“ The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return.

这事正如一个人离开本家，寄居外邦，把权柄交给仆人，分派各人当做的工，又吩咐看门的警醒。

这事正如一个人离家远行，授权给仆人们，分派各人的工作，又吩咐看门的警醒。

这事正如一个人离家远行，授权给仆人们，分派各人的工作，又吩咐看门的警醒。

“这就好像一个人在出远门之前，把家中的事交给仆人，让他们各做各的工作，又吩咐守门的人要警醒。

这就像一个人出外远行，把责任（“责任”原文作“权柄”）一一地交给他的仆人，又吩咐看门的要警醒。

这就像一个人出外旅行，离开了家，把权柄交给了他的奴仆们，又把工作分给了每个人，他吩咐看门的人要警醒。

這事正如一個人離開本家，寄居外邦，把權柄交給僕人，分派各人當做的工，又吩咐看門的警醒。

這事正如一個人離家遠行，授權給僕人們，分派各人的工作，又吩咐看門的警醒。

這事正如一個人離家遠行，授權給僕人們，分派各人的工作，又吩咐看門的警醒。

「這就好像一個人在出遠門之前，把家中的事交給僕人，讓他們各做各的工作，又吩咐守門的人要警醒。

這就像一個人出外遠行，把責任（“責任”原文作“權柄”）一一地交給他的僕人，又吩咐看門的要警醒。

就如一個人出外、離開了家，把權柄給他的奴僕，把他的工作給各人，又囑咐看門的要儆醒。

這就像一個人出外旅行，離開了家，把權柄交給了他的奴僕們，又把工作分給了每個人，他吩咐看門的人要警醒。

譬人去家遠遊、委權於僕、各有所司、命閽者儆醒、

譬如一人、去家遠遊、委權於僕、各有所司、命閽者儆醒、

譬諸一人、離家而遠遊、委權於僕、各任以事、

猶人離鄉遠遊、授僕以權、分工治事、並戒司閽守望弗懈、

It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

It’s like a man going away. He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge. Each one is given a task to do. He tells the one at the door to keep watch.

It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.

“ It is like a man on a journey, who left his house, gave authority to his servants, gave each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to be alert.

It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert.

It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.

It is as when a man, sojourning in another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, to each one his work, commanded also the porter to watch.

It is like a man on a journey, who left his house, gave authority to his slaves, gave each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to be alert.

[ For the Son of man is] as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

It is like a man going on a journey. He left his house and put his slaves in charge, assigning to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert.

“ It is like a man, traveling to another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

“ Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone.He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last— dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.“ The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more.The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more.But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.“ After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money.The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said,‘ Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’“ The master was full of praise.‘ Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’“ The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said,‘ Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’“ The master said,‘ Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’“ Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said,‘ Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate.I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’“ But the master replied,‘ You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate,why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’“ Then he ordered,‘ Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver.To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“ Son of man, give your people this message:‘ When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose one of their own to be a watchman.When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he sounds the alarm to warn the people.Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action, it is their own fault if they die.They heard the alarm but ignored it, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives.But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths.’“ Now, son of man, I am making you a watchman for the people of Israel. Therefore, listen to what I say and warn them for me.If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to tell them to change their ways, then they will die in their sins, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths.But if you warn them to repent and they don’t repent, they will die in their sins, but you will have saved yourself.

“ A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.

I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock.Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you— my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.

as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks.The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat!He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.“ Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into.You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.

“ Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel. Whenever you receive a message from me, warn people immediately.If I warn the wicked, saying,‘ You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths.If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me.“ If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths.But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too.”

And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing.He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.If the foot says,“ I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body.And if the ear says,“ I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body?If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.How strange a body would be if it had only one part!Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.The eye can never say to the hand,“ I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet,“ I don’t need you.”In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen,while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity.This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages.Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles?Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not!So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all.

“ Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open:

He said,“ A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return.Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying,‘ Invest this for me while I am gone.’But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say,‘ We do not want him to be our king.’“ After he was crowned king, he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were.The first servant reported,‘ Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!’“‘ Well done!’ the king exclaimed.‘ You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.’

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.

Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master— in heaven.

Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do.