Luke 16 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
FBV Free Bible Version
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 Jesus told his disciples this story. “There was once a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting what belonged to his master.
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.
1 Ἔλεγε δὲ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ· ἄνθρωπός τις ἦν πλούσιος, ὃς εἶχεν οἰκονόμον, καὶ οὗτος διεβλήθη αὐτῷ ὡς διασκορπίζων τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ.
2 So the rich man called in his manager, and asked him, ‘What's this I hear about you? Bring in your accounts, because you won't be continuing as manager.’
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.’
2 καὶ φωνήσας αὐτὸν εἶπεν αὐτῷ· τί τοῦτο ἀκούω περὶ σοῦ; ἀπόδος τὸν λόγον τῆς οἰκονομίας σου· οὐ γὰρ δύνῃ ἔτι οἰκονομεῖν.
3 The manager said to himself, ‘Now what will I do since my master is going to fire me from my job? I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg.
3 “The manager said within himself, ‘What will I do, seeing that my lord is taking away the management position from me? I don’t have strength to dig. I am ashamed to beg.
3 εἶπε δὲ ἐν ἑαυτῷ ὁ οἰκονόμος· τί ποιήσω, ὅτι ὁ κύριός μου ἀφαιρεῖται τὴν οἰκονομίαν ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ; σκάπτειν οὐκ ἰσχύω, ἐπαιτεῖν αἰσχύνομαι·
4 Oh, I know what I'm going to do so that when I'm sacked as manager people will make me welcome in their homes.’
4 I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from management, they may receive me into their houses.’
4 ἔγνων τί ποιήσω, ἵνα, ὅταν μετασταθῶ ἐκ τῆς οἰκονομίας, δέξωνταί με εἰς τοὺς οἴκους ἑαυτῶν.
5 So he invited all those who were in debt to his master to come and see him. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
5 Calling each one of his lord’s debtors to him, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe to my lord?’
5 καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος ἕνα ἕκαστον τῶν χρεωφειλετῶν τοῦ κυρίου ἑαυτοῦ ἔλεγε τῷ πρώτῳ· πόσον ὀφείλεις σὺ τῷ κυρίῳ μου;
6 The man replied, ‘A hundred units of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Sit down quickly. Take your bill, and change it to fifty.’
6 He said, ‘A hundred batos of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’
6 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· ἑκατὸν βάτους ἐλαίου. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· δέξαι σου τὸ γράμμα καὶ καθίσας ταχέως γράψον πεντήκοντα.
7 Then he said to another, ‘How much do you owe?’ The man replied, ‘A hundred units of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill and change it to eighty.’
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.’
7 ἔπειτα ἑτέρῳ εἶπε· σὺ δὲ πόσον ὀφείλεις; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· ἑκατὸν κόρους σίτου. καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· δέξαι σου τὸ γράμμα καὶ γράψον ὀγδοήκοντα.
8 The rich man commended his dishonest manager for his cunning idea. The children of this world are more cunning towards one another than are the children of light.
8 “His lord commended the dishonest manager because he had done wisely, for the children of this world are, in their own generation, wiser than the children of the light.
8 καὶ ἐπῄνεσεν ὁ κύριος τὸν οἰκονόμον τῆς ἀδικίας, ὅτι φρονίμως ἐποίησεν· ὅτι οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου φρονιμώτεροι ὑπὲρ τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ φωτὸς εἰς τὴν γενεὰν τὴν ἑαυτῶν εἰσι.
9 I tell you, use the wealth of this world to make friends for yourselves so that when it's gone, you'll be welcomed into an eternal home.
9 I tell you, make for yourselves friends by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when you fail, they may receive you into the eternal tents.
9 Κἀγὼ ὑμῖν λέγω· ποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς φίλους ἐκ τοῦ μαμωνᾶ τῆς ἀδικίας, ἵνα, ὅταν ἐκλίπητε, δέξωνται ὑμᾶς εἰς τὰς αἰωνίους σκηνάς.
10 If you can be trusted with very little you can also be trusted with much; if you are dishonest with very little you will also be dishonest with much.
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.
10 ὁ πιστὸς ἐν ἐλαχίστῳ καὶ ἐν πολλῷ πιστός ἐστι, καὶ ὁ ἐν ἐλαχίστῳ ἄδικος καὶ ἐν πολλῷ ἄδικός ἐστιν.
11 So if you can't be trusted when it comes to worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?
11 If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
11 εἰ οὖν ἐν τῷ ἀδίκῳ μαμωνᾷ πιστοὶ οὐκ ἐγένεσθε, τὸ ἀληθινὸν τίς ὑμῖν πιστεύσει;
12 And if you can't be trusted with what belongs to someone else, who will trust you with what is yours?
12 If you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?
12 καὶ εἰ ἐν τῷ ἀλλοτρίῳ πιστοὶ οὐκ ἐγένεσθε, τὸ ὑμέτερον τίς ὑμῖν δώσει;
13 No servant can obey two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can't serve both God and Money.”
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 aren’t able to serve God and Mammon.”
13 Οὐδεὶς οἰκέτης δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν· ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἕνα μισήσει καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἀγαπήσει, ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει. οὐ δύνασθε Θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ.
14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard what Jesus said and laughed at him.
14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they scoffed at him.
14 Ἤκουον δὲ ταῦτα πάντα καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι φιλάργυροι ὑπάρχοντες, καὶ ἐξεμυκτήριζον αὐτόν.
15 But Jesus told them, “You appear pious to people, but God knows what you're thinking. What people value highly is detested by God.
15 He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
15 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ὑμεῖς ἐστε οἱ δικαιοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὁ δὲ Θεὸς γινώσκει τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν· ὅτι τὸ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ὑψηλὸν βδέλυγμα ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ.
16 What was written in the law and the prophets lasted until John. From then on the good news of the kingdom of God is being spread, and everyone is forcing their way in.
16 “The law and the prophets were until John. From that time the Good News of God’s Kingdom is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
16 Ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται ἕως Ἰωάννου· ἀπὸ τότε ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ εὐαγγελίζεται, καὶ πᾶς εἰς αὐτὴν βιάζεται.
17 However, it's easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the smallest point of the Law to disappear.
17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tiny stroke of a pen in the law to fall.
17 εὐκοπώτερον δέ ἐστι τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν παρελθεῖν ἢ τοῦ νόμου μίαν κεραίαν πεσεῖν.
18 Any man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery, and a man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
18 “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery. He who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.
18 Πᾶς ὁ ἀπολύων τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ γαμῶν ἑτέραν μοιχεύει, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἀπολελυμένην ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς γαμῶν μοιχεύει.
19 Once there was a man who was rich. He wore purple clothes and fine linen, and enjoyed a luxurious life.
19 “Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day.
19 Ἄνθρωπος δέ τις ἦν πλούσιος, καὶ ἐνεδιδύσκετο πορφύραν καὶ βύσσον εὐφραινόμενος καθ᾽ ἡμέραν λαμπρῶς.
20 A beggar named Lazarus used to sit at his gate, covered in sores,
20 A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was taken to his gate, full of sores,
20 πτωχὸς δέ τις ἦν ὀνόματι Λάζαρος, ὃς ἐβέβλητο πρὸς τὸν πυλῶνα αὐτοῦ ἡλκωμένος
21 longing to eat the leftovers from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
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.
21 καὶ ἐπιθυμῶν χορτασθῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ψιχίων τῶν πιπτόντων ἀπὸ τῆς τραπέζης τοῦ πλουσίου· ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ κύνες ἐρχόμενοι ἀπέλειχον τὰ ἕλκη αὐτοῦ.
22 Then the beggar died, and angels carried him away to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.
22 The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
22 ἐγένετο δὲ ἀποθανεῖν τὸν πτωχὸν καὶ ἀπενεχθῆναι αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγέλων εἰς τὸν κόλπον Ἀβραάμ· ἀπέθανε δὲ καὶ ὁ πλούσιος καὶ ἐτάφη.
23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in the far distance, with Lazarus beside him.
23 In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom.
23 καὶ ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ ἐπάρας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ, ὑπάρχων ἐν βασάνοις, ὁρᾷ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν καὶ Λάζαρον ἐν τοῖς κόλποις αὐτοῦ.
24 ‘Father Abraham,’ he called out, ‘Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I'm burning in agony.’
24 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.’
24 καὶ αὐτὸς φωνήσας εἶπε· πάτερ Ἀβραάμ, ἐλέησόν με καὶ πέμψον Λάζαρον ἵνα βάψῃ τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ δακτύλου αὐτοῦ ὕδατος καὶ καταψύξῃ τὴν γλῶσσάν μου, ὅτι ὀδυνῶμαι ἐν τῇ φλογὶ ταύτῃ.
25 But Abraham replied, ‘My son, remember that you enjoyed the good things of life, while Lazarus had a very poor life. Now he is here being comforted, while you suffer in torment.
25 “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But here he is now comforted and you are in anguish.
25 εἶπε δὲ Ἀβραάμ· τέκνον, μνήσθητι ὅτι ἀπέλαβες σὺ τὰ ἀγαθά σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου, καὶ Λάζαρος ὁμοίως τὰ κακά· νῦν δὲ ὧδε παρακαλεῖται, σὺ δὲ ὀδυνᾶσαι·
26 Apart from that, there's a great gulf that stretches between us and you. Nobody who wants to cross from here to you can do so, and nobody can cross from there over to us.’
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 no one may cross over from there to us.’
26 καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσι τούτοις μεταξὺ ἡμῶν καὶ ὑμῶν χάσμα μέγα ἐστήρικται, ὅπως οἱ θέλοντες διαβῆναι ἔνθεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς μὴ δύνωνται, μηδὲ οἱ ἐκεῖθεν πρὸς ἡμᾶς διαπερῶσιν.
27 The rich man said, ‘Then Father, I beg you, please send him to my father's house.
27 “He said, ‘I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house—
27 εἶπε δέ· ἐρωτῶ οὖν σε, πάτερ, ἵνα πέμψῃς αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός μου·
28 For I have five brothers and he can warn them so that they don't end up here in this place of torment.’
28 for I have five brothers—that he may testify to them, so they won’t also come into this place of torment.’
28 ἔχω γὰρ πέντε ἀδελφούς· ὅπως διαμαρτύρηται αὐτοῖς, ἵνα μὴ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔλθωσιν εἰς τὸν τόπον τοῦτον τῆς βασάνου.
29 But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. They should listen to them.’
29 “But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’
29 λέγει αὐτῷ Ἀβραάμ· ἔχουσι Μωϋσέα καὶ τοὺς προφήτας· ἀκουσάτωσαν αὐτῶν.
30 ‘No, Father Abraham,’ said the man. ‘But they would repent if someone went to them from the dead!’
30 “He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
30 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· οὐχί, πάτερ Ἀβραάμ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐάν τις ἀπὸ νεκρῶν πορευθῇ πρὸς αὐτούς, μετανοήσουσιν.
31 Abraham said to him, ‘If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't be convinced even if someone returns from the dead.’”
31 “He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’”
31 εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ· εἰ Μωϋσέως καὶ τῶν προφητῶν οὐκ ἀκούουσιν, οὐδὲ ἐάν τις ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῇ πεισθήσονται.
People & places in this chapter
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People
Lazarus
The poor man covered with sores at the rich man's gate in a parable of Jesus, carried by angels to Abraham's side.
Cited in the guide: Luke 16:20
Cross references (30)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Peter 4:10; Matthew 25:14–30; 1 Corinthians 4:1–2; Luke 12:42; James 4:3
- 2 1 Samuel 2:23–24; Ecclesiastes 11:9–10; Revelation 20:12; 1 Peter 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:10
- 3 Proverbs 27:23–27; Jeremiah 5:31; Luke 18:4; 2 Thessalonians 3:11; Proverbs 21:25–26
- 4 James 3:15; Jeremiah 4:22; Proverbs 30:9
- 5 Luke 7:41–42; Matthew 18:24
- 6 Titus 2:10; Luke 16:12; Luke 16:9
- 7 Luke 20:9; Luke 20:12; Song of Songs 8:11–12
- 8 1 Thessalonians 5:5; Ephesians 5:8; John 12:36; Proverbs 6:6–8; Luke 16:10
- 9 Matthew 19:21; 1 Timothy 6:17–19; Daniel 4:27; Matthew 6:24; Proverbs 19:17
- 10 Luke 16:11–12; Matthew 25:21; Luke 19:17; Matthew 25:23; Hebrews 3:2
- 11 Luke 12:33; Proverbs 8:18–19; James 2:5; Ephesians 3:8; Luke 18:22
- 12 Luke 19:13–26; Job 1:21; Matthew 25:14–29; 1 Chronicles 29:14–16; 1 Peter 1:4–5
- 13 1 John 2:15–16; Matthew 6:24; James 4:4; Romans 8:5–8; Luke 14:26
- 14 Luke 23:35; Luke 12:15; Luke 20:47; Isaiah 56:11; Matthew 23:13
- 15 Proverbs 21:2; 1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Jeremiah 17:10; Proverbs 16:5
- 16 Matthew 11:9–14; Matthew 21:32; Acts 3:24–25; Matthew 3:2; John 1:45
- 17 Matthew 5:18; Luke 21:33; 1 Peter 1:25; Isaiah 40:8; Romans 3:31
- 18 Matthew 19:9; Mark 10:11–12; Matthew 5:31–32; 1 Corinthians 7:10–12; 1 Corinthians 7:4
- 19 Ezekiel 16:49; Luke 18:24–25; Amos 6:4–6; James 5:1–5; Ezekiel 27:7
- 20 Acts 3:2; James 2:5; Job 2:7; 1 Samuel 2:8; Psalm 34:19
- 21 Matthew 15:27; Mark 7:28; John 6:12; 1 Corinthians 4:11; 2 Corinthians 11:27
- 22 1 Peter 2:24; Psalm 49:16–19; Revelation 14:13; James 1:11; Matthew 18:10
- 23 2 Peter 2:4; Luke 16:28; Matthew 23:33; Matthew 18:9; Revelation 14:10–11
- 24 Revelation 22:1; John 4:10; John 4:14; Revelation 7:16–17; Matthew 25:41
- 25 Luke 6:24; 1 John 2:15; Psalm 17:14; Mark 9:45; Philippians 3:19
- 26 John 3:36; Psalm 49:14; Psalm 50:22; Malachi 3:18; 2 Thessalonians 1:4–10
- 28 Acts 2:40; Psalm 49:12–13; 1 Thessalonians 4:6; Acts 20:23
- 29 Acts 15:21; Luke 16:16; Luke 24:27; 2 Timothy 3:15–17; 2 Peter 1:19–21
- 30 Revelation 16:9–11; Luke 16:24; Luke 3:8; Luke 13:5; Luke 13:3
- 31 2 Corinthians 4:3; Acts 28:23; John 11:43–53; Acts 19:8; John 12:10–11
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Our duty is to give to others the admonitions we have received ourselves. The recent lesson of the Gospel has admonished us to make friends of the mammon of iniquity, that they too may "receive" those who do so "into everlasting habitations." But who are they that shall have everlasting habitations, but the Saints of God?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
… exhibits Abraham as having said to the rich man, with reference to all those who were still alive: "If they do not obey Moses and the prophets, neither, if any one were to rise from the dead and go to them, will they believe him."
These are little things, but "He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much." Nor can that possibly be void which proceedeth out of the mouth of Thy Truth.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
And this I say, not that we may omit supplicating the saints, but to hinder our being careless, and entrusting our concerns to others only, while we fall back and slumber ourselves. For so when He said, "make to yourselves friends," he did not stop at this only, but He added, "of the unrighteous mammon;" that so again the good …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
For how can a man become the one servant of two masters, when our Lord says in the Gospels, No man can serve two masters?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)