1He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. (Lu 12:42)2And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ (1Co 9:17)3And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.4I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’5So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’6He said, ‘A hundred measures[1] of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’7Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures[2] of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’8The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world[3] are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. (Mt 25:2; Lu 10:6; Lu 20:34; Joh 12:36; Eph 5:8; 1Th 5:5)9And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth,[4] so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. (Mt 6:20; Mt 6:24; Mt 19:21; Lu 12:33; Lu 16:11; Lu 16:13; 1Ti 6:10; 1Ti 6:17)10“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. (Mt 25:21; Mt 25:23; Lu 19:17)11If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?12And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? (1Ch 29:14; 1Ch 29:16)13No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Lu 16:9)
The Law and the Kingdom of God
14The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. (Lu 11:39; Lu 20:47; Lu 23:35; 1Ti 6:10; 2Ti 3:2)15And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. (1Sa 16:7; 1Ch 28:9; Pr 16:5; Pr 21:2; Lu 10:29)16“The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.[5] (Mt 11:12; Lu 4:43; Lu 15:1)17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void. (Mt 5:18)
Divorce and Remarriage
18“Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery. (Mt 5:32)
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. (Es 8:15; Jas 5:5; Re 18:16)20And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, (Ac 3:2)21who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. (Mt 15:27)22The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.[6] The rich man also died and was buried, (Mt 18:10; Lu 12:8; Lu 15:10; Joh 13:23; Ac 12:15; Heb 1:13)23and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. (Mt 8:11; Mt 11:23; Lu 16:22)24And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ (Isa 66:24; Zec 14:12; Mt 25:41; Lu 16:30; Joh 8:33; Joh 8:39; Joh 8:53)25But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. (Job 21:13; Ps 17:14; Lu 6:24)26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’27And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—28for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’29But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ (Lu 16:31; Lu 24:27; Joh 5:45; Ac 26:22; Ac 28:23)30And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ (Lu 16:24)31He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” (Mt 28:11; Lu 16:29; Joh 12:10)
Luke 16
New International Version
The parable of the shrewd manager
1Jesus told his disciples: ‘There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.2So 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 –4I 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‘ “Three thousand litres of olive oil,” he replied. ‘The manager told him, “Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifteen hundred.”7‘Then he asked the second, “And how much do you owe?” ‘ “Thirty tons of wheat,” he replied. ‘He told him, “Take your bill and make it twenty-four.”8‘The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.9I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.10‘Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.11So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?12And 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.’14The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.15He said to them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.
Additional teachings
16‘The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it.17It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.18‘Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
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.20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. 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.23In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.24So he called to him, “Father Abraham, 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.”25‘But Abraham replied, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.26And 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,28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.”29‘Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.”30‘ “No, father Abraham,” 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.” ’
Luke 16
King James Version
1And 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.2And 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.3Then 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.4I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.5So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?6And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.7Then 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.8And 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.9And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.10He 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.11If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?12And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?13No 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.14And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.15And 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.16The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.17And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.18Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.19There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.22And 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;23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.24And 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.25But 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.26And 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.27Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:28For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.29Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.30And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.31And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Luke 16
New International Reader’s Version
The story of the clever manager
1Jesus told his disciples another story. He said, ‘There was a rich man who had a manager. Some said that the manager was wasting what the rich man owned.2So the rich man told him to come in. He asked him, “What is this I hear about you? Tell me exactly how you have handled what I own. You can’t be my manager any longer.”3‘The manager said to himself, “What will I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig. And I’m too ashamed to beg.4I know what I’m going to do. I’ll do something so that when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.”5‘So he called in each person who owed his master something. He asked the first one, “How much do you owe my master?”6‘ “I owe 2,000 litres of olive oil,” he replied. ‘The manager told him, “Take your bill. Sit down quickly and change it to 1,000 litres.”7‘Then he asked the second one, “And how much do you owe?” ‘ “I owe 25 tonnes of wheat,” he replied. ‘The manager told him, “Take your bill and change it to 20 tonnes.”8‘The manager had not been honest. But the master praised him for being clever. The people of this world are clever in dealing with those who are like themselves. They are more clever than God’s people.9I tell you, use the riches of this world to help others. In that way, you will make friends for yourselves. Then when your riches are gone, you will be welcomed into your eternal home in heaven.10‘Suppose you can be trusted with something very little. Then you can also be trusted with something very large. But suppose you are not honest with something very little. Then you will also not be honest with something very large.11Suppose you have not been worthy of trust in handling worldly wealth. Then who will trust you with true riches?12Suppose you have not been worthy of trust in handling someone else’s property. Then who will give you property of your own?13‘No one can serve two masters at the same time. Either you will hate one of them and love the other. Or you will be faithful to one and dislike the other. You can’t serve God and money at the same time.’14The Pharisees loved money. They heard all that Jesus said and made fun of him.15Jesus said to them, ‘You try to make yourselves look good in the eyes of other people. But God knows your hearts. What people think is worth a lot is hated by God.
More teachings
16‘The teachings of the Law and the Prophets were preached until John the Baptist came. Since then, the good news of God’s kingdom is being preached. And everyone is trying very hard to enter it.17It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest part of a letter to drop out of the Law.18‘Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery. Also, the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
The rich man and Lazarus
19‘Once there was a rich man. He was dressed in purple cloth and fine linen. He lived an easy life every day.20A man named Lazarus was placed at his gate. Lazarus was a beggar. His body was covered with sores.21Even dogs came and licked his sores. All he wanted was to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.22‘The time came when the beggar died. The angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.23In the place of the dead, the rich man was suffering terribly. He looked up and saw Abraham far away. Lazarus was by his side.24So the rich man called out, “Father Abraham! Have pity on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water. Then he can cool my tongue with it. I am in terrible pain in this fire.”25‘But Abraham replied, “Son, remember what happened in your lifetime. You received your good things. Lazarus received bad things. Now he is comforted here, and you are in terrible pain.26Besides, a wide space has been placed between us and you. So those who want to go from here to you can’t go. And no one can cross over from there to us.”27‘The rich man answered, “Then I beg you, father Abraham. Send Lazarus to my family.28I have five brothers. Let Lazarus warn them. Then they will not come to this place of terrible suffering.”29‘Abraham replied, “They have the teachings of Moses and the Prophets. Let your brothers listen to them.”30‘ “No, father Abraham,” he said. “But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will turn away from their sins.”31‘Abraham said to him, “They do not listen to Moses and the Prophets. So they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” ’