Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version

1Now he said to the disciples: "There was a rich man who received an accusation that his manager was squandering his possessions.

1He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.

2So 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.'

2And 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.’

3"Then the manager said to himself, 'What will I do since my master is taking the management away from me? I'm not strong enough to dig; I'm ashamed to beg.

3And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.

4I know what I'll do so that when I'm removed from management, people will welcome me into their homes.'

4I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’

5"So he summoned each one of his master's debtors. 'How much do you owe my master?' he asked the first one.

5So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

6"'A hundred measures of olive oil,' he said. "'Take your invoice,' he told him, 'sit down quickly, and write fifty.'

6He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’

7"Next he asked another, 'How much do you owe?' "'A hundred measures of wheat,' he said. "'Take your invoice,' he told him, 'and write eighty.'

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

8"The master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the children of this age are more shrewd than the children of light in dealing with their own people.

8The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.

9And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of worldly wealth so that when it fails, they may welcome you into eternal dwellings.

9And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.

10Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.

10“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

11So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will trust you with what is genuine?

11If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?

12And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what is your own?

12And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?

13No servant can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

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

14The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and scoffing at him.

14The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.

15And he told them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly admired by people is revolting in God's sight.

15And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

16"The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urgently invited to enter it.

16“The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.

17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter in the law to drop out.

17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.

18"Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and everyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

18“Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

19"There was a rich man who would dress in purple and fine linen, feasting lavishly every day.

19“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.

20But a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, was lying at his gate.

20And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,

21He longed to be filled with what fell from the rich man's table, but instead the dogs would come and lick his sores.

21who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22One day the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.

22The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried,

23And being in torment in Hades, he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off, with Lazarus at his side.

23and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.

24'Father Abraham!' he called out, 'Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this flame!'

24And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’

25"'Son,' Abraham said, 'remember that during your life you received your good things, just as Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.

25But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.

26Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass over from here to you cannot; neither can those from there cross over to us.'

26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’

27"'Father,' he said, 'then I beg you to send him to my father's house--

27And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—

28because I have five brothers--to warn them, so they won't also come to this place of torment.'

28for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’

29"But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.'

29But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’

30"'No, father Abraham,' he said. 'But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

30And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’

31"But he told him, 'If they don't listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.'"

31He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.