What Does Matthew 25:22 Mean in the King James?
He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
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 is neither self-created nor passively held: what grows is first handed over, then gained.
THE MEANING
What is entrusted to you can grow beyond its first measure. The servant’s words hold both source and participation: “thou deliveredst unto me” and “I have gained.” The increase is real, and it begins with what he receives.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The belief that what you receive can only be held as it is; here, receiving and increase belong together.
THE ROOT
ἐκέρδησα
ekerdēsa
GROWS FROM
κερδ- (kerd-, “gain, profit”), in κερδαίνω (kerdainō, “to gain”)
To gain or profit; the verb presents increase as something acquired.
The Greek word names the increase as something gained, while Matthew 16:26 uses the same verb for gaining the world and losing one’s soul. The root shows that gain alone does not tell you what something is worth; what accompanies it matters.
ALSO GROWS
kerdos: Gain or profit, used as a noun.
κέρδος
The noun names the outcome that the servant describes as something he has gained.
kerdainō: To gain or acquire profit.
κερδαίνω
This verb family also describes gaining a brother in Matthew 18:15, showing that gain can name the recovery of a person as well as an increase in possessions.
παρέδωκας
paredōkas
GROWS FROM
δίδωμι (didōmi, “give”), compounded with παρά (para, “over, across”)
To give or hand over; in this compound, to hand something across to another, with a sense that depends on its context.
“deliveredst” in this verse is paredōkas. The Greek word holds the act of handing over itself. The same verb can describe entrusting something or betraying someone, so the handoff’s meaning becomes clear through what follows.
ALSO GROWS
didōmi: To give or grant.
δίδωμι
The base verb keeps the master’s giving within the word: the talents are placed in the servant’s care.
paradidōmi: To hand something or someone over; in some contexts, to betray.
παραδίδωμι
Matthew also uses this verb for Jesus being handed over in Matthew 26:2, showing that the word names the transfer while context reveals its character.
THE PATTERN
What is received and tended can become visible as increase beyond its starting measure.
And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.THE THREAD
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?“Shall gain” is κερδήσῃ (kerdēsē, “may gain”), from the same root as “I have gained” here. Matthew places gaining the world beside losing one’s soul, showing that increase alone cannot tell you what has truly been gained.
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