Matthew 25:15,16

Matthew 25:15-16 avpedh,mhsen) euvqe,wj poreuqei,j {B}

Although the external evidence supporting the reading adopted for the text is limited in extent, it is good in quality. More important, this reading best explains the origin of the other readings, which arose when copyists sought to eliminate the asyndeton as well as the ambiguity of where euvqe,wj belongs, by inserting de, before or after poreuqei,j.

The punctuation adopted for the text is in accord with the usage elsewhere in Matthew (where euvqe,wj or euvqu,j invariably belongs to what follows) and with the sense of the parable (there is no point in the master’s departing immediately; there is much point in the servant’s immediately setting to work).