The Parable of the Shrewd Manager

1THEN said he also to his disciples, There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and he received an information against him, as having dissipated his treasures. 2And 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. 3Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? because my master is taking away the stewardship from me: to dig, I have not the strength; to beg, I am ashamed. 4I know what I will do, that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may entertain me at their houses. 5So calling upon every one of his master?s debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou to my master? 6And he said, A hundred baths of oil. And he said, Take thy account, and sit down directly, and write fifty. 7Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred core of wheat. And he saith to him, Take thy account, and write fourscore. 8And the master praised the unjust steward, because he had acted providently: for the children of this world are more provident among their own generation of men, than the children of light. 9And I say unto you, Make yourselves friends with the unrighteous mammon that when ye fail, they may receive you into the eternal mansions.

10He that is faithful in the least thing, is faithful also in much: and he who is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much. 11If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust you with the true? 12and if ye have not been faithful in that which belongs to another, who will give up to you that which is your own? 13No domestic can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will cleave to the one, and neglect the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

The Law and the Prophets

14Then the Pharisees also, who were dear lovers of money, heard all these things, and they sneered at him. 15And he said unto them, Ye are they who affect to be righteous persons before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men, is an abomination in the sight of God.

16The law and the prophets were until John: since that the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. 17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tittle of the law to fail.

18Every one who putteth away his wife and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and every one who marrieth a woman divorced from her husband, committeth adultery.

The Rich Man and Lazarus
(John 5:39–47)

19Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, making splendid entertainments every day: 20and there was a certain pauper, named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate covered with ulcers, 21and importunately desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man?s table: yea even the dogs came and licked his ulcers. 22Now it came to pass that the poor man died, and was carried up by angels into the bosom of Abraham. Then the rich man also died, and was buried: 23and in hell, lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he seeth Abraham at a vast distance, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24And crying out, he said, Father Abraham, have compassion on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented with this flame. 25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou hast received thy good things during thy life, and Lazarus, in like manner, what was afflictive: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26And besides all these considerations, between us and you there is a vast chasm fixed: so that they who might be willing to pass from hence to you, cannot; neither can they pass through to us, from thence. 27And he said, I entreat thee then, father, that thou wouldest send him to my paternal mansion: 28for I have five brothers: that he may testify to them, that they also come not into this place of torment. 29Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hearken to them. 30But he said, Ah no, father Abraham! but if one came to them from the dead, they will repent. 31Then he said to him, If they hearken not to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.