Luke 16:6
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.’

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."'

Majority Standard Bible
?A hundred measures of olive oil,? he answered. ?Take your bill,? said the manager, ?sit down quickly, and write fifty.?

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.'

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 Version
And 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 Bible
But 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 Bible
He 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 Testament
He 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
And he said; A hundred measures of oil. And he said to him, Take your accounts, and sitting down quickly write fifty.

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
And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him, 'Take your accounts, and, sitting down, quickly write, Fifty.'

Worsley New Testament
And he said to him, Take thy bill, and sit down and write but fifty.

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
Matthew 18:24-28
As he began the settlements, a debtor owing ten thousand talents was brought to him. / Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned. / Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ ...

Matthew 5:25-26
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. / Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Proverbs 22:7
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.

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. ...

Nehemiah 5:3-5
Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.” / Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. / We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

Romans 13:8
Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

James 2:6
But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?

Exodus 22:25-27
If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest. / If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset, / because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? And if he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

Deuteronomy 15:1-2
At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. / This is the manner of remission: Every creditor shall cancel what he has loaned to his neighbor. He is not to collect anything from his neighbor or brother, because the LORD’s time of release has been proclaimed.

Leviticus 25:35-37
Now if your countryman becomes destitute and cannot support himself among you, then you are to help him as you would a foreigner or stranger, so that he can continue to live among you. / Do not take any interest or profit from him, but fear your God, that your countryman may live among you. / You must not lend him your silver at interest or sell him your food for profit.

Matthew 6:12
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Colossians 3:13
Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Philemon 1:18-19
But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account. / I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it—not to mention that you owe me your very self.

2 Corinthians 8:12-14
For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. / It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality. / At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. This way there will be equality.

2 Corinthians 9:6-7
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. / Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.


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.

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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.














A hundred measures of olive oil
In the context of Luke 16:6, the phrase "a hundred measures of olive oil" refers to a significant debt owed by a tenant to a landowner. The Greek term for "measures" is "batos," which is a unit of liquid measurement roughly equivalent to 8 or 9 gallons. Olive oil was a valuable commodity in ancient Israel, used for cooking, lighting, and religious rituals. This debt represents a substantial economic obligation, highlighting the wealth and resources involved in the parable. Historically, olive oil production was a labor-intensive process, and its trade was a critical part of the economy in the Mediterranean region. The mention of "a hundred measures" underscores the magnitude of the debt and sets the stage for the steward's actions in the parable.

Take your bill
The phrase "take your bill" indicates a direct and personal interaction between the steward and the debtor. In the Greek, the word for "bill" is "gramma," which can mean a written document or record. This suggests that the debts were formally recorded, emphasizing the legal and binding nature of the obligations. The steward's instruction to "take your bill" implies a renegotiation or alteration of the debt, which was a bold and potentially risky move. This action reflects the steward's urgency and cunning as he seeks to secure his future by gaining favor with the debtors.

Sit down quickly
The command to "sit down quickly" conveys a sense of urgency and immediacy. The Greek word for "quickly" is "tacheos," which implies swiftness and promptness. This urgency may reflect the steward's awareness of his precarious situation and his need to act decisively before his dismissal is finalized. The instruction to "sit down" suggests a formal setting, possibly indicating that the transaction was to be conducted with a degree of seriousness and confidentiality. This urgency also highlights the steward's shrewdness in managing the situation to his advantage.

And write fifty
The phrase "and write fifty" signifies a reduction of the original debt by half. The Greek word for "write" is "grapho," which means to inscribe or record. This act of writing a new amount symbolizes a fresh start or a new agreement between the debtor and the steward. By reducing the debt to fifty measures, the steward is effectively securing goodwill and future support from the debtor. This action demonstrates the steward's strategic thinking and his ability to leverage his position to create favorable outcomes. The reduction of the debt also serves as a metaphor for grace and forgiveness, themes that are central to the teachings of Jesus.

(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 hundred
Ἑκατὸν (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.


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NT Gospels: Luke 16:6 He said 'A hundred batos of oil (Luke Lu Lk)
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