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16
1 Jesus told his disciples this story. “There was once a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting what belonged to his master. 2 So the rich man called in his manager, and asked him, ‘What's this I hear about you? Bring in your accounts, because you won't be continuing as manager.’
3 The manager said to himself, ‘Now what will I do since my master is going to fire me from my job? I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg. 4 Oh, I know what I'm going to do so that when I'm sacked as manager people will make me welcome in their homes.’
5 So he invited all those who were in debt to his master to come and see him. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 The man replied, ‘A hundred units* One batos “bath” was equivalent to around 6 gallons or 22 liters. of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Sit down quickly. Take your bill, and change it to fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘How much do you owe?’ The man replied, ‘A hundred units† One koros “kor” was equivalent to 11 bushels or 390 liters. of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill and change it to eighty.’
8 The rich man commended his dishonest manager for his cunning idea. The children of this world are more cunning towards one another than are the children of light.
9 I tell you, use the wealth of this world to make friends for yourselves so that when it's gone, you'll be welcomed into an eternal home. 10 If you can be trusted with very little you can also be trusted with much; if you are dishonest with very little you will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you can't be trusted when it comes to worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you can't be trusted with what belongs to someone else, who will trust you with what is yours? 13 No servant can obey two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can't serve both God and Money.”
14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard what Jesus said and laughed at him. 15 But Jesus told them, “You appear pious to people, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detested by God. 16 What was written in the law and the prophets lasted until John. From then on the good news of the kingdom of God is being spread, and everyone is forcing their way in. 17 However, it's easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the smallest point of the Law to disappear. 18 Any man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery, and a man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
19 Once there was a man who was rich. He wore purple clothes‡ Purple clothes were very expensive. and fine linen, and enjoyed a luxurious life. 20 A beggar named Lazarus used to sit at his gate, covered in sores, 21 longing to eat the leftovers from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 Then the beggar died, and angels carried him away to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in the far distance, with Lazarus beside him.
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'm burning in agony.’
25 But Abraham replied, ‘My son, remember that you enjoyed the good things of life, while Lazarus had a very poor life. Now he is here being comforted, while you suffer in torment. 26 Apart from that, there's a great gulf that stretches between us and you. Nobody who wants to cross from here to you can do so, and nobody can cross from there over to us.’
27 The rich man said, ‘Then Father, I beg you, please send him to my father's house. 28 For I have five brothers and he can warn them so that they don't end up here in this place of torment.’
29 But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. They should listen to them.’
30 ‘No, father Abraham,’ said the man. ‘But they would repent if someone went to them from the dead!’
31 Abraham said to him, ‘If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't be convinced even if someone returns from the dead.’ ”

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*16:6 One batos “bath” was equivalent to around 6 gallons or 22 liters.

†16:7 One koros “kor” was equivalent to 11 bushels or 390 liters.

‡16:19 Purple clothes were very expensive.

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher