Luke 16
1 Jesus told his disciples this story. “There was once a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting what belonged to his master.
He also said to his disciples, “There was a certain rich man who had a manager. An accusation was made to him that this man was wasting his possessions.
2 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.’
He called him, and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’
3 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.
“The manager said within himself, ‘What will I do, seeing that my lord is taking away the management position from me? I don’t have strength to dig. I am ashamed to beg.
4 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.’
I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from management, they may receive me into their houses.’
5 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?’
Calling each one of his lord’s debtors to him, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe to my lord?’
6 The man replied, ‘A hundred units of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Sit down quickly. Take your bill, and change it to fifty.’
He said, ‘A hundred batos of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’
7 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.’
Then he said to another, ‘How much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred cors of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’
8 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)
“His lord commended the dishonest manager because he had done wisely, for the children of this world are, in their own generation, wiser than the children of the light. (aiōn g165)
9 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)
I tell you, make for yourselves friends by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when you fail, they may receive you into the eternal tents. (aiōnios g166)
10 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.
He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
11 So if you can't be trusted when it comes to worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?
If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 And if you can't be trusted with what belongs to someone else, who will trust you with what is yours?
If you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?
13 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.”
No 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. You aren’t able to serve God and Mammon.”
14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard what Jesus said and laughed at him.
The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they scoffed at him.
15 But Jesus told them, “You appear pious to people, but God knows what you're thinking. What people value highly is detested by God.
He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted amongst men is an abomination in the sight of God.
16 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.
“The Torah and the Prophets were until Yochanan. From that time the Good News of God’s Kingdom is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
17 However, it's easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the smallest point of the Law to disappear.
But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tiny stroke of a pen in the Torah to become void.
18 Any man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery, and a man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
“Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery. He who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.
19 Once there was a man who was rich. He wore purple clothes and fine linen, and enjoyed a luxurious life.
“Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day.
20 A beggar named Lazarus used to sit at his gate, covered in sores,
A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was taken to his gate, full of sores,
21 longing to eat the leftovers from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 Then the beggar died, and angels carried him away to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.
The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in the far distance, with Lazarus beside him. (Hadēs g86)
In Sheol, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. (Hadēs g86)
24 ‘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.’
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 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.
“But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But here he is now comforted and you are in anguish.
26 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.’
Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that no one may cross over from there to us.’
27 The rich man said, ‘Then Father, I beg you, please send him to my father's house.
“He said, ‘I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house—
28 For I have five brothers and he can warn them so that they don't end up here in this place of torment.’
for I have five brothers—that he may testify to them, so they won’t also come into this place of torment.’
29 But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. They should listen to them.’
“But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. Let them listen to them.’
30 ‘No, father Abraham,’ said the man. ‘But they would repent if someone went to them from the dead!’
“He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31 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.’”
“He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’”
