The dishonest steward

1He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a steward, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’ 3And the steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4I have decided what to do, so that people may receive me into their houses when I am put out of the stewardship.’ 5So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 816.8: 1 Thess 5.5; Eph 5.8; Lk 20.34; Jn 12.36.The master commended the dishonest steward for his shrewdness; for the sons of this world16.8 Greek age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. 916.9: Lk 12.33; 18.22.And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon,16.9 Mammon is a Semitic word for money or riches so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations.

1016.10: Mt 25.21; Lk 19.17.“He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. 11If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon,16.11 Mammon is a Semitic word for money or riches who will entrust to you the true riches? 12And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? 1316.13: Mt 6.24.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 mammon.”16.13 Mammon is a Semitic word for money or riches

14The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they scoffed at him. 1516.15: 1 Sam 16.7; Prov 21.2; Acts 1.24; Lk 10.29.But he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts; for what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

1616.16: Mt 11.12-13.“The law and the prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and every one enters it violently. 1716.17: Mt 5.17-18; Lk 21.33.But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one dot of the law to become void.

1816.18: Mt 5.31-32; 19.9; Mk 10.11-12; 1 Cor 7.10-11.“Every one who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

The rich man and Laz'arus

19“There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 2016.20: Jn 11.1-44; 12.1, 9.And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz'arus, full of sores, 21who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 2216.22: Jn 13.23.The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; 23and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz'arus in his bosom. 24And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz'arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 2516.25: Lk 6.24.But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz'arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, 28for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 2916.29: Jn 5.45-47; Acts 15.21; Lk 4.17.But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 3016.30: Lk 3.8; 19.9.And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.’ ”