Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “’Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’ New Living Translation The man replied, ‘I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.’ So the manager told him, ‘Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.’ English Standard Version He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Berean Standard Bible ‘A hundred measures of olive oil,’ he answered. ‘Take your bill,’ said the manager, ‘sit down quickly, and write fifty.’ Berean Literal Bible And he said, ‘A hundred baths of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and having sat down quickly, write fifty.’ King James Bible And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. New King James Version And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ New American Standard Bible And he said, ‘A hundred jugs of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ NASB 1995 “And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ NASB 1977 “And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Legacy Standard Bible And he said, ‘One hundred baths of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Amplified Bible He said, ‘A hundred measures of [olive] oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Berean Annotated Bible ‘A hundred measures of olive oil <870 gal / 3,300 l>, he answered. ‘Take your bill, said the manager, ‘sit down quickly, and write fifty. Christian Standard Bible “ ‘A hundred measures of olive oil,’ he said. “ ‘Take your invoice,’ he told him, ‘sit down quickly, and write fifty.’ Holman Christian Standard Bible “A hundred measures of olive oil,’ he said. “’Take your invoice,’ he told him, sit down quickly, and write 50.’ American Standard Version And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bond, and sit down quickly and write fifty. Contemporary English Version "A hundred barrels of olive oil," the man answered. So the manager said, "Take your bill and sit down and quickly write '50.'" English Revised Version And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bond, and sit down quickly and write fifty. GOD'S WORD® Translation "The debtor replied, 'Eight hundred gallons of olive oil.' "The manager told him, 'Take my master's ledger. Quick! Sit down, and write "four hundred!"' Good News Translation 'One hundred barrels of olive oil,' he answered. 'Here is your account,' the manager told him; 'sit down and write fifty.' International Standard Version The man replied, 'A hundred jars of olive oil.' The manager told him, 'Get your bill. Sit down quickly and write "50."' NET Bible The man replied, 'A hundred measures of olive oil.' The manager said to him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write fifty.' New Heart English Bible He said, 'A hundred batos of oil.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' Webster's Bible Translation And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said to him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Weymouth New Testament "'A hundred firkins of oil,' he replied. "'Here is your account,' said the steward: 'sit down quickly and change it into fifty firkins.' Majority Text Translations Majority Standard Bible‘A hundred measures of olive oil,’ he answered. ‘Take your bill,’ said the manager, ‘sit down quickly, and write fifty.’ World English Bible He said, ‘A hundred batos of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd he said, One hundred baths of oil; and he said to him, Take your bill, and having sat down write fifty. Berean Literal Bible And he said, ‘A hundred baths of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and having sat down quickly, write fifty.’ Young's Literal Translation and he said, A hundred baths of oil; and he said to him, Take thy bill, and having sat down write fifty. Smith's Literal Translation And he said, An hundred baths of oil. And he said to him, Take thou thy book, and having quickly sat down, write fifty. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBut he said: An hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Catholic Public Domain Version So he said, ‘One hundred jars of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your invoice, and quickly, sit down and write fifty.’ New American Bible He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’ New Revised Standard Version He answered, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.’ Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleHe said to him, A hundred pounds of butter. He said to him, Take your note, sit down quickly, and write fifty pounds. Aramaic Bible in Plain English “And he said to him, 'A hundred baths of oil', and he said to him, 'Take your book, sit quickly and write fifty baths.' “ NT Translations Anderson New TestamentHe replied, A hundred baths of oil. And he said to him, Take back your note, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Godbey New Testament Haweis New Testament And he said, A hundred baths of oil. And he said, Take thy account, and sit down directly, and write fifty. Mace New Testament a hundred measures of oil, said he, take your bill, said the steward, sit down there, and write out one immediately for fifty. Weymouth New Testament "'A hundred firkins of oil,' he replied. "'Here is your account,' said the steward: 'sit down quickly and change it into fifty firkins.' Worrell New Testament Worsley New Testament Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Parable of the Shrewd Manager…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.… Cross References “A hundred measures of olive oil,” 2 Kings 4:1-7 Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!” / “How can I help you?” asked Elisha. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” / “Go,” said Elisha, “borrow empty jars from all your neighbors. Do not gather just a few. … Ezekiel 45:14 The prescribed portion of oil, measured by the bath, is a tenth of a bath from each cor (a cor consists of ten baths or one homer, since ten baths are equivalent to a homer). 1 Kings 17:12-16 But she replied, “As surely as the LORD your God lives, I have no bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. Look, I am gathering a couple of sticks to take home and prepare a meal for myself and my son, so that we may eat it and die.” / “Do not be afraid,” Elijah said to her. “Go and do as you have said. But first make me a small cake of bread from what you have, and bring it out to me. Afterward, make some for yourself and your son, / for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be exhausted and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain upon the face of the earth.’” … he answered. Genesis 23:14-16 Ephron answered Abraham, / “Listen to me, my lord. The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.” / Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the standard of the merchants. Ruth 4:1-4 Meanwhile, Boaz went to the gate and sat down there. Soon the kinsman-redeemer of whom he had spoken came along, and Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down. / Then Boaz took ten of the elders of the city and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. / And he said to the kinsman-redeemer, “Naomi, who has returned from the land of Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech. … Genesis 31:36-38 Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban. “What is my crime?” he said. “For what sin of mine have you so hotly pursued me? / You have searched all my goods! Have you found anything that belongs to you? Put it here before my brothers and yours, that they may judge between the two of us. / I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock. ‘Take your bill,’ Jeremiah 32:10-14 I signed and sealed the deed, called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales. / Then I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy with its terms and conditions, as well as the open copy— / and I gave this deed to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of my cousin Hanamel and the witnesses who were signing the purchase agreement and all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard. … Colossians 2:14 having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross! Deuteronomy 24:1-3 If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds some indecency in her, he may write her a certificate of divorce, hand it to her, and send her away from his house. / If, after leaving his house, she goes and becomes another man’s wife, / and the second man hates her, writes her a certificate of divorce, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house, or if he dies, said the manager, Genesis 43:16-19 When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.” / The man did as Joseph had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph’s house. / But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph’s house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.” … 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. / Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. Genesis 39:4-6 Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household and entrusted him with everything he owned. / From the time that he put Joseph in charge of his household and all he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s household on account of him. The LORD’s blessing was on everything he owned, both in his house and in his field. / So Potiphar left all that he owned in Joseph’s care; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, ‘sit down quickly, Matthew 5:25 Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Proverbs 6:1-5 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger, / if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth, / then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor. … Esther 6:10 “Hurry,” said the king to Haman, “and do just as you proposed. Take the robe and the horse to Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything that you have suggested.” and write fifty.’ Matthew 18:27-30 His master had compassion on him, forgave his debt, and released him. / But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ / So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’ … Treasury of Scripture And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said to him, Take your bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. measures. Take. Luke 16:9,12 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations… Titus 2:10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. Jump to Previous Account Baths Bill Change Eight Fifty Firkins Four Gallons Hundred Manager Measures Oil Olive Quickly Sat Sit Steward Straight Write WritingJump to Next Account Baths Bill Change Eight Fifty Firkins Four Gallons Hundred Manager Measures Oil Olive Quickly Sat Sit Steward Straight Write WritingLuke 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. A hundred measures of olive oil, In the context of first-century Palestine, olive oil was a valuable commodity, often used for cooking, lighting, and religious rituals. A "measure" here refers to a "bath," which is approximately 8-9 gallons or about 35 liters. Thus, a hundred measures would be a substantial amount, indicating a significant debt. Olive oil production was a key part of the economy in the region, and such a debt suggests a business transaction or a lease agreement involving agricultural produce. This reflects the agrarian society of the time, where landowners and tenants often settled accounts with produce rather than currency. he answered. Take your bill, said the manager, sit down quickly, and write fifty. Persons / Places / Events 1. The Rich ManIn the parable, the rich man is the master who has a manager handling his affairs. He represents those in positions of authority and wealth. 2. The Manager The central figure in the parable, the manager is accused of wasting his master's possessions and is called to account for his actions. He represents those who are stewards of resources and responsibilities. 3. The Debtor In Luke 16:6, the debtor owes the rich man a hundred measures of olive oil. He represents those who are indebted or owe something to others. 4. The Measure of Oil The "hundred measures of oil" is a significant debt, indicating the wealth and business dealings of the rich man. It symbolizes the material wealth and resources in the world. 5. The Parable Setting The setting is a business transaction, reflecting the economic practices of the time and illustrating spiritual truths through everyday life. Teaching Points Stewardship and AccountabilityAs stewards of God's resources, we are accountable for how we manage what He has entrusted to us. This includes our time, talents, and treasures. Wisdom in Financial Dealings The manager's actions, though dishonest, demonstrate shrewdness. We are called to be wise and discerning in our financial and business dealings, ensuring they align with biblical principles. Grace and Forgiveness The reduction of the debtor's bill can be seen as an act of grace. We are reminded of the importance of extending grace and forgiveness to others, as we have received from God. Eternal Perspective The parable encourages us to consider how our earthly actions impact our eternal future. We should invest in what has lasting value in God's kingdom. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Luke 16:6?2. How does Luke 16:6 illustrate the importance of honesty in financial dealings? 3. What can we learn about stewardship from the manager's actions in Luke 16:6? 4. How does Luke 16:6 connect with Proverbs 11:1 on honest scales? 5. In what ways can we apply Luke 16:6 to modern financial responsibilities? 6. How does the manager's reduction of debt reflect on Christian forgiveness principles? 7. What is the significance of the debt reduction in Luke 16:6? 8. How does Luke 16:6 reflect on the concept of forgiveness? 9. What historical context influences the interpretation of Luke 16:6? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Luke 16? 11. How can worldly wealth secure eternal friendships? 12. What does the Bible say about managing finances? 13. Did Herod think that Jesus was John the Baptist? Yes (Matthew 14:2; Mark 6:16) No (Luke 9:9) 14. How can wise budgeting reflect biblical stewardship principles? What Does Luke 16:6 Mean A hundred measures of olive oil• The debtor owes a sizable, measurable debt—about 100 baths (roughly 800–900 gallons). Scripture often ties olive oil to blessing and provision; see Deuteronomy 7:13 and 1 Kings 17:14. • The literal figure highlights how much the man benefited from the master’s resources. As Psalm 24:1 reminds, “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof.” • Jesus sets the scene with a concrete number so we grasp the weight of what is about to be reduced. he answered • The debtor promptly admits the full amount. Proverbs 28:13 notes, “He who conceals his sins will not prosper,” underscoring the value of honest admission—even when debt looms large. • His straightforward reply shows he understands the record is accurate; Romans 3:19 speaks of mouths silenced when faced with true account. Take your bill • The steward hands authority back to the debtor—but only under his direction. This echoes Matthew 18:24–27, where a ledger is addressed and mercy enters. • Tangible records matter; Colossians 2:14 celebrates how Christ “canceled the record of debt.” Here the steward manipulates the record, contrasting with Christ’s righteous cancellation. said the manager • The steward still possesses delegated power. Luke 12:42 describes a “faithful and wise manager” whom the master can trust; this manager, by contrast, is crafty. • Authority can be misused; 1 Peter 5:2 warns leaders to serve “not for dishonest gain.” The passage exposes the flawed heart behind the steward’s scheme. sit down quickly • Urgency fuels the plan. Psalm 119:60 models godly haste—“I hurried and did not delay to keep Your commandments”—yet here haste serves self-preservation, not obedience. • The steward’s speed seeks to prevent discovery. Compare Acts 5:2, where Ananias acts swiftly to conceal deceit. and write fifty. • A 50 percent reduction is enormous, instantly winning the debtor’s favor. Proverbs 17:8 observes, “A bribe is a charm to its giver.” • The steward bets on future reciprocity (Luke 16:9). While the tactic is shrewd, it is ethically flawed; true generosity costs the giver, as 2 Corinthians 8:9 displays in Christ’s self-emptying grace. • The contrast between unrighteous reduction and righteous forgiveness sharpens the lesson that believers must handle worldly wealth faithfully (Luke 16:11). summary The verse portrays a dishonest steward slashing a legitimate debt to secure personal advantage. Jesus uses the concrete figure, the steward’s delegated yet misused authority, and the urgent rewrite to illustrate worldly shrewdness. Believers, entrusted with the Master’s resources, are called to handle every “bill” with integrity, remembering that authentic mercy mirrors God’s righteous cancellation of our sin-debt through Christ. (6) Take thy bill, and sit down quickly.--The better MSS. give, thy bills, or thy documents, in the plural. These would include that which answered to the modern lease, the contract which specified the rent, and probably also the memorandum of the due delivery of the annual share of the produce. In this case the measure is the Hebrew bath, which has been variously estimated, the data being uncertain and conflicting, at from one to three gallons to the higher number stated in the marginal note. The steward by thus tempting the debtors with an immediate gain, and making them sharers in his frauds, took the readiest and most direct means of securing at once their favour and their silence. That which answered to this in the first application of the parable was the conduct of the Pharisees, just in proportion as they lost the moral force which they had once exercised, in accommodating their casuistry to the selfishness of their followers. Thus by their Corban teaching (see Note on Matthew 15:5) they released men from the obligation of supporting parents, and made perjury easy by their artificial distinctions as to oaths (Matthew 5:33; Matthew 23:16-22), gave a wide license to lust by their doctrine of divorce (Matthew 5:31; Matthew 19:3), and substituted the paying tithes of mint, and anise, and cummin for the weightier matters of the Law (Matthew 23:23). Like phenomena have been seen in analogous circumstances in the history of the Christian Church. When Leo X. sent forth his preachers of indulgences with their short and easy methods of salvation; when Jesuit confessors were to be found in every court of Europe, doing nothing to preserve their votaries from a fathomless licentiousness; when Protestant theologians tuned their voice according to the time, and pandered to the passions of a Henry VIII. or a Landgrave of Hesse; when the preachers of justification by faith turned the grace of God into lasciviousness, or made it compatible with a life of money-making worldliness; when men lower the standard of duty to gain support and popularity--there the act of the steward in bidding the debtor write fifty measures, when he owed a hundred, finds its counterpart. . . .Parallel Commentaries ... Greek ‘A hundredἙκατὸν (Hekaton) Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural Strong's 1540: One hundred. Of uncertain affinity; a hundred. [measures] βάτους (batous) Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural Strong's 943: Of Hebrew origin; a bath, or measure for liquids. of olive oil,’ ἐλαίου (elaiou) Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular Strong's 1637: Olive oil, oil. Neuter of the same as elaia; olive oil. he answered. εἶπεν (eipen) Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say. ‘Take Δέξαι (Dexai) Verb - Aorist Imperative Middle - 2nd Person Singular Strong's 1209: To take, receive, accept, welcome. Middle voice of a primary verb; to receive. your σου (sou) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. bill,’ γράμματα (grammata) Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural Strong's 1121: From grapho; a writing, i.e. A letter, note, epistle, book, etc. plural learning. said [the manager]. εἶπεν (eipen) Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say. ‘Sit down καθίσας (kathisas) Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 2523: Another form for kathezomai; to seat down, i.e. Set; intransitively, to sit; figuratively, to settle. quickly, ταχέως (tacheōs) Adverb Strong's 5030: Soon, quickly, hastily. Adverb from tachus; briefly, i.e. speedily, or rapidly. [and] write γράψον (grapson) Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Strong's 1125: A primary verb; to 'grave', especially to write; figuratively, to describe. fifty.’ πεντήκοντα (pentēkonta) Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural Strong's 4004: Fifty. Multiplicative of pente; fifty. Links Luke 16:6 NIVLuke 16:6 NLT Luke 16:6 ESV Luke 16:6 NASB Luke 16:6 KJV Luke 16:6 BibleApps.com Luke 16:6 Biblia Paralela Luke 16:6 Chinese Bible Luke 16:6 French Bible Luke 16:6 Catholic Bible NT Gospels: Luke 16:6 He said 'A hundred batos of oil (Luke Lu Lk) |
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