the two talents also came and said, ‘Master, you entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more.’

23 His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’

Finally, the servant who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what belongs to you.’

26 ‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Finally, the servant who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
KJV
Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
WEB
“He also who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you didn’t sow, and gathering where you didn’t scatter.
ASV
And he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou didst not scatter;
DARBY
And he also that had received the one talent coming to [him] said, [My] lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hadst not sowed, and gathering from where thou hadst not scattered,
BLB
And the one having received the one talent, having come, also said, ‘Lord, I knew you, that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering from where you did not scatter.
ÅB
Men også han som hadde fått den ene talenten kom fram og sa: ‘Herre, jeg visste at du er en hard mann, som høster der du ikke sådde, og sanker der du ikke strødde.
OTB
Så kom den som hadde fått én talent også frem og sa: 'Herre, jeg visste at du er en hard mann, som høster hvor du ikke har sådd og samler hvor du ikke har strødd ut.
B1930
Men også han kom frem som hadde fått den ene talent, og sa: Herre! jeg visste at du er en hård mann, som høster hvor du ikke sådde, og sanker hvor du ikke strødde;

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Luke 19:20–22

    Then another servant came and said, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have laid away in a piece of cloth.

    Read in context
  • Luke 15:29

    But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.

    Read in context
  • Malachi 3:14–15

    You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What have we gained by keeping His requirements and walking mournfully before the LORD of Hosts?

    Read in context
  • Ezekiel 18:25–29

    Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 2:31

    You people of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: “Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of dense darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to You no more’?

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 44:16–18

    “As for the word you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you!

    Read in context
  • Romans 8:7

    because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

    Read in context
  • Matthew 7:21

    Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

    Read in context