Psalm 102^[a]

A prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the Lord.

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) 2} So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

³ “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— ⁴ I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

⁵ “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

⁶ “‘Nine hundred gallons^[a] of olive oil,’ he replied.

“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

⁷ “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’

“‘A thousand bushels^[b] of wheat,’ he replied.

“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

⁸ “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world^(B) are more shrewd^(C) in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.^{(D) 9} I tell you, use worldly wealth^(E) to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.^(F)

Doing Good for the Sake of the Gospel

2 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.^{(A) 2} Teach the older men^(B) to be temperate,^(C) worthy of respect, self-controlled,^(D) and sound in faith,^(E) in love and in endurance.

³ Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers^(F) or addicted to much wine,^(G) but to teach what is good. ⁴ Then they can urge the younger women^(H) to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled^(I) and pure, to be busy at home,^(J) to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands,^(K) so that no one will malign the word of God.^(L)

⁶ Similarly, encourage the young men^(M) to be self-controlled.^{(N) 7} In everything set them an example^(O) by doing what is good.^(P) In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸ and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.^(Q)

⁹ Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything,^(R) to try to please them, not to talk back to them, ¹⁰ and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior^(S) attractive.^(T)

¹¹ For the grace^(U) of God has appeared^(V) that offers salvation to all people.^{(W) 12} It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions,^(X) and to live self-controlled,^(Y) upright and godly lives^(Z) in this present age, ¹³ while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing^(AA) of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,^{(AB) 14} who gave himself for us^(AC) to redeem us from all wickedness^(AD) and to purify^(AE) for himself a people that are his very own,^(AF) eager to do what is good.^(AG)

¹⁵ These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.