1Jesus contou ainda aos discípulos: “Um homem rico contratou um feitor para lhe administrar os negócios, mas logo começou a constatar que o indivíduo era esbanjador.2Então o patrão chamou-o e disse-lhe: ‘Que é isto que me contam? Põe as tuas contas em ordem porque estás despedido.’3O feitor pensou consigo: ‘E agora? Estou liquidado. Para cavar não tenho força e de mendigar tenho vergonha.4Já sei como arranjar muitos amigos que cuidem de mim quando me for embora!’5Convocou os devedores do patrão e perguntou ao primeiro: ‘Quanto lhe deves?’6‘Três mil litros de azeite.’ ‘Aqui está o contrato que assinaste’, disse o administrador. ‘Rasga-o e escreve outro por metade disso.’7‘E tu, quanto lhe deves?’, perguntou ao segundo. ‘35 000 litros de trigo.’ ‘Vá, toma o teu compromisso e troca-o por outro de apenas 28 000 litros!’8O homem rico não pôde deixar de admirar a astúcia daquele homem desonesto. As pessoas deste mundo são mais espertas nos negócios do que os crentes.9Por isso, digo-vos, usem a riqueza deste mundo injusto para ajudar outros e fazer amigos. Desta maneira, serão acolhidos nas habitações eternas.10Quem for fiel nas coisas pequenas, sê-lo-á também nas grandes; e quem for desonesto nas coisas pequenas, sê-lo-á também nas grandes.11Por conseguinte, se forem fiéis nas riquezas injustas, as deste mundo, quem vos confiará a verdadeira riqueza, a do céu?12Se não são fiéis com o dinheiro dos outros, porque vos há de ser confiado o vosso próprio?13Pois nenhum servo pode servir dois patrões: Deus e o dinheiro. Porque, ao desprezar um, acaba por preferir o outro. Vocês não podem servir a Deus e ao dinheiro.”14Os fariseus, que eram avarentos, ridicularizavam-no por tudo isto.15Então Jesus disse-lhes: “Vocês são daqueles que se justificam a si mesmos diante dos outros, mas Deus conhece o vosso coração. O que é altamente avaliado entre as pessoas é cotado de maneira inteiramente diferente por Deus.
A Lei de Moisés e as boas novas
16Até João Batista começar a pregar, vigoravam a Lei de Moisés e as mensagens dos profetas. Agora as boas novas do reino de Deus são anunciadas e todos exercem força para entrar nele.17É mais fácil que o céu e a Terra passem do que cair um só traço da Lei.”18Disse ainda: “Quem se divorciar da sua mulher e se casar com outra comete adultério; e quem casar com uma mulher divorciada comete adultério também.”
O rico e Lázaro
19“Havia um certo homem rico”, contou Jesus, “que se vestia elegantemente e vivia todos os dias no prazer e no luxo.20Um mendigo, chamado Lázaro, cheio de doenças, costumava estar deitado à sua porta.21Desejava comer ao menos as sobras da mesa desse rico, mas só tinha cachorros que vinham lamber-lhe as feridas.22Um dia, o mendigo faleceu e foi levado pelos anjos para junto de Abraão. Também o rico morreu e foi sepultado.23Ali, no inferno, viu Lázaro lá longe com Abraão.24‘Pai Abraão’, gritou, ‘tem misericórdia de mim! Manda Lázaro vir ter comigo, nem que seja para molhar a ponta do dedo em água e refrescar-me a língua, pois estou atormentado nestas chamas!’25‘Filho’, respondeu-lhe Abraão, ‘lembra-te de que durante a tua vida tiveste tudo quanto querias, enquanto Lázaro nada teve! Ele está aqui a ser consolado e tu estás em tormentos.26Além disso, há um grande abismo que nos separa e que ninguém pode transpor.’27‘Ó pai Abraão, manda-o a casa de meu pai’, retorquiu o rico,28‘pois tenho cinco irmãos e é preciso avisá-los para que não venham para este lugar de sofrimento quando morrerem.’29Mas Abraão declarou-lhe: ‘Têm as Escrituras de Moisés e dos profetas. Ouçam os seus avisos!’30‘Não, pai Abraão! Se alguém de entre os mortos for ter com eles, arrepender-se-ão.’31‘Se eles não ouvem Moisés e os profetas, não ouvirão nem mesmo alguém que se levante de entre os mortos.’ ”
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. (Lc 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.’ (1 Co 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; Lc 10:6; Lc 20:34; Jo 12:36; Ef 5:8; 1 Ts 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; Lc 12:33; Lc 16:11; Lc 16:13; 1 Tm 6:10; 1 Tm 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; Lc 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? (1 Cr 29:14; 1 Cr 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.” (Lc 16:9)
The Law and the Kingdom of God
14The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. (Lc 11:39; Lc 20:47; Lc 23:35; 1 Tm 6:10; 2 Tm 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. (1 Sm 16:7; 1 Cr 28:9; Pv 16:5; Pv 21:2; Lc 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; Lc 4:43; Lc 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. (Et 8:15; Tg 5:5; Ap 18:16)20And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, (At 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; Lc 12:8; Lc 15:10; Jo 13:23; At 12:15; Hb 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; Lc 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.’ (Is 66:24; Zc 14:12; Mt 25:41; Lc 16:30; Jo 8:33; Jo 8:39; Jo 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. (Jó 21:13; Sl 17:14; Lc 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.’ (Lc 16:31; Lc 24:27; Jo 5:45; At 26:22; At 28:23)30And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ (Lc 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; Lc 16:29; Jo 12:10)