Luke 16:2
New International Version
So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

New Living Translation
So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’

English Standard Version
And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’

Berean Standard Bible
So 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.’

Berean Literal Bible
And having called him, he said to him, 'What is this I hear concerning you? Give the account of your stewardship, for you are not able to manage any longer.'

King James Bible
And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

New King James Version
So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’

New American Standard Bible
And he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’

NASB 1995
“And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’

NASB 1977
“And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’

Legacy Standard Bible
And he called for him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’

Amplified Bible
So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management [of my affairs], for you can no longer be [my] manager.’

Christian Standard Bible
So he called the manager in and asked, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you can no longer be my manager.’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So he called the manager in and asked, What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you can no longer be my manager.’

American Standard Version
And he called him, and said unto him, What is this that I hear of thee? render the account of thy stewardship; for thou canst be no longer steward.

Contemporary English Version
So the rich man called him in and said, "What is this I hear about you? Tell me what you have done! You are no longer going to work for me."

English Revised Version
And he called him, and said unto him, What is this that I hear of thee? render the account of thy stewardship; for thou canst be no longer steward.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So the rich man called for his manager and said to him, 'What's this I hear about you? Let me examine your books. It's obvious that you can't manage my property any longer.'

Good News Translation
so he called him in and said, 'What is this I hear about you? Turn in a complete account of your handling of my property, because you cannot be my manager any longer.'

International Standard Version
So he called for him and asked him, 'What's this I hear about you? You can't be my manager any longer. Now give me a report about your management!'

Majority Standard Bible
So 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.’

NET Bible
So he called the manager in and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your administration, because you can no longer be my manager.'

New Heart English Bible
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.'

Webster's Bible Translation
And he called him, and said to him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship: for thou mayest be no longer steward.

Weymouth New Testament
He called him and said, "'What is this I hear about you? Render an account of your stewardship, for I cannot let you hold it any longer.'

World English Bible
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.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and having called him, he said to him, What [is] this I hear about you? Render the account of your stewardship, for you may not be steward any longer.

Berean Literal Bible
And having called him, he said to him, 'What is this I hear concerning you? Give the account of your stewardship, for you are not able to manage any longer.'

Young's Literal Translation
and having called him, he said to him, What is this I hear about thee? render the account of thy stewardship, for thou mayest not any longer be steward.

Smith's Literal Translation
And having called him, he said to him, What is this I hear of thee give back the word of thy stewardship; for thou canst no more be steward.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he called him, and said to him: How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship: for now thou canst be steward no longer.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he called him and said to him: ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship. For you can no longer be my steward.’

New American Bible
He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’

New Revised Standard Version
So he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.’
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
So his master called him and said to him, What is this that I hear concerning you? Give me an account of your stewardship; for no longer can you be a steward for me.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And his Lord summoned him and said to him, “What is this I have heard about you? Give me an inventory of your stewardship, for you cannot be a steward for me any longer.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And he called him, and said to him: What is this that I hear of you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer act as steward.

Godbey New Testament
And having called him, he said to him, What is this which I hear concerning thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou art not able to be steward any longer.

Haweis New Testament
And calling him, he said to him, What is this report I hear of thee? give up the account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer in that office.

Mace New Testament
upon making him appear, he said to him, what information is this, I hear against thee? give an account of your administration, for you must not be my steward any longer.

Weymouth New Testament
He called him and said, "'What is this I hear about you? Render an account of your stewardship, for I cannot let you hold it any longer.'

Worrell New Testament
And, calling him, he said to him, 'What is this I hear of you? Render the account of your stewardship; for you can be no longer steward.'

Worsley New Testament
And he called him, and said unto him, What is this I hear of thee? give up the accounts of thy stewardship, for thou canst be no longer steward.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Parable of the Shrewd Manager
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.…

Cross References
Matthew 25:19
After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

Romans 14:12
So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

1 Corinthians 4:2
Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.

Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

1 Peter 4:5
But they will have to give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

Revelation 20:12
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.

Matthew 12:36
But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

Matthew 18:23-24
Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. / As he began the settlements, a debtor owing ten thousand talents was brought to him.

Matthew 21:33-41
Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. / When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit. / But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. ...

Matthew 24:45-51
Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time? / Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. / Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ...

Mark 13:34
It is like a man going on a journey who left his house, put each servant in charge of his own task, and instructed the doorkeeper to keep watch.

Luke 12:42-48
And the Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their portion at the proper time? / Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. / Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ...

Luke 19:12-27
So He said, “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to lay claim to his kingship and then return. / Beforehand, he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Conduct business with this until I return,’ he said. / But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ ...

Genesis 43:9
I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.


Treasury of Scripture

And he called him, and said to him, How is it that I hear this of you? give an account of your stewardship; for you may be no longer steward.

How.

Genesis 3:9-11
And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? …

Genesis 4:9,10
And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? …

Genesis 18:20,21
And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; …

give.

Luke 12:42
And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?

Ecclesiastes 11:9,10
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment…

Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

for.

Luke 12:20
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

Luke 19:21-26
For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow…

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Luke 16
1. The parable of the unjust steward.
14. Jesus reproves the hypocrisy of the covetous Pharisees.
19. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus the beggar.














So he called him in
This phrase indicates a direct and personal confrontation. The Greek word for "called" (φωνέω, phōneō) implies a summoning with authority. In the historical context of the first century, a master had absolute authority over his servants or stewards. This calling is not just a casual conversation but a formal demand for accountability. It reflects the seriousness with which God calls each of us to account for our stewardship of the resources and responsibilities He has entrusted to us.

and asked
The act of asking here is not merely inquisitive but judicial. The Greek word used (εἶπεν, eipen) can also mean to declare or demand. This reflects the master's right to inquire into the steward's actions. In a broader spiritual sense, it reminds us that God, as the ultimate judge, will ask us to account for our lives. It is a call to self-examination and repentance, urging us to live with integrity and faithfulness.

What is this I hear about you?
This question implies that the master has received reports or accusations regarding the steward's conduct. The phrase suggests a breach of trust or mismanagement. In the spiritual realm, it serves as a reminder that nothing is hidden from God. He is aware of our actions and intentions. This question challenges us to reflect on our own lives and consider whether we are living in a way that honors God and fulfills our responsibilities.

Turn in an account of your management
The phrase "turn in an account" (ἀπόδος τὸν λόγον, apodos ton logon) is a demand for a detailed report or reckoning. In the ancient world, stewards were expected to manage their master's resources wisely and profitably. This demand signifies the end of the steward's tenure and the need for transparency. Spiritually, it symbolizes the final judgment when each person must give an account of their life before God. It is a call to live with an eternal perspective, knowing that our actions have consequences.

for you cannot be manager any longer
This statement is a declaration of termination. The Greek word for "manager" (οἰκονόμος, oikonomos) refers to a steward or overseer. The master has decided that the steward's mismanagement disqualifies him from continuing in his role. This serves as a sobering reminder that our time on earth is limited, and our opportunities to serve God are finite. It encourages us to be diligent and faithful in our responsibilities, knowing that our ultimate reward is in heaven.

(2) How is it that I hear this of thee?--(1) The opening words of the steward's master imply wonder as well as indignation. They remind us so far of the words of the lord of the vineyard in another parable, "Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?" (Isaiah 5:4). Speaking after the manner of men, it was a marvel and a mystery that men with so high a calling as the scribes and teachers of Israel should have proved so unfaithful to their trust. (2) The words that follow, "Give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward," while they admit legitimately enough a personal application to each individual at the close of any period of trust and probation, and therefore at the close of life, are yet far from being limited to that application, and in their primary significance, do not even admit it. The close of a stewardship, for a party like the Pharisees--for a school like that of the scribes--for any Church or section of a Church--is when its day of judgment comes, when its work in the Kingdom is done, when history, and God in history, pass their sentence upon it. And that day of judgment was coming fast upon those who then heard the parable.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
So
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

he called
φωνήσας (phōnēsas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5455: From phone; to emit a sound; by implication, to address in words or by name, also in imitation.

him in
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

to ask,
εἶπεν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

‘What [is]
Τί (Ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

this
τοῦτο (touto)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

I hear
ἀκούω (akouō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

about
περὶ (peri)
Preposition
Strong's 4012: From the base of peran; properly, through, i.e. Around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time.

you?
σοῦ (sou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

Turn in
ἀπόδος (apodos)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 591: From apo and didomi; to give away, i.e. Up, over, back, etc.

an
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

account
λόγον (logon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.

of
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

your
σου (sou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

management,
οἰκονομίας (oikonomias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3622: Management of household affairs, stewardship, administration. From oikonomos; administration; specially, a 'economy'.

for
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

you cannot
δύνῃ (dynē)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.

be manager
οἰκονομεῖν (oikonomein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 3621: To be a steward, manage a household. From oikonomos; to manage.

any longer.’
ἔτι (eti)
Adverb
Strong's 2089: (a) of time: still, yet, even now, (b) of degree: even, further, more, in addition. Perhaps akin to etos; 'yet, ' still.


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