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16 And He also said to His disciples, “There was a certain rich man who had a steward. And he was accused to him of wasting his goods.

“And he called him and said to him, ‘How is it that I hear this of you? Give an account of your stewardship. For you may no longer be steward.’

“Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking away the stewardship from me. I cannot dig. And I am ashamed to beg.

‘I know what I will do, so that when I am put out of the stewardship they may receive me into their houses.’

“Then he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe to my master?’

“And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill. And sit down quickly. And write fifty.’

“Then he said to another, ‘How much do you owe?’ And he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ Then he said to him, ‘Take your bill and write eighty.’

“And the master commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely. For among their own kind, the children of this world are wiser than the children of light.

“And I say to you, make friends with the riches of iniquity, so that when you fail, they may receive you into eternal dwellings.

10 “The one who is faithful in the least, is also faithful in much. And the one who is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much.

11 “If, then, you have not been faithful in the riches of iniquity, who will trust you in the true treasure?

12 “And if you have not been faithful in another man’s goods, who shall give you that which is yours?

13 “No servant can serve two masters. For either he shall hate the one and love the other, or else he shall lean to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches.”

14 The Pharisees also heard all these things and were covetous. And they scoffed at Him.

15 Then He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before man. But God knows your hearts. For that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

16 “The Law and the Prophets endured until John. And since that time the Kingdom of God is preached. And everyone presses into it.

17 “Now it is easier for Heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of the Law to fall.

18 “Whoever puts away his wife and marries another, commits adultery. And whoever marries the one who is put away from her husband, commits adultery.

19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared well and delicately every day.

20 “Also, there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate (full of sores).

21 “And he desired to be refreshed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. And even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 “And it happened that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.

23 “And being in torment in hell, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off (and Lazarus in his bosom).

24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! And send Lazarus, so 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 you, in your lifetime, received your pleasures, and likewise Lazarus pains. Therefore, now he is comforted and you are tormented.

26 ‘Besides all this, there is a great gulf set between you and us, so that those who wish to go from here to you, cannot. Nor can anyone come from there to us.’

27 “Then he said, ‘Therefore I ask you, father, if you would send him to my father’s house,

28 ‘(for I have five brothers) so that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’

29 “Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. Let them hear them.’

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

31 “Then he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded if one rises from the dead again.’”

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) 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.’

“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— I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

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

“‘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.’

“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.’

“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) 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)

10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much,(G) 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,(H) who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”(I)

14 The Pharisees, who loved money,(J) heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.(K) 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves(L) in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts.(M) What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.

Additional Teachings

16 “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John.(N) Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached,(O) and everyone is forcing their way into it. 17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.(P)

18 “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.(Q)

The Rich Man and Lazarus

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.(R) 20 At his gate was laid a beggar(S) named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.(T) Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham,(U) have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’(V)

25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things,(W) but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.(X) 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them,(Y) so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses(Z) and the Prophets;(AA) let them listen to them.’

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

31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Footnotes

  1. Luke 16:6 Or about 3,000 liters
  2. Luke 16:7 Or about 30 tons