¹⁵ They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty.^(A)

⁷ But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings.”^(A)

⁵ Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,^[a](A) even though they are strangers to you.^(B)

² Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. ³ I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.

¹⁰ “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much,^(A) and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. ¹¹ So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth,^(B) who will trust you with true riches?

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager

16 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.^(A)

⁴⁵ “Who then is the faithful and wise servant,^(A) whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?

² I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani,^(A) along with Hananiah^(B) the commander of the citadel,^(C) because he was a man of integrity and feared^(D) God more than most people do.

¹² The workers labored faithfully.^(A) Over them to direct them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descended from Kohath. The Levites—all who were skilled in playing musical instruments—^(B)