Luke 16

Jesus Speaks About Dishonesty

1 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a business manager. The manager was accused of wasting the rich man’s property.

2 So the rich man called for his manager and said to him, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Let me examine your books. It’s obvious that you can’t manage my property any longer.’
3 “The manager thought, ‘What should I do? My master is taking my job away from me. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg.

4 I know what I’ll do so that people will welcome me into their homes when I’ve lost my job.’
5 “So the manager called for each one of his master’s debtors. He said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’6 “The debtor replied, ‘Eight hundred gallons of olive oil.’“The manager told him, ‘Take my master’s ledger. Quick! Sit down, and write “four hundred!” ’7 “Then he asked another debtor, ‘How much do you owe?’“The debtor replied, ‘A thousand bushels of wheat.’“The manager told him, ‘Take the ledger, and write “eight hundred!” ’8 “The master praised the dishonest manager for being so clever. Worldly people are more clever than spiritually-minded people when it comes to dealing with others.”9 Jesus continued, “I’m telling you that although wealth is often used in dishonest ways, you should use it to make friends for yourselves. When life is over, you will be welcomed into an eternal home.10 Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with a lot. Whoever is dishonest with very little is dishonest with a lot.11 Therefore, if you can’t be trusted with wealth that is often used dishonestly, who will trust you with wealth that is real?

12 If you can’t be trusted with someone else’s wealth, who will give you your own?
13 “A servant cannot serve two masters. He will hate the first master and love the second, or he will be devoted to the first and despise the second. You cannot serve God and wealth.”14 The Pharisees, who love money, heard all this and were making sarcastic remarks about him.

15 So Jesus said to them, “You try to justify your actions in front of people. But God knows what’s in your hearts. What is important to humans is disgusting to God.
16 “Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets were in force until the time of John. Since that time, people have been telling the Good News about the kingdom of God, and everyone is trying to force their way into it.

17 It is easier for the earth and the heavens to disappear than to drop a comma from Moses’ Teachings.
18 “Any man who divorces his wife to marry another woman is committing adultery. The man who marries a woman divorced in this way is committing adultery.

A Rich Man and Lazarus

19 “There was a rich man who wore expensive clothes. Every day was like a party to him.20 There was also a beggar named Lazarus who was regularly brought to the gate of the rich man’s house.

21 Lazarus would have eaten any scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Lazarus was covered with sores,t and dogs would lick them.
22 “One day the beggar died, and the angels carried him to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.23 He went to hell, where he was constantly tortured. As he looked up, in the distance he saw Abraham and Lazarus.

24 He yelled, ‘Father Abraham! Have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool off my tongue. I am suffering in this fire.’
25 “Abraham replied, ‘Remember, my child, that you had a life filled with good times, while Lazarus’ life was filled with misery. Now he has peace here, while you suffer.

26 Besides, a wide area separates us. People couldn’t cross it in either direction even if they wanted to.’
27 “The rich man responded, ‘Then I ask you, Father, to send Lazarus back to my father’s home.

28 I have five brothers. He can warn them so that they won’t end up in this place of torture.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets. Your brothers should listen to them!’30 “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! If someone comes back to them from the dead, they will turn to God and change the way they think and act.’31 “Abraham answered him, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone comes back to life.’ ”

Luke 16

A dishonest manager

1 Jesus said to his disciples:
A rich man once had a manager to take care of his business. But he was told that his manager was wasting money.

2 So the rich man called him in and said, “What is this I hear about you? Tell me what you have done! You are no longer going to work for me.”
3 The manager said to himself, “What shall I do now that my master is going to fire me? I can't dig ditches, and I'm ashamed to beg.

4 I know what I'll do, so that people will welcome me into their homes after I've lost my job.”

5 Then one by one he called in the people who were in debt to his master. He asked the first one, “How much do you owe my master?”

6 “A hundred barrels of olive oil,” the man answered.
So the manager said, “Take your bill and sit down and quickly write ‘fifty’.”

7 The manager asked someone else who was in debt to his master, “How much do you owe?”
“A thousand sackst of wheat,” the man replied.
The manager said, “Take your bill and write ‘eight hundred’.”

8 The master praised his dishonest manager for looking out for himself so well. That's how it is! The people of this world look out for themselves better than the people who belong to the light.
9 My disciples, I tell you to use wicked wealth to make friends for yourselves. Then when it is gone, you will be welcomed into an eternal home. 10 Anyone who can be trusted in little matters can also be trusted in important matters. But anyone who is dishonest in little matters will be dishonest in important matters. 11 If you cannot be trusted with this wicked wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? 12 And if you cannot be trusted with what belongs to someone else, who will give you something that will be your own?

13 You cannot be the slave of two masters. You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than to the other. You cannot serve God and money.t

Some sayings of Jesus

(Matthew 11.12,13; 5.31,32; Mark 10.11,12)

15 But Jesus told them:
You are always making yourselves look good, but God sees what is in your heart. The things that most people think are important are worthless as far as God is concerned.
16 Until the time of John the Baptist, people had to obey the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets.t But since God's kingdom has been preached, everyone is trying hard to get in.t

17 Heaven and earth will disappear before the smallest letter of the Law does.t

18 It is a terrible sint for a man to divorce his wife and marry another woman. It is also a terrible sin for a man to marry a divorced woman.t

Lazarus and the rich man

Jesus continued:

22 The poor man died, and angels took him to the place of honour next to Abraham.t
The rich man also died and was buried. 23 He went to hellt and was suffering terribly. When he looked up and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side,

24 he said to Abraham, “Have pity on me! Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and touch my tongue. I'm suffering terribly in this fire.”
25 Abraham answered, “My friend, remember that while you lived, you had everything good, and Lazarus had everything bad. Now he is happy, and you are in pain.

26 And besides, there is a deep ditch between us, and no one from either side can cross over.”
27 But the rich man said, “Abraham, then please send Lazarus to my father's home.

28 Let him warn my five brothers, so they won't come to this horrible place.”

29 Abraham answered, “Your brothers can read what Moses and the prophetst wrote. They should pay attention to that.”

30 Then the rich man said, “No, that's not enough! If only someone from the dead would go to them, they would listen and turn to God.”
31 So Abraham said, “If they won't pay attention to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen even to someone who comes back from the dead.”