Luke 16

The Story of the Clever Manager

1 Jesus 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.2 So 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.4 I 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 800 gallons of olive oil,' he replied.
"The manager told him, 'Take your bill. Sit down quickly and change it to 400 gallons.'
7 "Then he asked the second one, 'And how much do you owe?'
" 'I owe 1,000 bushels of wheat,' he replied.
"The manager told him, 'Take your bill and change it to 800 bushels.'
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.
9 "I 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 very little. Then you can be trusted with a lot. But suppose you are not honest with very little. Then you will not be honest with a lot.
11 "Suppose you have not been worthy of trust in handling worldly wealth. Then who will trust you with true riches?12 Suppose you have not been worthy of trust in handling someone else's property. Then who will give you property of your own?
13 "No servant can serve two masters at the same time. He will hate one of them and love the other. Or he will be faithful to one and dislike the other. You can't serve God and Money at the same time."
14 The Pharisees loved money. They heard all that Jesus said and made fun of him.15 Jesus said to them, "You try to make yourselves look good in the eyes of other people. But God knows your hearts. What is worth a great deal among people is hated by God.

More Teachings

16 "The teachings of the Law and the Prophets were preached until John came. Since then, the good news of God's kingdom is being preached. And everyone is trying very hard to enter it.17 It 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 gets married to another woman commits adultery. Also, the man who gets married to 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.20 A man named Lazarus was placed at his gate. Lazarus was a beggar. His body was covered with sores.21 Even 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.23 In hell, the rich man was suffering terribly. He looked up and saw Abraham far away. Lazarus was by his side.24 So 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.26 Besides, 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. Send Lazarus to my family.28 I 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.' "

Luke 16

1 And he said also unto the disciples, There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he was wasting his goods.2 And he called him, and said unto him, What is this that I hear of thee? render the account of thy stewardship; for thou canst be no longer steward.3 And the steward said within himself, What shall I do, seeing that my lord taketh away the stewardship from me? I have not strength to dig; to beg I am ashamed.4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.5 And calling to him each one of his lord’s debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?6 And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bond, and sit down quickly and write fifty.7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. He saith unto him, Take thy bond, and write fourscore.8 And his lord commended the unrighteous steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light.9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles.10 He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much.11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another’s, 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. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.14 And the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things; and they scoffed at him.15 And he said unto them, Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.16 The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and every man entereth violently into it.17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tittle of the law to fall.18 Every one that putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth one that is put away from a husband committeth adultery.19 Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, faring sumptuously every day:20 and a certain beggar named Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores,21 and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table; yea, even the dogs come and licked his sores.22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: and the rich man also died, and was buried.23 And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.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 in anguish in this flame.25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things: but now here he is comforted and thou art in anguish.26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they that would pass from hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from thence to us.27 And he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest 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.29 But Abraham saith, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent.31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if one rise from the dead.