Luke 16
1 And he also said to his disciples: “A certain man was wealthy, and he had a steward of his estate. And this man was accused to him of having dissipated his goods.
Jesus told his disciples this story. “There was once a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting what belonged to his master.
2 And he called him and said to him: ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship. For you can no longer be my steward.’
So the rich man called in his manager, and asked him, ‘What's this I hear about you? Bring in your accounts, because you won't be continuing as manager.’
3 And the steward said within himself: ‘What shall I do? For my lord is taking the stewardship away from me. I am not strong enough to dig. I am too ashamed to beg.
The manager said to himself, ‘Now what will I do since my master is going to fire me from my job? I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg.
4 I know what I will do so that, when I have been removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’
Oh, I know what I'm going to do so that when I'm sacked as manager people will make me welcome in their homes.’
5 And so, calling together each one of his lord’s debtors, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my lord?’
So he invited all those who were in debt to his master to come and see him. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
6 So he said, ‘One hundred jars of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your invoice, and quickly, sit down and write fifty.’
The man replied, ‘A hundred units of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Sit down quickly. Take your bill, and change it to fifty.’
7 Next, he said to another, ‘In truth, how much do you owe?’ And he said, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your record books, and write eighty.’
Then he said to another, ‘How much do you owe?’ The man replied, ‘A hundred units of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill and change it to eighty.’
8 And the lord praised the iniquitous steward, in that he had acted prudently. For the sons of this age are more prudent with their generation than are the sons of light. (aiōn g165)
The rich man commended his dishonest manager for his cunning idea. The children of this world are more cunning towards one another than are the children of light. (aiōn g165)
9 And so I say to you, make friends for yourself using iniquitous mammon, so that, when you will have passed away, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles. (aiōnios g166)
I tell you, use the wealth of this world to make friends for yourselves so that when it's gone, you'll be welcomed into an eternal home. (aiōnios g166)
10 Whoever is faithful in what is least, is also faithful in what is greater. And whoever is unjust in what is small, is also unjust in what is greater.
If you can be trusted with very little you can also be trusted with much; if you are dishonest with very little you will also be dishonest with much.
11 So then, if you have not been faithful with iniquitous mammon, who will trust you with what is true?
So if you can't be trusted when it comes to worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?
12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?
And if you can't be trusted with what belongs to someone else, who will trust you with what is yours?
13 No servant is able to serve two lords. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will cling to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
No servant can obey two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can't serve both God and Money.”
14 But the Pharisees, who were greedy, were listening to all these things. And they ridiculed him.
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard what Jesus said and laughed at him.
15 And he said to them: “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of men. But God knows your hearts. For what is lifted up by men is an abomination in the sight of God.
But Jesus told them, “You appear pious to people, but God knows what you're thinking. What people value highly is detested by God.
16 The law and the prophets were until John. Since then, the kingdom of God is being evangelized, and everyone acts with violence toward it.
What was written in the law and the prophets lasted until John. From then on the good news of the kingdom of God is being spread, and everyone is forcing their way in.
17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one dot of the law to fall away.
However, it's easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the smallest point of the Law to disappear.
18 Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery. And whoever marries her who has been divorced by her husband commits adultery.
Any man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery, and a man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
19 A certain man was wealthy, and he was clothed in purple and in fine linen. And he feasted splendidly every day.
Once there was a man who was rich. He wore purple clothes and fine linen, and enjoyed a luxurious life.
20 And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, covered with sores,
A beggar named Lazarus used to sit at his gate, covered in sores,
21 wanting to be filled with the crumbs which were falling from the wealthy man’s table. But no one gave it to him. And even the dogs came and licked his sores.
longing to eat the leftovers from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 Then it happened that the beggar died, and he was carried by the Angels into the bosom of Abraham. Now the wealthy man also died, and he was entombed,
Then the beggar died, and angels carried him away to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.
23 in Hell. Then lifting up his eyes, while he was in torments, he saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. (Hadēs g86)
In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in the far distance, with Lazarus beside him. (Hadēs g86)
24 And crying out, he said: ‘Father Abraham, take pity on me and send Lazarus, so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water to refresh my tongue. For I am tortured in this fire.’
‘Father Abraham,’ 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'm burning in agony.’
25 And Abraham said to him: ‘Son, recall that you received good things in your life, and in comparison, Lazarus received bad things. But now he is consoled, and truly you are tormented.
But Abraham replied, ‘My son, remember that you enjoyed the good things of life, while Lazarus had a very poor life. Now he is here being comforted, while you suffer in torment.
26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been established, so that those who might want to cross from here to you are not able, nor can someone cross from there to here.’
Apart from that, there's a great gulf that stretches between us and you. Nobody who wants to cross from here to you can do so, and nobody can cross from there over to us.’
27 And he said: ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers,
The rich man said, ‘Then Father, I beg you, please send him to my father's house.
28 so that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torments.’
For I have five brothers and he can warn them so that they don't end up here in this place of torment.’
29 And Abraham said to him: ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. They should listen to them.’
30 So he said: ‘No, father Abraham. But if someone were to go to them from the dead, they would repent.’
‘No, father Abraham,’ said the man. ‘But they would repent if someone went to them from the dead!’
31 But he said to him: ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe even if someone has resurrected from the dead.’”
Abraham said to him, ‘If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't be convinced even if someone returns from the dead.’”
