51 Bible Verses about Privileges

For who makes any one of you superior to others? And what have you that was not given you? But if you received it as a gift, why do you boast as if you had not?

Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, To a maiden there who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary. Gabriel came into her presence and said: "Hail, you who have been highly favored! The Lord is with you."read more.
Mary was much disturbed at his words, and was wondering to herself what such a greeting could mean, When the angel spoke again: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you shall be with child and give birth to a son, and you shall give him the name Jesus. The child shall be great and shall be called 'Son of the Most High,' and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David, And he shall reign over the descendants of Jacob for ever; And to his kingdom there shall be no end." "How can this be?" Mary asked the angel. "For I have no husband." "The Holy Spirit shall descend upon you," answered the angel, "and the Power of the Most High shall overshadow you; and therefore the child will be called 'holy,' and 'Son of God.' And Elizabeth, your cousin, is herself also expecting a son in her old age; and it is now the sixth month with her, though she is called barren; For no promise from God shall fail to be fulfilled." "I am the servant of the Lord," exclaimed Mary; "let it be with me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

For it is by God's loving-kindness that you have been saved, through your faith. It is not due to yourselves; the gift is God's. It is not due to obedience to Law, lest any one should boast.

Though I, if any man, have cause to rely even upon them. If any one thinks he can rely upon external privileges, far more can I! I was circumcised when eight days old; I am an Israelite by race, and of the tribe of Benjamin; I am a Hebrew, and the child of Hebrews. As to the Law, I was a Pharisee; As to zeal, I was a persecutor of the Church; as to such righteousness as is due to Law, I proved myself blameless.read more.
But all the things which I once held to be gains I have now, for the Christ's sake, come to count as loss. More than that, I count everything as loss, for the sake of the exceeding value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. And for his sake I have lost everything, and count it as refuse, if I may but gain Christ and be found in union with him; Any righteousness that I have being, not the righteousness that results from Law, but the righteousness which comes through faith in Christ--the righteousness which is derived from God and is founded on faith.

For they are Israelites, and theirs are the adoption as Sons, the visible Presence, the Covenants, the revealed Law, the Temple worship, and the Promises. They are descended from the Patriarchs; and, as far as his human nature was concerned, from them came the Christ-he who is supreme over all things, God for ever blessed. Amen.

I ask, then, 'Has God rejected his People?' Heaven forbid! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his People, whom he chose from the first. Have you forgotten the words of Scripture in the story of Elijah- how he appeals to God against Israel? 'Lord, they have killed thy Prophets, they have pulled down thy altars, and I only am left; and now they are eager to take my life.'read more.
But what was the divine response? 'I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have never bowed the knee to Baal.' And so in our own time, too, there is to be found a remnant of our nation selected by God in love. But if in love, then no longer as a result of obedience. Otherwise love would cease to be love. What follows from this? Why, that Israel as a nation failed to secure what it was seeking, while those whom God selected did secure it. The rest grew callous; as Scripture says--'God has given them a deadness of mind--eyes that are not to see and ears that are not to hear--and it is so to this very day.' David, too, says--'May their feasts prove a snare and a trap to them--a hindrance and a retribution; May their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see; and do thou always make their backs to bend.' I ask then--'Was their stumbling to result in their fall?' Heaven forbid! On the contrary, through their falling away Salvation has reached the Gentiles, to stir the rivalry of Israel. And, if their falling away has enriched the world, and their failure has enriched the Gentiles, how much more will result from their full restoration!

Blessed is the God and Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who has blessed us on high with every spiritual blessing, in Christ. For he chose us in our union with Christ before the creation of the universe, that we might be holy and blameless in his sight, living in the spirit of love. From the first he destined us, in his good-will towards us, to be adopted as Sons through Jesus Christ,read more.
And so to enhance that glorious manifestation of his loving- kindness which he gave us in The Beloved; For in him, and through the shedding of his blood, we have found redemption in the pardon of our offenses. All this accords with the loving-kindness which God lavished upon us, accompanied by countless gifts of wisdom and discernment,

Therefore, if any one is in union with Christ, he is a new being! His old life has passed away; a new life has begun! But all this is the work of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the Ministry of Reconciliation-- To proclaim that God, in Christ, was reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning men's offenses against them, and that he had entrusted us with the Message of this reconciliation.read more.
It is, then, on Christ's behalf that we are acting as ambassadors, God, as it were, appealing to you through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf--Be reconciled to God. Him who never knew sin God made to be Sin, on our behalf; so that we, through union with him, might become the Righteousness of God.

And it was among them that we all once lived our lives, indulging the cravings of our earthly nature, and carrying out the desires prompted by that earthly nature and by our own thoughts. Our very nature exposed us to the Divine Wrath, like the rest of mankind. Yet God, in his abundant compassion, and because of the great love with which he loved us, Even though we were 'dead' because of our offenses, gave Life to us in giving Life to the Christ. (By God's loving-kindness you have been saved.)read more.
And, through our union with Christ Jesus, God raised us with him, and caused us to sit with him on high, In order that, by his goodness to us in Christ Jesus, he might display in the ages to come the boundless wealth of his loving- kindness. For it is by God's loving-kindness that you have been saved, through your faith. It is not due to yourselves; the gift is God's. It is not due to obedience to Law, lest any one should boast.

For God has rescued us from the tyranny of Darkness, and has removed us into the Kingdom of his Son, who is the embodiment of his love, And through whom we have found deliverance in the forgiveness of our sins.

For it is through him that we, the Jews and the Gentiles, united in the one Spirit, are now able to approach the Father.

Therefore, having been pronounced righteous as the result of faith, let us enjoy peace with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. It is through him that, by reason of our faith, we have obtained admission to that place in God's favor in which we not stand. So let us exult in our hope of attaining God's glorious ideal.

Therefore, Brothers, since we may enter the Sanctuary with confidence, in virtue of the blood of Jesus, by the way which he inaugurated for us--a new and living way, a way through the Sanctuary Curtain (that is, his human nature); and, since we have in him 'a great priest set over the House of God,'read more.
let us draw near to God in all sincerity of heart and in perfect faith, with our hearts purified by the sprinkled blood from all consciousness of wrong, and with our bodies washed with pure water.

It is not to tangible 'flaming fire' that you have drawn near, nor to 'gloom, and darkness, and storm, and the blast of a trumpet, and an audible voice.' Those who heard that voice entreated that they might hear no more, for they could not bear to think of the command-- 'If even an animal touches the mountain, it is to be stoned to death;'read more.
and so fearful was the sight that Moses said-- 'I tremble with fear.' No, but it is to Mount Zion that you have drawn near, the City of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to countless hosts of angels, to the festal gathering and assemblage of God's Eldest Sons whose names are enrolled in Heaven, to God the Judge of all men, to the spirits of the righteous who have attained perfection, to Jesus, the intermediary of a new Covenant, and to the Sprinkled Blood that tells of better things than the blood of Abel.

And the Immortal Life is this--to know thee the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent as thy Messenger.

But Jesus had proclaimed: "He who believes in me believes, not in me, but in him who sent me; And he who sees me sees him who sent me. I have come as a Light into the world, that no one who believes in me should remain in the darkness.

Jesus answered: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one ever comes to the Father except through me. If you had recognized me, you would have known my Father also; for the future you will recognize him, indeed you have already seen him."

But, when the full time came, God sent his Son--born a woman's child, born subject to Law-- To ransom those who were subject to Law, so that we might take our position as sons. And it is because you are sons that God sent into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, with the cry--'Abba, our Father.'read more.
You, therefore, are no longer a slave, but a son; and, if a son, then an heir also, by God's appointment.

All who are guided by the Spirit of God are Sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of a slave, to fill you once more with fear, but the spirit of a son which leads us to cry 'Abba, Our Father.' The Spirit himself unites with our spirits in bearing witness to our being God's children,read more.
And if children, then heirs-heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, since we share Christ's sufferings in order that we may also share his Glory.

For you are all Sons of God, through your faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into union with Christ clothed yourselves with Christ. All distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and freeman, male and female, have vanished; for in union with Christ Jesus you are all one.read more.
And, since you belong to Christ, it follows that you are Abraham's offspring and, under the promise, sharers in the inheritance.

and you have forgotten the encouraging words which are addressed to you as God's Children-- 'My child, think not lightly of the Lord's discipline, do not despond when he rebukes you; for it is him whom he loves that he disciplines, and he chastises every child whom he acknowledges.' It is for your discipline that you have to endure all this. God is dealing with you as his Children. For where is there a child whom his father does not discipline?read more.
If you are left without that discipline, in which all children share, it shows that you are bastards, and not true Children. Further, when our earthly fathers disciplined us, we respected them. Shall we not, then, much rather yield submission to the Father of souls, and live? Our fathers disciplined us for only a short time and as seemed best to them; but God disciplines us for our true good, to enable us to share his holiness. No discipline is pleasant at the time; on the contrary, it is painful. But afterwards its fruit is seen in the peacefulness of a righteous life which is the lot of those who have been trained under it.

But you are 'a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, God's own People,' entrusted with the proclamation of the goodness of him who called you out of Darkness into his wonderful Light. Once you were 'not a people,' but now you are 'God's People'; once you 'had not found mercy,' but now you 'have found mercy.'

It follows, then, that you are no longer strangers and aliens, but are fellow-citizens with Christ's People and members of God's Household. You have been built up upon the foundation laid by the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus himself being 'the corner- stone.' United in him, every part of the building, closely joined together, will grow into a Temple, consecrated by its union with the Lord.read more.
And, through union in him, you also are being built up together, to be a dwelling-place for God through the Spirit.

Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said to them alone: "Blessed are the eyes that see what you are seeing; For, I tell you, many Prophets and Kings wished for the sight of the things which you are seeing, yet never heard them."

Afterwards his disciples came to him, and said: "Why do you speak to them in parables?" "To you," answered Jesus, "the knowledge of the hidden truths of the Kingdom of Heaven has been imparted, but not to those. For, to all who have, more will be given, and they shall have abundance; but, from all who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.read more.
That is why I speak to them in parables, because, though they have eyes, they do not see, and though they have ears, they do not hear or understand. And in them is being fulfilled that prophecy of Isaiah which says--'You will hear with your ears without ever understanding, And, though you have eyes, you will see without ever perceiving, For the mind of this nation has grown dense, And their ears are dull of hearing, Their eyes also have they closed; Lest some day they should perceive with their eyes, And with their ears they should hear, And in their mind they should understand, and should turn--And I should heal them.' But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear; For I tell you that many Prophets and good men have longed for the sight of the things which you are seeing, yet never saw them, and to hear the things which you are hearing, yet never heard them.

Afterwards, when he was alone, his followers and the Twelve asked him about his parables; And he said: "To you the hidden truth of the Kingdom of God has been imparted; but to those who are outside it all teaching takes the form of parables, that-- 'Though they have eyes, they may see without perceiving; And though they have ears, they may hear without understanding; Lest some day they should turn and be forgiven.'

His disciples asked Jesus the meaning of this parable. "To you," he said, "the knowledge of the hidden truths of the Kingdom of God has been imparted, but to others in parables only, that 'though they have eyes they may not see, and though they have ears, they may not understand.'

I no longer call you 'servants,' because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have given you the name of 'friends,' because I made known to you everything that I learned from my Father.

Yet there is a philosophy that we teach to those whose faith is matured, but it is not the philosophy of to-day, nor that of the leaders of to-day-men whose downfall is at hand. No, it is a divine philosophy that we teach, one concerned with the hidden purpose of God-that long-hidden philosophy which God, before time began, destined for our glory. This philosophy is not known to any of the leaders of to-day; for, had they known it, they would not have crucified our glorified Lord.read more.
It is what Scripture speaks of as-'What eye never saw, nor ear ever heard, what never entered the mind of man-even all that God has prepared for those who love him.' Yet to us God revealed it through his Spirit; for the Spirit fathoms all things, even the inmost depths of God's being. For what man is there who knows what a man is, except the man's own spirit within him? So, also, no one comprehends what God is, except the Spirit of God. And as for us, it is not the Spirit of the World that we have received, but the Spirit that comes from God, that we may realize the blessings given to us by him.

It was this Salvation that the Prophets, who spoke long ago of the blessing intended for you, sought, and strove to comprehend; as they strove to discern what that time could be, to which the Spirit of Christ within them was pointing, when foretelling the sufferings that would befall Christ, and the glories that would follow. And it was revealed to them that it was not for themselves, but for you, that they were acting as Ministers of the truths which have now been told to you, by those who, with the help of the Holy Spirit sent from Heaven, have brought you the Good News--truths into which even angels long to look.

I no longer call you 'servants,' because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have given you the name of 'friends,' because I made known to you everything that I learned from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you, and I appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that should remain, so that the Father might grant you whatever you ask in my Name.

Last of all, he appeared even to me, who am, as it were, the abortion. For I am the meanest of the Apostles, I who am unworthy of the name of 'Apostle,' because I persecuted the Church of God. But it is through the love of God that I am what I am, and the love that he showed me has not been wasted. No, I have toiled harder than any of them, and yet it was not I, but the love of God working with me.

I have never coveted any one's gold or silver or clothing. You, yourselves, know that these hands of mine provided not only for my own wants, but for my companions also. I left nothing undone to show you that, laboring as I labored, you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said himself-- 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

We would remind you, Brothers, of the love that God has shown to the Churches in Macedonia-- How, tired though they were by many a trouble, their overflowing happiness, and even their deep poverty, resulted in a flood of generosity. I can bear witness that to the full extent of their power, and even beyond their power, spontaneously,read more.
And with many an appeal to us for permission, they showed their love, and contributed their share towards the fund for their fellow-Christians. And that, not only in the way we had expected; but first they gave themselves to the Lord, and to us also, in accordance with God's will. And this led us to urge upon Titus that, as he had started the work for you, he should also see to the completion of this expression of your love. And, remembering how you excel in everything--in faith, in teaching, in knowledge, in unfailing earnestness, and in the affection that we have awakened in you--I ask you to excel also in this expression of your love. I am not laying a command upon you, but I am making use of the earnestness shown by others to test the genuineness of your affection. For you do not forget the loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ--how that for your sakes, although he was rich, he became poor, so that you also might become rich through his poverty. I am only making suggestions on this matter; for this is the best course for you, since you were a year before others, not only in taking action, but also in showing your readiness to do so. And now I want you to complete the work, so that its completion may correspond with your willing readiness--in proportion, of course, to your means. For, where there is willingness, a man's gift is valued by its comparison with what he has, and not with what he has not. For our object is not to give relief to others and bring distress on you, but, by equalizing matters, to secure that, On the present occasion, what you can spare may supply their need, so that at another time what they can spare may supply your need, and thus matters may be equalized. As Scripture says--'The man who had much had nothing over, and the man who had little did not lack!'

Remember the saying--'Scanty sowing, scanty harvest; plentiful sowing, plentiful harvest.' Let every one give as he has determined before hand, not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves 'a cheerful giver.' God has power to shower all kinds of blessings upon you, so that, having, under all circumstances and on all occasions, all that you can need, you may be able to shower all kinds of benefits upon others.read more.
(As Scripture says--'He scattered broadcast, he gave to the poor; His righteousness continues for ever.' And he who supplies 'seed to the sower, and bread for eating,' will supply you with seed, and cause it to increase, and will multiply 'the fruits of your righteousness'). Rich in all things yourselves, you will be able to show liberality to all, which, with our help, will cause thanksgiving to be offered to God.

Let men look upon us as Christ's servants, and as stewards of the hidden truths of God. Now what we look for in stewards is that they should be trustworthy.

Who, then is that trustworthy, careful servant, who has been placed by his master over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, shall find doing this. I tell you that his master will put him in charge of the whole of his property.read more.
But, should he be a bad servant, and say to himself 'My master is a long time in coming,' And begin to beat his fellow-servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, That servant's master will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour of which he is unaware, And will flog him severely, and assign him his place among the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

"Who, then," replied the Master, "is that trustworthy steward, the careful man, who will be placed by his master over his establishment, to give them their rations at the proper time? Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, shall find doing this. His master, I tell you, will put him in charge of the whole of his property.read more.
But should that servant say to himself 'My master is a long time coming,' and begin to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, That servant's master will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour of which he is unaware, and will flog him severely and assign him his place among the untrustworthy. The servant who knows his master's wishes and yet does not prepare and act accordingly will receive many lashes; while one who does not know his master's wishes, but acts so as to deserve a flogging, will receive but few. From every one to whom much has been given much will be expected, and from the man to whom much has been entrusted the more will be demanded.

Again, do not you know that your body is a shrine of the Holy Spirit that is within you-the Spirit which you have from God? Moreover, you are not your own masters; you were bought, and the price was paid. Therefore, honor God in your bodies.

Obey your Leaders, and submit to their control, for they are watching over your souls, as men who will have to render an account, so that they may do it with joy, and not in sorrow. That would not be to your advantage.

In the morning the Magistrates sent the police with an order for the men to be discharged. The Governor of the Jail told Paul of his instructions. "The Magistrates have sent an order for your discharge," he said, "so you had better leave the place at once and go quietly away." But Paul's answer to them was: "They have flogged us in public without trial, though we are Roman citizens, and they have put us in prison, and now they are for sending us out secretly! No, indeed! Let them come and take us out themselves."read more.
The police reported his words to the Magistrates, who, on hearing that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, were alarmed, And went to the prison, and did their best to conciliate them. Then they took them out, and begged them to leave the city.

Paul fixed his eyes upon the Council, and began: "Brothers, for my part, I have always ordered my life before God, with a clear conscience, up to this very day." At this, the High Priest Ananias ordered the men standing near to strike him on the mouth; Whereupon Paul turned to him and said: "God will strike you, you white-washed wall! Are you sitting there to try me in accordance with law, and yet, in defiance of law, order me to be struck?"

Listen to another parable. A man, who was an employer, once planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a winepress in it, built a tower, and then let it out to tenants and went abroad. When the time for the vintage drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to receive his share of the produce. But the tenants seized his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.read more.
A second time the owner sent some servants, a larger number than before, and the tenants treated them in the same way. As a last resource he sent his son to them. 'They will respect my son,' he said. But the tenants, on seeing his son, said to each other 'Here is the heir! Come, let us kill him, and get his inheritance.' So they seized him, and threw him outside the vineyard, and killed him. Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" "Miserable wretches!" they exclaimed, "he will put them to a miserable death, and he will let out the vineyard to other tenants, who will pay him his share of the produce at the proper times." Then Jesus added: "Have you never read in the Scriptures?-- 'The very stone which the builders despised--Has now itself become the corner-stone; This corner-stone has come from the Lord, And is marvelous in our eyes.' And that, I tell you, is why the Kingdom of God will be taken from you, and given to a nation that does produce the fruit of the Kingdom.

And Jesus began to speak to them in parables: "A man once planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a wine-press, built a tower, and then let it out to tenants and went abroad. At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants, to receive from them a share of the produce of the vintage; But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty- handed.read more.
A second time the owner sent a servant to them; this man, too, the tenants struck on the head, and insulted. He sent another, but him they killed; and so with many others- -some they beat and some they killed. He had still one son, who was very dear to him; and him he sent to them last of all. 'They will respect my son,' he said. But those tenants said to one another 'Here is the heir! Come, let us kill him, and his inheritance will be ours.' So they seized him, and killed him, and threw his body outside the vineyard. What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and put the tenants to death, and he will let the vineyard to others.

But Jesus began to tell the people this parable-- "A man once planted a vineyard, and then let it out to tenants, and went abroad for a long while. At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants, that they should give him a share of the produce of the vineyard. The tenants, however, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. The owner afterwards sent another servant; but the tenants beat and insulted this man too, and sent him away empty-handed.read more.
He sent a third; but they wounded this man also, and threw him outside. 'What shall I do?' said the owner of the vineyard. 'I will send my son, who is very dear to me. Perhaps they will respect him.' But, on seeing him, the tenants consulted with one another. 'Here is the heir!' they said. 'Let us kill him, and then the inheritance will become ours.' So they threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and put those tenants to death, and will let the vineyard to others." "Heaven forbid!" they exclaimed when they heard it.

For it is as though a man, going on his travels, called his servants, and gave his property into their charge. He gave three thousand pounds to one, twelve hundred to another, and six hundred to a third, in proportion to the ability of each. Then he set out on his travels. The man who had received the three thousand pounds went at once and traded with it, and made another three thousand.read more.
So, too, the man who had received the twelve hundred pounds made another twelve hundred. But the man who had received the six hundred went and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money. After a long time the master of those servants returned, and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the three thousand pounds came up and brought three thousand more. 'Sir,' he said, 'you entrusted me with three thousand pounds; look, I have made another three thousand!' 'Well done, good, trustworthy servant!' said his master. 'You have been trustworthy with a small sum; now I will place a large one in your hands; come and share your master's joy!' Then the one who had received the twelve hundred pounds came up and said 'Sir, you entrusted me with twelve hundred pounds; look, I have made another twelve hundred!' The man who had received the six hundred pounds came up, too, and said 'Sir, I knew that you were a hard man; you reap where you have not sown, and gather up where you have not winnowed; And, in my fear, I went and hid your money in the ground; look, here is what belongs to you!' 'You lazy, worthless servant!' was his master's reply. 'You knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather up where I have not winnowed? Then you ought to have placed my money in the hands of bankers, and I, on my return, should have received my money, with interest. 'Therefore,' he continued, 'take away from him the six hundred pounds, and give it to the one who has the six thousand. For, to him who has, more will be given, and he shall have abundance; but, as for him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away from him. As for the useless servant, 'put him out into the darkness' outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.'

He said: "A nobleman once went to a distant country to receive his appointment to a Kingdom and then return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds each, and told them to trade with them during his absence. But his subjects hated him and sent envoys after him to say 'We will not have this man as our King.'read more.
On his return, after having been appointed King, he directed that the servants to whom he had given his money should be summoned, so that he might learn what amount of trade they had done. The first came up, and said 'Sir, your ten pounds have made a hundred.' 'Well done, good servant!' exclaimed the master. 'As you have proved trustworthy in a very small matter, I appoint you governor over ten towns.' When the second came, he said 'Your ten pounds, Sir, have produced fifty.' So the master said to him 'And you I appoint over five towns.' Another servant also came and said 'Sir, here are your ten pounds; I have kept them put away in a handkerchief. For I was afraid of you, because you are a stern man. You take what you have not planted, and reap what you have not sown.' The master answered 'Out of your own mouth I judge you, you worthless servant. You knew that I am a stern man, that I take what I have not planted, and reap what I have not sown? Then why did not you put my money into a bank? And I, on my return, could have claimed it with interest. Take away from him the ten pounds,' he said to those standing by, 'and give them to the one who has the hundred.' 'But, Sir,' they interposed, 'he has a hundred pounds already!' 'I tell you,' he answered, 'that, to him who has, more will be given, but, from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. But as for my enemies, these men who would not have me as their King, bring them here and put them to death in my presence.'"