A parable describing a man traveling abroad, turning over his stuff to personal servants.
Matthew 25:18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
Matthew 25:18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
The one, however, getting the one, departing, dug dirt and buried the cash of his master.
Don't hide your value in a hole.
This is the first verse that makes in clear that we are talking about money. This means that the earlier use of "talents" which means "weights," implies money.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "that" doesn't exist in the source.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "had" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- WF - Wrong Form - The "received" is not an active verb but a participle, "getting."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "one" is not shown in the English translation.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "went" is not an active verb but a participle, "departing."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "and" doesn't exist in the source.
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "in the" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "lord" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "money" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "man" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "who" doesn't exist in the source.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "had" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- WF - Wrong Form - The "received" is not an active verb but a participle, "getting."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "a hole in the " before "one" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "bag" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "went" is not an active verb but a participle, "departing."
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "a hole in the " doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "and" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "lord" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "money" is not shown in the English translation.
But - The Greek word translated as "but" joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better. When used in writing, it creates complex sentences, but when spoken, it makes a good pausing point so that an important or humorous word can follow.
he - The word translated as "he" is from the Greek article, "the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." However, he works better here because the next "the one" is neuter, not masculine.
that -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "that" in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than a participle.
had -- (WT) This helping verb "had" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
received - (WF) The word translated as "received" primarily means "take." However, it means "receive" in the same sense that we use "get" to mean "receive" and has many different uses as we use "get" in English. Among these are the ideas of "understanding" and "possessing." It is in the form of an adjective, "getting."
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
one - One" is the Greek number one, but unlike other numbers, it has sex, number, and case. The form here is of an object. The case is neuter matching the "talents."
went - (WF) "Went" is a verb that means "to go away," and "to depart from," but it too in in the form of an adjective, "departing."
and -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "and" in the Greek source. It was added because the previous verb was translated as active rather than a participle.
digged - The word translated as "digged" means to "dig up," "dig through," "dig into," but also means to "bury" but it has a number of other specific uses as well.
in the -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "in the" in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.
earth,The word translated as "earth" means the "ground," "dirt" and "the planet." See this article for more on these words. The meaning here is clearly the sense of "dirt."
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
hid - The verb translated as "hid" means "to hide," "to cover," "to bury," "to conceal," "to keep secret," and "to lie hidden." Christ used the adjective form meaning "hidden" frequently, but the verb form less frequently. In this context, it has a double meaning of both "buried" and "hide."
his -- The word translated as "his" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. This pronoun follows the noun so "of his."
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
lord's - The Greek word translated as "lord," means "having power," "being in authority" and "being in possession of." It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family." However, two different Hebrew words are translated as this Greek word in the OT, the name for God and another Hebrew word with a very similar meaning to this one, referring to someone in authority.
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
money. - The word translated as "money" is very uncommon for Christ. It means "money" in the sense we use the term "cash," referring to the actual metal "silver."
But - The Greek word translated as "but" joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better. When used in writing, it creates complex sentences, but when spoken, it makes a good pausing point so that an important or humorous word can follow.
the - The word translated as "the" is from the Greek article, "the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." However, he works better here because the next "the one" is neuter, not masculine.
man -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "man" thought article above was masculine, referring to a man in the Greek source.
who -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "who " in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than a participle.
had -- (WT) This helping verb "had" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
received - (WF) The word translated as "received" primarily means "take." However, it means "receive" in the same sense that we use "get" to mean "receive" and has many different uses as we use "get" in English. Among these are the ideas of "understanding" and "possessing." It is in the form of an adjective, "getting."
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
one - One" is the Greek number one, but unlike other numbers, it has sex, number, and case. The form here is of an object. The case is neuter matching the "talents."
bag -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "and" in the Greek source.
went - (WF) "Went" is a verb that means "to go away," and "to depart from," but it too in in the form of an adjective, "departing."
off -- This is from the prefix of the previous verb that means "from."
dug - The word translated as "dug " means to "dig up," "dig through," "dig into," but also means to "bury" but it has a number of other specific uses as well.
a hole in the -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "a hole in the " in the Greek source.
ground - ,The word translated as "grouund" means the "ground," "dirt" and "the planet." See this article for more on these words. The meaning here is clearly the sense of "dirt."
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
hid - The verb translated as "hid" means "to hide," "to cover," "to bury," "to conceal," "to keep secret," and "to lie hidden." Christ used the adjective form meaning "hidden" frequently, but the verb form less frequently. In this context, it has a double meaning of both "buried" and "hide."
his -- The word translated as "his" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. This pronoun follows the noun so "of his."
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
lord's - The Greek word translated as "lord," means "having power," "being in authority" and "being in possession of." It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family." However, two different Hebrew words are translated as this Greek word in the OT, the name for God and another Hebrew word with a very similar meaning to this one, referring to someone in authority.
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
money. - The word translated as "money" is very uncommon for Christ. It means "money" in the sense we use the term "cash," referring to the actual metal "silver."
ὁ [821 verses](article sg masc nom) "He" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
δὲ [446 verses](conj) "But" is from de which means "but" and "on the other hand." It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be an explanation of cause ("so").
τὸ [821 verses](article sg neut acc) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
ἓν [85 verses](noun sg neut acc) "One" is from heis, which means "one," "single," and "one and the same." This adjective is irregular, having a number of forms depending on gender and case: heis, henos, heni, hen, hena, mia, mias, miai, mian; hen, henos, hen. The form is mia, feminine singular.
λαβὼν [54 verse](part sg aor act masc nom) "Receiveth" is from lambano means to "take," "take hold of," "grasp," "seize," "catch," "overtake," "find out," "detect," "take as," "take [food or drugs]," "understand," "take in hand," "undertake," "take in," "hold," "get," "receive [things]," "receive hospitably," "receive in marriage," "receive as produce," "profit," "admit," "initiate," "take hold of," "lay hold on," "seize and keep hold of," "obtain possession of," "lay hands upon," "find fault with," "censure," "to apprehend with the senses," "to take hold of," and "to seize." It is also specifically used to mean "seized with emotion." --
ἀπελθὼν [22 verses](part sg aor act masc nom) "Went" is aperchomai, which means "to go away," "to depart from," "to spread abroad," and "to depart from life." --
ὤρυξεν [3 verses](verb 3rd sg aor ind act) "Digged" is from orysso, which means to "dig," "dig up," "dig through," "make a canal through," and of moles, "burrow," "bury," "dig into," and "gouge out."
γῆν[59 verses] (noun sg fem acc) "Earth" is from ge, which means "the element of earth," "land (country)," "arable land," "the ground," and "the world" as the opposite of the sky. Like our English word "earth," it means both dirt and the planet.
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also."
ἔκρυψεν [9 verses](verb 3rd sg aor ind act) "Hid" is krypto, which means "to hide," "to cover," "to bury," "to conceal," "to keep secret," and "to lie hidden."
τὸ [821 verses](article n sg neut acc) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
ἀργύριον [5 verses] (noun sg neut acc) "Money" is from argyrion, which means "small coin," "piece of money," "money," "cash," and "silver."
τοῦ [821 verses](article sg masc gen) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
κυρίου (noun sg masc gen) "Lord's" is from kyrios (kurios), which means "having power," "being in authority" and "being in possession of." It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family."
αὐτοῦ. [720 verses] (adj sg masc gen) "His" is from autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him," "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord."
The word translated as "hid" means both "to bury" and "to hide."
"This one, however," he continued, going over to the follower playing the part of the third servant, "getting the one."
The follower held up one finger and made a sad face. Everyone laughed.
"Going away," he continued, leading the follower away, and bending down with him, "dug in dirt and buried the cash of his master."
Together, he and the servant made like they were praying at a mock funeral. Everyone laughed.