Luke 16

 

1 And He said also to His disciples, There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and the same (steward) was accused to him that he had wasted his goods.

 

2 And he called him, and said to him, How is it that I hear this of you? Give an account of the stewardship, for you can no longer be my steward.

 

3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? For my lord is taking away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig (doing manual labor); (and) to beg I am ashamed.

 

4 I know what I will do, so that when I am put out of the stewardship, they (the debtors) may receive me into their houses.

 

5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors to him, and said to the first, How much do you owe to my lord?

 

6 And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said to him, Take your bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.

 

7 Then he said to another, And how much do you owe? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. And he said to him, Take your bill, and write eighty.

 

8 And the lord commended the unjust steward (admiring his shrewdness though he himself was defrauded), because he had done wisely (for himself): for the children (born) from this world are in their (wicked and perverse) generation (of vipers) more prudent (according to their working of perishable things) than the children (born) from light.

 

9 And I say to you (children), Make for yourselves friends of (the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind with) the (riches) mammon of unrighteousness (those who can never repay you); so that when it (all) fails (fades away), the friends may welcome you into everlasting habitations (in the resurrection of the just).

 

10 He that is faithful in that which is least (the things in the world that perish) is faithful also in much (eternal things): and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

 

11 If you were not faithful with the unrighteous (riches) mammon (but vain and deceitful), who would commit to your trust the true riches (as stewards of the word of eternal life)?

 

12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own (as a reward)?

 

13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches.

 

14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous (lovers of money), heard all these things: and they ridiculed Him.

 

15 And He said to them, You are like those who justify (exalting) yourselves before men (publicly); but God knows your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men (that seeks glory from men) is an abomination (a detestable thing) in the sight of God (which reeks of a foul odor).

 

16 The law and the prophets were (all speaking of the coming of Christ) until John (who announced My arrival): since that time, the kingdom of God is preached, and (now) every man presses into it (but those who shall enter, must enter through Me, the strait gate).

 

17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one jot or tittle (one small stroke) of the law to fail (but all shall find its fulfilment in Me).

 

18 Whoever puts away his wife and marries another commits adultery: and whoever marries her that is put away from her husband commits adultery: (And whoever is intimate with the works of their own hands commits spiritual adultery; for you cannot serve two masters).

 

19 There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen (usually worn by kings and princes), and fared extravagantly (celebrating) every day:

 

20 And there was a certain poor man named Lazarus, who was laid (thrown down by his bearers) at his gate, full of sores,

 

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover, (even) the dogs (an allegory of the Gentiles) came (to his aid) and licked his sores (comforting him).

 

22 And it came to pass that the poor man died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom (welcomed to the habitation of the righteous): the rich man also died, and was buried;

 

23 And in (Hades) the grave, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw 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 suffering (in distress and consumed with sorrow) in this flame.

 

25 But Abraham said, Child, remember that in your lifetime you did (fully) receive the good things (of the world), and likewise Lazarus the bad things: but now he is comforted (receiving aid), and you are (left) in anguish (and sorrow having trusted in riches).

 

26 And besides all this, between you and us there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which desire to pass from here to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that desire to come from there.

 

27 Then he said, I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house:

 

28 For I have five brothers; so that he may testify to them, lest they also come into the place of this anguish.

 

29 Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them (who spoke of Christ).

 

30 And he said, No, father Abraham: but if one went to them from the dead, they would repent (from making riches their treasure and their gods, to having One God, the Lord their God).

 

31 And he said to him, If they will not hear (and believe) Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.