1 ¶ And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

Jesus said to His followers, “There was a rich man who put a boss over his houses and lands. Someone told him that his boss was not using his riches in a right way.

2 A nd he called him and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? Give an account of thy stewardship, for thou may no longer be steward.

The rich man sent for the boss and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Tell me what you have done with my things. You are not to be the boss of my houses and lands anymore.’

3 T hen the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord takes the stewardship away from me; I cannot dig, and I am ashamed to beg.

“The boss said to himself, ‘What will I do now? The owner of the houses and lands is taking my work away from me. I cannot dig in the ground for a living. I am too proud to ask for help.

4 I know what I shall do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

I know what I will do. I will make it so that when I lose this work I will be able to go to the homes of my friends.’

5 S o he called each one of his lord’s debtors unto him and said unto the first, How much dost thou owe unto my lord?

“He sent for the people who owed the rich man. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe the owner?’

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

The first man said, ‘One hundred barrels of oil.’ The boss said to him, ‘Take your bill. Sit down at once and change it to fifty.’

7 T hen said he to another, And how much dost thou owe? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill and write eighty.

He asked another one, ‘How much do you owe?’ He said, ‘One hundred bags of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill and change it to eighty.’

8 A nd the lord commended the unjust steward because he had done discreetly; for the sons of this age are in their generation more prudent than the sons of light.

Then the rich man said that this sinful boss had been wise to plan for himself for the days ahead. For the people of the world are wiser in their day than the children of light.

9 A nd I say unto you, Make friends unto yourselves with the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when these fail, you may be received into eternal dwellings.

“I tell you, make friends for yourselves by using the riches of the world that are so often used in wrong ways. So when riches are a thing of the past, friends may receive you into a home that will be forever.

10 H e that is faithful with little is faithful also with much, and he that is unjust with little is unjust also with much.

He that is faithful with little things is faithful with big things also. He that is not honest with little things is not honest with big things.

11 I f therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true?

If you have not been faithful with riches of this world, who will trust you with true riches?

12 A nd if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?

If you have not been faithful in that which belongs to another person, who will give you things to have as your own?

13 N o 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.

No servant can have two bosses. He will hate the one and love the other. Or, he will be faithful to one and not faithful to the other. You cannot be faithful to God and to riches at the same time.” Jesus Teaches That the Law Is Not Finished

14 A nd the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things, and they derided him.

The proud religious law-keepers heard all these things. They loved money so they made fun of Jesus.

15 A nd he said unto them, Ye are they who justify themselves before men, but God knows your hearts, for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

Jesus said to them, “You are the kind of people who make yourselves look good before other people. God knows your hearts. What men think is good is hated in the eyes of God.

16 T he law and the prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and whosoever will presses into it.

Until John came, you had the writings of the Law and of the early preachers. From that time until now the Good News of the holy nation of God has been preached. Everyone is pushing his way in.

17 A nd it is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of the law to fail.

But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one small part of a word in the Law to be of no more use.

18 W hosoever puts away his wife and marries another commits adultery, and whosoever marries her that is put away of her husband commits adultery.

“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman is not faithful in marriage and is guilty of sex sins. The Rich Man and the Man Who Begged for Food

19 ¶ There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day;

“There was a rich man who dressed in purple linen clothes everyday. He lived like a king would live with the best of food.

20 a nd there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, full of sores

There was a poor man named Lazarus who had many bad sores. He was put by the door of the rich man.

21 a nd desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

He wanted the pieces of food that fell from the table of the rich man. Even dogs came and licked his sores.

22 A nd 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;

“The poor man who asked for food died. He was taken by the angels into the arms of Abraham. The rich man died also and was buried.

23 a nd in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom.

In hell the rich man was in much pain. He looked up and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus beside him.

24 A nd 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.

He cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, take pity on me. Send Lazarus. Let him put the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in much pain in this fire.’

25 B ut Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime didst receive thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted here, and thou art tormented.

Abraham said, ‘My son, do not forget that when you were living you had your good things. Lazarus had bad things. Now he is well cared for. You are in pain.

26 A nd beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who would pass from here to you cannot; neither can they pass from there to us.

And more than all this, there is a big deep place between us. No one from here can go there even if he wanted to go. No one can come from there.’

27 T hen he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou would send him to my father’s house,

“Then the rich man said, ‘Father, then I beg you to send Lazarus to my father’s house.

28 f or I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

I have five brothers. Let him tell them of these things, or they will come to this place of much pain also.’

29 A braham said unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

Abraham said, ‘They have the Writings of Moses and of the early preachers. Let them hear what they say.’

30 A nd he said, No, father Abraham; but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

But the rich man said, ‘No, Father Abraham. If someone goes to them from the dead, they will be sorry for their sins and turn from them.’

31 A nd he said unto him, If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, even though one rose from the dead.

Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and to the early preachers, they will not listen even if someone is raised from the dead.’”