And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

And he said unto him, Well done, thou good servant: because thou wast found faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

And he said to him: Well done, thou good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a little, thou shalt have power over ten cities.

And he said to him, Well done, thou good bondman; because thou hast been faithful in that which is least, be thou in authority over ten cities.

and he said to him, Well done, good servant, because in a very little thou didst become faithful, be having authority over ten cities.

"'Well done, good servant,' he replied; 'because you have been faithful in a very small matter, be in authority over ten towns.'

And he said to him, You have done well, O good servant: because you have done well in a small thing you will have authority over ten towns.

And he said to him: 'Well done, good servant. Since you have been faithful in a small matter, you will hold authority over ten cities.'

'Well done, good servant!' exclaimed the master. 'As you have proved trustworthy in a very small matter, I appoint you governor over ten towns.'

Over ten cities - This is to be understood as referring to the new kingdom which the nobleman had just received. His former trustiest and most faithful servants he now represents as being made governors, under him, over a number of cities, according to the capacity he found in each; which capacity was known by the improvement of the minas.

And he said unto him, well, thou good servant,.... Signifying he had well done, and had approved himself to be an honest, diligent, and laborious servant; who, having the grace of God, which made him a good man, and gifts and abilities, which made him a good minister of Christ, he made a good use them, freely communicated the good things of the Gospel, and being employed in a good work, he performed it well:
because thou hast been faithful in a very little; had preached the pure Gospel of Christ, and the whole of it, and sought not to please men, but the Lord only; not his own glory, but Christ's; abode by him and his interest, notwithstanding all reproaches and persecutions, and so acted a faithful part to Christ: "in a very little"; not that the Gospel is in itself little, or of small account; it is a treasure in earthen vessels; and contains the unsearchable riches of Christ: nor are gifts to preach it little things; they are instances of rich and amazing grace; but they are little, or, rather, the use and exercise of them are little, in comparison of the glory and happiness such faithful servants shall enjoy: from whence it appears, that since there is no proportion between what they do, and what they shall have, that therefore it is not of merit but of grace; and which is expressed in the following clause:
have thou authority over ten cities; which is to be understood, not in a literal sense, as if the apostles should have the jurisdiction over so many cities, or churches in so many cities among the Gentiles, after the destruction of Jerusalem, which were planted by their means and ministry; for nothing of this kind appears in the word of God: and much less after the second coming of Christ, shall faithful ministers of the word have power over so many cities, literally taken; for both in the kingdom state and in the ultimate glory, there will be but one beloved city, the holy city, the new Jerusalem: nor is any thing in particular, in a metaphorical sense, intended; only, in general, that the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of it, will be given unto them; and they shall reign with Christ on earth a thousand years; and shall also have a crown of glory, life, and righteousness bestowed on them, and shall sit on the throne with Christ; and besides all this, the persons they have been instrumental to, will be their joy, and crown of rejoicing. A learned writer (l) explains these ten cities, by the ten horns of the dragon, and beast in Revelation 12:3 by which are meant ten kings, or kingdoms, Revelation 17:12. These indeed will be overcome by Christ, and they that are with him, and will hate the Romish antichrist, and destroy him; so that, it seems, there will be revolutions in these kingdoms; and large conversions to the faith of Christ, which seems to be what this writer means by authority over them.
(l) Teelmanni Specimen Explic. Parabol. p. 51.