Luke 16
1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted 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 unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer 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 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.
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 am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of 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 So he called every one of his lord’s debtors [unto him], and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto 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 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, 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 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.
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 commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children 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 I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. (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 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
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 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true [riches]?
So if you can't be trusted when it comes to worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?
12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?
And if you can't be trusted with what belongs to someone else, who will trust you with what is yours?
13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye 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 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard what Jesus said and laughed at him.
15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is 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 that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into 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 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
However, it's easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the smallest point of the Law to disappear.
18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from [her] husband committeth adultery.
Any man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery, and a man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously 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, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
A beggar named Lazarus used to sit at his gate, covered in sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover 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 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Then the beggar died, and angels carried him away to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, 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 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 tormented in this flame.
‘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 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art 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 beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that [would come] from thence.
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 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
The rich man said, ‘Then Father, I beg you, please send him to my father's house.
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
For I have five brothers and he can warn them so that they don't end up here in this place of torment.’
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. They should listen to them.’
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
‘No, father Abraham,’ said the man. ‘But they would repent if someone went to them from the dead!’
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose 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.’”
