Paragraph 19:20–27

19:20a

Then another servant came and said: This servant was another one of the ten servants who received money from the master. The other seven servants are not mentioned. Some ways to introduce this servant are:

The third came and said (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Then another came, saying (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
When the last came, he said (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

19:20b

Master: The word Master was also used in 19:16 and 19:18. See the note at 19:16b for translation suggestions.

here is your mina: This servant took the same money that his master had given him and gave it back to his master. He did not use it to gain more money.

The actions of this servant contrast with the first two servants who reported to the king. In some languages it may be natural to indicate this contrast explicitly here. For example:

But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ‘Master…’ (New Living Translation (2004))

Notice that the New Living Translation (2004) uses indirect speech here to translate the clause here is your mina. Use direct and indirect speech in this story in a way that is natural in your language.

19:20c

which I have laid away in a piece of cloth: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as laid away refers to putting something away to store it or keep it safe. This servant had not invested the money as the master had told him to do. He had only wrapped it in cloth and put it somewhere. This was not even a good way to keep it safe as the servant implied. Some other ways to translate this action are:

I kept it hidden in a handkerchief (Good News Translation)
-or-
I kept it wrapped up in a handkerchief (Revised English Bible)
-or-
I’ve kept it in a cloth for safekeeping (God’s Word)

a piece of cloth: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a piece of cloth refers to a face cloth or a neck cloth. People used it to protect themselves from the sun and to wipe the sweat off their faces.

In some languages there is a specific word for such an item, like the English word “handkerchief.” In other languages, it is better to use a general expression, as in the Berean Standard Bible.

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