What Does Matthew 25:17 Mean in the King James?

And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

Matthew 25:17 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The increase preserves the shape of what was entrusted: two become two more.

THE MEANING

What reaches your hands can become more through its use: the two entrusted become four. The increase carries the measure of its beginning, keeping the trace of what was received.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

This undoes the belief that what you start with sets the limit of what can emerge from it.

THE ROOT

ἐκέρδησεν

ekerdēsen

GROWS FROM

κερδ-

gain, profit, advantage

The ⁨κερδ-⁩ (kerd-, gain or profit) word family also describes gaining a person, as in “thou hast gained thy brother” (Matthew 18:15). The word reaches beyond counted possessions: gain can describe a relationship won back as well as an increase in goods.

ALSO GROWS

kerdos: gain, profit, advantage

κέρδος

This noun names the increase or advantage that the verb expresses.

kerdainō: to gain, win; used of gaining one’s brother in Matthew 18:15

κερδαίνω

The same verb can describe relational gain, showing that this word family reaches beyond possessions.

THE PATTERN

What is received and put into motion can multiply while retaining a trace of its source.

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.

Genesis 26:12 · KJVSeed placed in the ground returns as a hundredfold increase.

And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

Mark 4:8 · KJVWhat is sown grows into fruit and multiplies.

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

1 Corinthians 3:6 · KJVThe planted and watered seed becomes the source of increase.

THE THREAD

And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

Matthew 25:20 · KJV

Matthew 25:20 repeats ⁨κερδαίνω⁩ (kerdainō, to gain or win) in the first servant’s report: five talents entrusted, five more gained. The shared verb shows the same pattern of increase in a different measure.

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