A parable describing a man traveling abroad, turning over his stuff to personal servants.
Matthew 25:17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
Matthew 25:17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more.
In the same way, the one [having] the two profited another two.
Two plus two equals a productive man.
This verse abbreviates the language of the previous verse, Matthew 25:16, and begins a word Jesus only uses when repeating scenes in his stories. The adverb translated as "likewise" and "so also" shows up only in two other stories, the laborers in the vineyard, Matthew 20:5, when the estate manager goes again to the marketplace to hire laborers and in the story of the Father asking his two sons to work in the vineyard, Matthew 21:30. There is more common ways of saying "likewise" or "so also," but Jesus seems to use this one to emphasize repeated actions so it is used here to describe a repeated line.
There is not "had received" or "with...bags of gold," but the objective form of the untranslated article implies a "having."
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "and" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "he that" is not the common words usually translated as "he that."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "two" is not shown in the English translation.
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "also" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "the one" is not the common word usually translated as "the one."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "with" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "two" is not shown in the English translation.
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "bags of gold" doesn't exist in the source.
And -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "and" in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.
likewise - The adverb translated as "likewise" means "in like manner," and "just so." It is literally "this the same." There is a more common way of saying "likewise," but Jesus seems to use this one to emphasize repeated actions so it is used here to describe a repeated line.
he that - (CW) The word translated as "he" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun ("the one that), especially a connective pronoun ("the one that") introducing a dependent clause.
had received -- There is no verb "had received" in the Greek source. It is implied by the objective form of the following article.
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." Here, it precedes the "five" making it into an object. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more. The form is neuter, matching the noun "talents."
two,-- The "two" is the numeral, "two," which, like numbers in English, plays a lot of roles. Often, it acts as an adjective, but without a noun to modify, so it takes on the role of a noun. The article before it gives the number its case, which it doesn't have otherwise.
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
also -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "also" in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.
gained - The is the Greek word that means to "make profit," and "gain an advantage." This was a very common word in Greek, but less so in Jesus's words. It is used in Luke and Mark for the famous verse "What does it help a man to gain the world and lose his soul."
other - The word translated as "other" is usually translated as "another" and with numerals means "further" or "more."
two. - The "two" is the numeral, "two," which, like numbers in English, plays a lot of roles. Often, it acts as an adjective, but without a noun to modify, so it takes on the role of a noun. Here the adjective, "other," makes this an object.
So also,- - The adverb translated as "likewise" means "in like manner," and "just so." It is literally "this the same." There is a more common way of saying "likewise," but Jesus seems to use this one to emphasize repeated actions so it is used here to describe a repeated line.
the one - (CW) The word translated as "he" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun ("the one that), especially a connective pronoun ("the one that") introducing a dependent clause.
with -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "it" in the Greek source. \
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." Here, it precedes the "five" making it into an object. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more. The form is neuter, matching the noun "talents."
two,-- The "two" is the numeral, "two," which, like numbers in English, plays a lot of roles. Often, it acts as an adjective, but without a noun to modify, so it takes on the role of a noun. The article before it gives the number its case, which it doesn't have otherwise.
bags of gold -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "it" in the Greek source.
gained - The is the Greek word that means to "make profit," and "gain an advantage." This was a very common word in Greek, but less so in Jesus's words. It is used in Luke and Mark for the famous verse "What does it help a man to gain the world and lose his soul."
two. - The "two" is the numeral, "two," which, like numbers in English, plays a lot of roles. Often, it acts as an adjective, but without a noun to modify, so it takes on the role of a noun. Here the adjective, "other," makes this an object.
more- The word translated as "other" is usually translated as "another" and with numerals means "further" or "more."
ὡσαύτως [5 verses](adv) "Likewise' is hōsautōs, which an adverb that means "in like manner," and "just so." It is literally "this the same."
ὁ [294 verses](pron sg masc nom) "He" is hos, which means "this," "that," "he," "she," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
τὰ [821 verses](article pl neut acc) "that" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
δύο [36 verses](number) "Two" is from duo, which means the number "two," "a couple," and "a pair." -- The Greek word for "two" means "two" or a "couple."
ἐκέρδησεν [8 verses](verb 3rd sg aor ind act) "Made" is kerdaino, which means "to gain," "to derive profit," "to spare or save oneself," and to "gain an advantage." In a negative sense, it means "to reap a disadvantage from a thing."
ἄλλα [154 verses](adj pl neut acc) "Other" is from allos, which means "another," "one besides," "of another sort," "different," "other than what is true," "as well," "besides," (with numerals: "yet," "still," "further"), "of other sort," "other than what is," "untrue," "unreal," "other than right," "wrong," "bad," "unworthy," [with an article] "the rest," "all besides," and [in series] "one...another."
δύο: [36 verses](number) "Two" is from duo, which means the number "two," "a couple," and "a pair." -- The Greek word for "two" means "two" or a "couple."
"In the same way," he continued moving to follower playing the second servant. "The one, having the two."
The follower held up two fingers on his hand to indicate how much he had.
"Gained another two," the teacher continued. The follower shook his hand with two fingers in the air and when he stopped, it held up four fingers. He smiled and the crowd applauded.