Focused Passage

Luke 16:1-13

Faithful Stewardship, the Danger of Wealth, and the Finality of Judgment

Jesus teaches disciples to use wealth with eternal foresight, exposes the Pharisees’ love of money, affirms the enduring authority of God’s Word, and warns through the rich man and Lazarus that neglect of Scripture and mercy ends in irreversible judgment.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1Jesus also said to His disciples, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.

2So he called him in to ask, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in an account of your management, for you cannot be manager any longer.’

3The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking away my position? I am too weak to dig and too ashamed to beg.

4I know what I will do so that after my removal from management, people will welcome me into their homes.’

5And he called in each one of his master’s debtors. ‘How much do you owe my master?’ he asked the first.

6‘A hundred measures of olive oil,’ he answered. ‘Take your bill,’ said the manager, ‘sit down quickly, and write fifty.’

7Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ ‘A hundred measures of wheat,’ he replied. ‘Take your bill and write eighty,’ he told him.

8The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light.

9I tell you, use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves so that when it is gone, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.

10Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

11So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will entrust you with true riches?

12And if you have not been faithful with the belongings of another, who will give you belongings of your own?

13No servant can serve two masters. 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 both God and money.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

vvvδὲG1161ConjunctionvvvκαὶG2532Conjunction[Jesus] also saidἜλεγενG2036Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartoπρὸςG4314Preposition[His]τοὺςG3588Article - Accusative Masculine PluraldisciplesμαθητάςG3101Noun - Accusative Masculine PluralThere wasἦνG1510Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularaτιςG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularrichπλούσιοςG4145Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularmanἌνθρωπόςG444Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularwhoseὃςG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular-εἶχενG2192Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularmanagerοἰκονόμονG3623Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular-καὶG2532Conjunctionwas accused ofδιεβλήθηG1225Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular. . .αὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular. . .ὡςG5613Adverb. . .οὗτοςG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularwastingδιασκορπίζωνG1287Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularhisαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular-τὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter PluralpossessionsὑπάρχονταG5225Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Plural
Verse 2

Original words

SoκαὶG2532Conjunctionhe calledφωνήσαςG5455Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singularhim inαὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singularto askεἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular-αὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person SingularWhat [is]ΤίG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingularthisτοῦτοG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingularI hearἀκούωG191Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularaboutπερὶG4012PrepositionyouσοῦG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person SingularTurn inἀπόδοςG591Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person SingularanτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularaccountλόγονG3056Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularofτῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularyourσουG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person SingularmanagementοἰκονομίαςG3622Noun - Genitive Feminine SingularforγὰρG1063Conjunctionyou cannotδύνῃG1410Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Singular. . .οὐG3756Adverbbe managerοἰκονομεῖνG3621Verb - Present Infinitive Activeany longerἔτιG2089Adverb
Verse 3

Original words

-δὲG1161ConjunctionTheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularmanagerοἰκονόμοςG3623Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularsaidΕἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartoἐνG1722PrepositionhimselfἑαυτῷG1438Reflexive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person SingularWhatΤίG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singularshall I doποιήσωG4160Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singularnow thatὅτιG3754ConjunctionmyμουG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularmasterκύριόςG2962Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularis takingἀφαιρεῖταιG851Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singularawayἀπ’G575PrepositionmyἐμοῦG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular-τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine Singular[position]οἰκονομίανG3622Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularvvvοὐκG3756AdverbI am too weakἰσχύωG2480Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singularto digσκάπτεινG4626Verb - Present Infinitive Active[and] too ashamedαἰσχύνομαιG153Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singularto begἐπαιτεῖνG1871Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Verse 4

Original words

I knowἔγνωνG1097Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularwhatτίG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingularI will doποιήσωG4160Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singularso thatἵναG2443ConjunctionafterὅτανG3752Conjunctionmy removalμετασταθῶG3179Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 1st Person SingularfromἐκG1537Preposition-τῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularmanagementοἰκονομίαςG3622Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular[people] will welcomeδέξωνταίG1209Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person PluralmeμεG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person SingularintoεἰςG1519PrepositiontheirἑαυτῶνG1438Reflexive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural-τοὺςG3588Article - Accusative Masculine PluralhomesοἴκουςG3624Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Verse 5

Original words

AndΚαὶG2532Conjunctionhe called inπροσκαλεσάμενοςG4341Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine SingulareachἕκαστονG1538Adjective - Accusative Masculine SingularoneἕναG1520Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singularof hisἑαυτοῦG1438Reflexive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Singularmaster’sκυρίουG2962Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular-τῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluraldebtorsχρεοφειλετῶνG5533Noun - Genitive Masculine PluralHow muchΠόσονG4214Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singulardo you oweὀφείλειςG3784Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular. . .τῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularmyμουG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person SingularmasterκυρίῳG2962Noun - Dative Masculine Singularhe askedἔλεγενG2036Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartheτῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularfirstπρώτῳG4413Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular
Verse 6

Original words

A hundredἙκατὸνG1540Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural[measures]βάτουςG943Noun - Accusative Masculine Pluralof olive oilἐλαίουG1637Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular-δὲG1161Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine Singularhe answeredεἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularTakeΔέξαιG1209Verb - Aorist Imperative Middle - 2nd Person SingularyourσουG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular-τὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter PluralbillγράμματαG1121Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural-δὲG1161Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine Singularsaid [the manager]εἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular-αὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular-καὶG2532Conjunctionsit downκαθίσαςG2523Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularquicklyταχέωςG5030Adverb[and] writeγράψονG1125Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person SingularfiftyπεντήκονταG4004Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural

BSB notes

  • Greek ‘A hundred baths of oil’; that is, approximately 870 gallons or 3,300 liters
Verse 7

Original words

ThenἜπειταG1899Adverbhe askedεἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularanotherἑτέρῳG2087Adjective - Dative Masculine SingularAndδὲG1161Conjunctionhow muchπόσονG4214Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular{do} youΣὺG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person SingularoweὀφείλειςG3784Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person SingularA hundredἙκατὸνG1540Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural[measures]κόρουςG2884Noun - Accusative Masculine Pluralof wheatσίτουG4621Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular-δὲG1161Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine Singularhe repliedεἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularTakeΔέξαιG1209Verb - Aorist Imperative Middle - 2nd Person SingularyourσουG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular-τὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter PluralbillγράμματαG1121Noun - Accusative Neuter PluralandκαὶG2532ConjunctionwriteγράψονG1125Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person SingulareightyὀγδοήκονταG3589Adjective - Accusative Masculine Pluralhe toldΛέγειG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularhimαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular

BSB notes

  • Greek ‘A hundred cors of wheat’; that is, approximately 1,000 bushels or 35,000 liters (probably about 30 tons or 27 metric tons of wheat)
Verse 8

Original words

-ΚαὶG2532ConjunctionTheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularmasterκύριοςG2962Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularcommendedἐπῄνεσενG1867Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartheτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine Singular-τῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingulardishonestἀδικίαςG93Noun - Genitive Feminine SingularmanagerοἰκονόμονG3623Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularbecauseὅτιG3754Conjunctionhe had actedἐποίησενG4160Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularshrewdlyφρονίμωςG5430AdverbForὅτιG3754ConjunctiontheοἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluralsonsυἱοὶG5207Noun - Nominative Masculine Pluralof thisτούτουG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularageαἰῶνοςG165Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularareεἰσινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Pluralmore shrewdφρονιμώτεροιG5429Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural - Comparativein dealing withεἰςG1519Preposition-τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine Singulartheir ownἑαυτῶνG1438Reflexive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural-τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularkindγενεὰνG1074Noun - Accusative Feminine Singularthan [are]ὑπὲρG5228PrepositiontheτοὺςG3588Article - Accusative Masculine PluralsonsυἱοὺςG5207Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Neuter Singularof lightφωτὸςG5457Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Verse 9

Original words

-ΚαὶG2532ConjunctionIἐγὼG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person SingulartellλέγωG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularyouὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person PluraluseἐκG1537Preposition-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Singular-τῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularworldlyἀδικίαςG93Noun - Genitive Feminine SingularwealthμαμωνᾶG3126Noun - Genitive Masculine Singularto makeποιήσατεG4160Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluralfriendsφίλουςG5384Adjective - Accusative Masculine Pluralfor yourselvesἑαυτοῖςG1438Reflexive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Pluralso thatἵναG2443ConjunctionwhenὅτανG3752Conjunctionit is goneἐκλίπῃG1587Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singularthey will welcomeδέξωνταιG1209Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person PluralyouὑμᾶςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person PluralintoεἰςG1519Preposition-τὰςG3588Article - Accusative Feminine PluraleternalαἰωνίουςG166Adjective - Accusative Feminine PluraldwellingsσκηνάςG4633Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Verse 10

Original words

WhoeverG3588Article - Nominative Masculine Singular[is] faithfulπιστὸςG4103Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularwithἐνG1722Prepositionvery littleἐλαχίστῳG1646Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular - SuperlativewillἐστινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularalsoκαὶG2532Conjunction{be} faithfulπιστόςG4103Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularwithἐνG1722PrepositionmuchπολλῷG4183Adjective - Dative Neuter SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionwhoeverG3588Article - Nominative Masculine Singular[is] dishonestἄδικοςG94Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularwithἐνG1722Prepositionvery littleἐλαχίστῳG1646Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular - SuperlativewillἐστινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularalsoκαὶG2532Conjunction{be} dishonestἄδικόςG94Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularwithἐνG1722PrepositionmuchπολλῷG4183Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular
Verse 11

Original words

SoοὖνG3767ConjunctionifεἰG1487ConjunctionvvvοὐκG3756Adverbyou have not beenἐγένεσθεG1096Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 2nd Person PluralfaithfulπιστοὶG4103Adjective - Nominative Masculine PluralwithἐνG1722PrepositionworldlyἀδίκῳG94Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular-τῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularwealthμαμωνᾷG3126Noun - Dative Masculine SingularwhoτίςG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singularwill entrustπιστεύσειG4100Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularyouὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural[with]τὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter Singulartrue [riches]ἀληθινὸνG228Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Verse 12

Original words

AndκαὶG2532ConjunctionifεἰG1487ConjunctionvvvοὐκG3756Adverbyou have not beenἐγένεσθεG1096Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 2nd Person PluralfaithfulπιστοὶG4103Adjective - Nominative Masculine PluralwithἐνG1722Prepositionthe [belongings]τῷG3588Article - Dative Neuter Singularof anotherἀλλοτρίῳG245Adjective - Dative Neuter SingularwhoτίςG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singularwill giveδώσειG1325Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularyouὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person PluralbelongingsτὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter Singularof your ownὑμέτερον*G5212Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Verse 13

Original words

NoΟὐδεὶςG3762Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularservantοἰκέτηςG3610Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularcanδύναταιG1410Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularserveδουλεύεινG1398Verb - Present Infinitive ActivetwoδυσὶG1417Adjective - Dative Masculine PluralmastersκυρίοιςG2962Noun - Dative Masculine Plural-γὰρG1063ConjunctionEitherG2228Conjunctionhe will hateμισήσειG3404Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartheτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularoneἕναG1520Adjective - Accusative Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionloveἀγαπήσειG25Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartheτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularotherἕτερονG2087Adjective - Accusative Masculine SingularorG2228Conjunctionhe will be devoted toἀνθέξεταιG472Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular[the] oneἑνὸςG1520Adjective - Genitive Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctiondespiseκαταφρονήσειG2706Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartheτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularotherἑτέρουG2087Adjective - Genitive Masculine SingularvvvοὐG3756AdverbYou cannotδύνασθεG1410Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person PluralserveδουλεύεινG1398Verb - Present Infinitive Active[both] GodΘεῷG2316Noun - Dative Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionmoneyμαμωνᾷG3126Noun - Dative Masculine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.