Luke 16:9-13

Living Bible

⁹But shall I tell you to act that way, to buy friendship through cheating? Will this ensure your entry into an everlasting home in heaven?^[a] ¹⁰No! For unless you are honest in small matters, you won’t be in large ones. If you cheat even a little, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. ¹¹And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? ¹²And if you are not faithful with other people’s money, why should you be entrusted with money of your own?

¹³“For neither you nor anyone else can serve two masters. You will hate one and show loyalty to the other, or else the other way around—you will be enthusiastic about one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

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Footnotes

Luke 16:9 Will this ensure your entry into an everlasting home in heaven? literally, and probably ironically, “Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that when it shall fail you, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles.” Some commentators would interpret this to mean: “Use your money for good, so that it will be waiting to befriend you when you get to heaven.” But this would imply the end justifies the means, an unbiblical idea.