Luke

The Gospel according to Saint Luke, chapter 16, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 16 New English Translation

The Parable of the Clever Steward

   1 Jesus also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who was informed of accusations that his manager was wasting his assets. 2 So he called the manager in and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your administration, because you can no longer be my manager.' 3 Then the manager said to himself, 'What should I do, since my master is taking my position away from me? I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm too ashamed to beg. 4 I know what to do so that when I am put out of management, people will welcome me into their homes.' 5 So he contacted his master's debtors one by one. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' 6 The man replied, 'A hundred measures of olive oil.' The manager said to him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write fifty.' 7 Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' The second man replied, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' The manager said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.' 8 The master commended the dishonest manager because he acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries than the people of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth, so that when it runs out you will be welcomed into the eternal homes.
   10 "The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you haven't been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches? 12 And if you haven't been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you your own? 13 No 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."

More Warnings about the Pharisees

   14 The Pharisees (who loved money) heard all this and ridiculed him. 15 But Jesus said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in men's eyes, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly prized among men is utterly detestable in God's sight.
   16 "The law and the prophets were in force until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it. 17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tiny stroke of a letter in the law to become void.
   18 "Everyone who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery, and the one who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

   19 "There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 But at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores, 21 who longed to eat what fell from the rich man's table. In addition, the dogs came and licked his sores.
   22 "Now the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And in hell, as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side. 24 So he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this fire.' 25 But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish. 26 Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.' 27 So the rich man said, 'Then I beg you, father - send Lazarus to my father's house 28 (for I have five brothers) to warn them so that they don't come into this place of torment.' 29 But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to them.' 30 Then the rich man said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 31 He replied to him, 'If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

King James Version

   1 And 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.
   2 And 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.
   3 Then 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.
   4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
   5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?
   6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
   7 Then 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.
   8 And 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.
   9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
   10 He 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.
   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 man's, who shall 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 the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
   14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
   15 And 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.
   16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
   17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
   18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.
   19 ¶ There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
   20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
   21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
   22 And 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;
   23 And in hell he lift 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 tormented in this flame.
   25 But 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.
   26 And 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.
   27 Then 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 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
   30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto 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, though one rose from the dead.