Luke 16
1 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.
He said also to His disciples: "There was a rich man who had a steward, about whom a report was brought to him, that he was wasting his property.
2 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.'
He called him and said, "'What is this I hear about you? Render an account of your stewardship, for I cannot let you hold it any longer.'
3 "The manager said within himself, 'What will I do, seeing that my lord is taking away the management position from me? I do not have strength to dig. I am ashamed to beg.
"Then the steward said within himself, "'What am I to do? For my master is taking away the stewardship from me. I am not strong enough for field labour: to beg, I should be ashamed.
4 I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from management, they may receive me into their houses.'
I see what to do, in order that when I am discharged from the stewardship they may give me a home in their own houses.'
5 Calling each one of his lord's debtors to him, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe to my lord?'
"So he called all his master's debtors, one by one, and asked the first, 'How much are you in debt to my master?'
6 He said, 'A hundred batos of oil.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'
"'A hundred firkins of oil,' he replied. "'Here is your account,' said the steward: 'sit down quickly and change it into fifty firkins.'
7 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.'
"To a second he said, "'And how much do you owe?' "'A hundred quarters of wheat,' was the answer. "'Here is your account,' said he: 'change it into eighty quarters.'
8 "His lord commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness, for the people of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the people of light. (aiōn g165)
"And the master praised the dishonest steward for his shrewdness; for, in relation to their own contemporaries, the men of this age are shrewder than the sons of Light. (aiōn g165)
9 And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it is gone they may welcome you into the everlasting dwellings. (aiōnios g166)
"But I charge you, so to use the wealth which is ever tempting to dishonesty as to win friends who, when it fails, shall welcome you to the tents that never perish. (aiōnios g166)
10 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.
The man who is honest in a very small matter is honest in a great one also; and he who is dishonest in a very small matter is dishonest in a great one also.
11 If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
If therefore you have not proved yourselves faithful in dealing with the wealth that is tainted with fraud, who will entrust to you the true good?
12 If you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?
And if you have not been faithful in dealing with that which is not your own, who will give you that which is your own?
13 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 are not able to serve God and wealth."
"No servant can be in bondage to two masters. For either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will cling fast to one and scorn the other. You cannot be bondservants both of God and of gold."
14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they scoffed at him.
To all this the Pharisees listened, bitterly jeering at Him; for they were lovers of money.
15 He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of people, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among people is an abomination in the sight of God.
"You are they," He said to them, "who boast of their own goodness before men, but God sees your hearts; for that which holds a proud position among men is detestable in God's sight.
16 The Law and the Prophets were until John. From that time the Good News of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
The Law and the Prophets continued until John came: from that time the Good News of the Kingdom of God has been spreading, and all classes have been forcing their way into it.
17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tiny stroke of a pen in the Law to become void.
But it is easier for earth and sky to pass away than for one smallest detail of the Law to fall to the ground.
18 Everyone who divorces his wife, and marries another, commits adultery. He who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.
Every man who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and he who marries her when so divorced from her husband commits adultery.
19 "Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day.
"There was once a rich man who habitually arrayed himself in purple and fine linen, and enjoyed a splendid banquet every day,
20 A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was placed at his gate, full of sores,
while at his outer door there lay a beggar, Lazarus by name,
21 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.
covered with sores and longing to make a full meal off the scraps flung on the floor from the rich man's table. Nay, the dogs, too, used to come and lick his sores.
22 It happened that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried.
"But in course of time the beggar died; and he was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and had a funeral.
23 In hell, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. (Hadēs g86)
And in Hades, being in torment, he looked and saw Abraham in the far distance, and Lazarus resting in his arms. (Hadēs g86)
24 He called out 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.'
So he cried aloud, and said, "'Father Abraham, take pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.'
25 "But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in like manner, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish.
"'Remember, my child,' said Abraham, 'that you had all your good things during your lifetime, and that Lazarus in like manner had his bad things. But, now and here, he is receiving consolation and you are in agony.
26 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 none may cross over from there to us.'
And, besides all this, a vast chasm is immovably fixed between us and you, put there in order that those who desire to cross from this side to you may not be able, nor any be able to cross over from your side to us.'
27 "He said, 'I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house;
"'I entreat you then, father,' said he, 'to send him to my father's house.
28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won't also come into this place of torment.'
For I have five brothers. Let him earnestly warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'
29 "But Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the Prophets. Let them listen to them.'
"'They have Moses and the Prophets,' replied Abraham; 'let them hear them.'
30 "He said, 'No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
"'No, father Abraham,' he pleaded; 'but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
31 "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.'"
"'If they are deaf to Moses and the Prophets,' replied Abraham, 'they would not be led to believe even if some one should rise from the dead.'"
