16 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.

I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?

And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.

Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.

And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

Read full chapter

16 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

Read full chapter

The Parable of the Dishonest Manager

16 He also said to the disciples: “There was a rich(A) man who received an accusation that his manager(B) was squandering(C) his possessions. So he called the manager in and asked, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management,(D) because you can no longer be my manager.’

“Then the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig; I’m ashamed to beg. I know what I’ll do so that when I’m removed from management, people will welcome me into their homes.’

“So he summoned each one of his master’s debtors. ‘How much do you owe my master?’ he asked the first one.

“‘A hundred measures of olive oil,’ he said.

“‘Take your invoice,’ he told him, ‘sit down quickly, and write 50.’

“Next he asked another, ‘How much do you owe?’

“‘A hundred measures of wheat,’ he said.

“‘Take your invoice,’ he told him, ‘and write 80.’

“The master praised the unrighteous manager(E) because he had acted astutely. For the sons of this age(F) are more astute than the sons of light(G) in dealing with their own people.[a]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Luke 16:8 Lit own generation

16 And he said also unto the disciples, There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he was wasting his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, What is this that I hear of thee? render the account of thy stewardship; for thou canst be no longer steward. And the steward said within himself, What shall I do, seeing that my lord taketh away the stewardship from me? I have not strength to dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. And calling to him each one of his lord’s debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, A hundred [a]measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy [b]bond, and sit down quickly and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, A hundred [c]measures of wheat. He saith unto him, Take thy [d]bond, and write fourscore. And his lord commended [e]the unrighteous steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of this [f]world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Luke 16:6 Greek baths, the bath being a Hebrew measure. See Ezek. 45:10, 11, 14.
  2. Luke 16:6 Greek writings.
  3. Luke 16:7 Greek cors, the cor being a Hebrew measure. See Ezek. 45:14.
  4. Luke 16:7 Greek writings.
  5. Luke 16:8 Greek the steward of unrighteousness.
  6. Luke 16:8 Or, age

16 And he said also unto his disciples, `A certain man was rich, who had a steward, and he was accused to him as scattering his goods;

and having called him, he said to him, What [is] this I hear about thee? render the account of thy stewardship, for thou mayest not any longer be steward.

`And the steward said in himself, What shall I do, because my lord doth take away the stewardship from me? to dig I am not able, to beg I am ashamed: --

I have known what I shall do, that, when I may be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me to their houses.

`And having called near each one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first, How much dost thou owe to my lord?

and he said, A hundred baths of oil; and he said to him, Take thy bill, and having sat down write fifty.

`Afterward to another he said, And thou, how much dost thou owe? and he said, A hundred cors of wheat; and he saith to him, Take thy bill, and write eighty.

`And the lord commended the unrighteous steward that he did prudently, because the sons of this age are more prudent than the sons of the light, in respect to their generation.

Read full chapter

16 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.

I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?

And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.

Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.

And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?

13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

16 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. 10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. 11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. 15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. 16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. 17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. 18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: 28 for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

The Parable of the Dishonest Manager

16 He also said to the disciples: “There was a rich(A) man who received an accusation that his manager(B) was squandering(C) his possessions. So he called the manager in and asked, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management,(D) because you can no longer be my manager.’

“Then the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig; I’m ashamed to beg. I know what I’ll do so that when I’m removed from management, people will welcome me into their homes.’

“So he summoned each one of his master’s debtors. ‘How much do you owe my master?’ he asked the first one.

“‘A hundred measures of olive oil,’ he said.

“‘Take your invoice,’ he told him, ‘sit down quickly, and write 50.’

“Next he asked another, ‘How much do you owe?’

“‘A hundred measures of wheat,’ he said.

“‘Take your invoice,’ he told him, ‘and write 80.’

“The master praised the unrighteous manager(E) because he had acted astutely. For the sons of this age(F) are more astute than the sons of light(G) in dealing with their own people.[a] And I tell you, make friends(H) for yourselves by means of the unrighteous money(I) so that when it fails,[b] they may welcome you into eternal dwellings. 10 Whoever is faithful(J) in very little(K) is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much. 11 So if you have not been faithful with the unrighteous money, who will trust you with what is genuine? 12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what is your own? 13 No(L) household slave can be the slave of two masters, since either he will hate(M) one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t be slaves to both God and money.”

Kingdom Values

14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money,(N) were listening to all these things and scoffing(O) at Him. 15 And He told them: “You are the ones who justify(P) yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts.(Q) For what is highly admired by people is revolting(R) in God’s sight.

16 “The(S) Law and the Prophets(T) were[c] until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God(U) has been proclaimed, and everyone is strongly urged to enter it.[d] 17 But it is easier(V) for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter in the law to drop out.

18 “Everyone(W) who divorces(X) his wife and marries another woman commits adultery,(Y) and everyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

19 “There was a rich man who would dress in purple and fine linen,(Z) feasting lavishly every day. 20 But a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, was left at his gate.(AA) 21 He longed to be filled(AB) with what fell from the rich man’s table,(AC) but instead the dogs(AD) would come and lick his sores. 22 One day the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side.[e](AE) The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torment(AF) in Hades,(AG) he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off, with Lazarus at his side. 24 ‘Father Abraham!’(AH) he called out, ‘Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony(AI) in this flame!’

25 “‘Son,’[f] Abraham said, ‘remember that during your life you received your good things,(AJ) just as Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here,(AK) while you are in agony. 26 Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass over from here to you cannot; neither can those from there cross over to us.’

27 “‘Father,’ he said, ‘then I beg you to send him to my father’s house— 28 because I have five brothers—to warn(AL) them, so they won’t also come to this place of torment.’

29 “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets;(AM) they should listen to them.’

30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said. ‘But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31 “But he told him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”(AN)

Footnotes

  1. Luke 16:8 Lit own generation
  2. Luke 16:9 Other mss read when you fail or pass away
  3. Luke 16:16 Perhaps were proclaimed, or were in effect
  4. Luke 16:16 Or everyone is forcing his way into it
  5. Luke 16:22 Or to Abraham’s bosom; lit to the fold of Abraham’s robe; Jn 13:23
  6. Luke 16:25 Lit Child

16 And he said also unto the disciples, There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he was wasting his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, What is this that I hear of thee? render the account of thy stewardship; for thou canst be no longer steward. And the steward said within himself, What shall I do, seeing that my lord taketh away the stewardship from me? I have not strength to dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. And calling to him each one of his lord’s debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, A hundred [a]measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy [b]bond, and sit down quickly and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, A hundred [c]measures of wheat. He saith unto him, Take thy [d]bond, and write fourscore. And his lord commended [e]the unrighteous steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of this [f]world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends [g]by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles. 10 He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much. 11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is [h]your own? 13 No [i]servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

14 And the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things; and they scoffed at him. 15 And he said unto them, Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. 16 The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the [j]gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and every man entereth violently into it. 17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tittle of the law to fall.

18 Every one that putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth one that is put away from a husband committeth adultery.

19 Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, [k]faring sumptuously every day: 20 and a certain beggar named Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table; yea, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: and the rich man also died, and was buried. 23 And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, [l]Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things: but now here he is comforted, and thou art in anguish. 26 And [m]besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they that would pass from hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from thence to us. 27 And he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house; 28 for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 But Abraham saith, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if one rise from the dead.

Footnotes

  1. Luke 16:6 Greek baths, the bath being a Hebrew measure. See Ezek. 45:10, 11, 14.
  2. Luke 16:6 Greek writings.
  3. Luke 16:7 Greek cors, the cor being a Hebrew measure. See Ezek. 45:14.
  4. Luke 16:7 Greek writings.
  5. Luke 16:8 Greek the steward of unrighteousness.
  6. Luke 16:8 Or, age
  7. Luke 16:9 Greek out of.
  8. Luke 16:12 Some ancient authorities read our own.
  9. Luke 16:13 Greek household-servant.
  10. Luke 16:16 Or, good tidings: compare 3:18.
  11. Luke 16:19 Or, living in mirth and splendor every day
  12. Luke 16:25 Greek Child.
  13. Luke 16:26 Or, in all these things

16 And he said also unto his disciples, `A certain man was rich, who had a steward, and he was accused to him as scattering his goods;

and having called him, he said to him, What [is] this I hear about thee? render the account of thy stewardship, for thou mayest not any longer be steward.

`And the steward said in himself, What shall I do, because my lord doth take away the stewardship from me? to dig I am not able, to beg I am ashamed: --

I have known what I shall do, that, when I may be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me to their houses.

`And having called near each one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first, How much dost thou owe to my lord?

and he said, A hundred baths of oil; and he said to him, Take thy bill, and having sat down write fifty.

`Afterward to another he said, And thou, how much dost thou owe? and he said, A hundred cors of wheat; and he saith to him, Take thy bill, and write eighty.

`And the lord commended the unrighteous steward that he did prudently, because the sons of this age are more prudent than the sons of the light, in respect to their generation.

and I say to you, Make to yourselves friends out of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye may fail, they may receive you to the age-during tabernacles.

10 `He who is faithful in the least, [is] also faithful in much; and he who in the least [is] unrighteous, is also unrighteous in much;

11 if, then, in the unrighteous mammon ye became not faithful -- the true who will entrust to you?

12 and if in the other's ye became not faithful -- your own, who shall give to you?

13 `No domestic is able to serve two lords, for either the one he will hate, and the other he will love; or one he will hold to, and of the other he will be heedless; ye are not able to serve God and mammon.'

14 And also the Pharisees, being lovers of money, were hearing all these things, and were deriding him,

15 and he said to them, `Ye are those declaring yourselves righteous before men, but God doth know your hearts; because that which among men is high, [is] abomination before God;

16 the law and the prophets [are] till John; since then the reign of God is proclaimed good news, and every one doth press into it;

17 and it is easier to the heaven and the earth to pass away, than of the law one tittle to fall.

18 `Every one who is sending away his wife, and marrying another, doth commit adultery; and every one who is marrying her sent away from a husband doth commit adultery.

19 `And -- a certain man was rich, and was clothed in purple and fine linen, making merry sumptuously every day,

20 and there was a certain poor man, by name Lazarus, who was laid at his porch, full of sores,

21 and desiring to be filled from the crumbs that are falling from the table of the rich man; yea, also the dogs, coming, were licking his sores.

22 `And it came to pass, that the poor man died, and that he was carried away by the messengers to the bosom of Abraham -- and the rich man also died, and was buried;

23 and in the hades having lifted up his eyes, being in torments, he doth see Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom,

24 and having cried, he said, Father Abraham, deal kindly with me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and may cool my tongue, because I am distressed in this flame.

25 `And Abraham said, Child, remember that thou did receive -- thou -- thy good things in thy life, and Lazarus in like manner the evil things, and now he is comforted, and thou art distressed;

26 and besides all these things, between us and you a great chasm is fixed, so that they who are willing to go over from hence unto you are not able, nor do they from thence to us pass through.

27 `And he said, I pray thee, then, father, that thou mayest send him to the house of my father,

28 for I have five brothers, so that he may thoroughly testify to them, that they also may not come to this place of torment.

29 `Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them;

30 and he said, No, father Abraham, but if any one from the dead may go unto them, they will reform.

31 And he said to him, If Moses and the prophets they do not hear, neither if one may rise out of the dead will they be persuaded.'