International Standard Version

English Standard Version

1Now Jesus was saying to the disciples, "A rich man had a servant manager who was accused of wasting his assets.

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 for him and asked him, 'What's this I hear about you? You can't be my manager any longer. Now give me a report about your management!'

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 servant manager told himself, 'What should I do? My master is taking my position away from me. I'm not strong enough to plow, and 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 people will welcome me into their homes when I'm dismissed from my job.'

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

5"So he called for each of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'

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

6The man replied, 'A hundred jars of olive oil.' The manager told him, 'Get your bill. Sit down quickly and write "50."'

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

7Then he asked another debtor, 'How much do you owe?' The man replied, 'A hundred containers of wheat.' The manager told him, 'Get your bill and write "80."'

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.’

8The master praised the dishonest servant manager for being so clever, because worldly people are more clever than enlightened people in dealing with their own.

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.

9"I'm telling you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails, they will welcome you into eternal homes.

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 with very little is also faithful with a lot, and whoever is dishonest with very little is also dishonest with a lot.

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 haven't been faithful with unrighteous wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?

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

12And if you haven't been faithful with what belongs to foreigners, 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?

13"No servant can serve two masters, because either he will hate one and love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and wealth!"

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.”

14Now the Pharisees, who love money, had been listening to all this and began to ridicule Jesus.

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

15So he told them, "You try to justify yourselves in front of people, but God knows your hearts, because what is highly valued by people is detestable to God.

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 remained until John. Since then, the good news about the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone entering it is under attack.

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.

17However, it is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for one stroke of a letter in the Law to be dropped.

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

18Any man who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man 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"Once there was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and live in great luxury every day.

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

20A beggar named Lazarus, who was covered with sores, was brought to his gate.

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

21He was always trying to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs used to 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.

22"One day, the beggar 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,

23In the afterlife, where he was in constant torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus by his side.

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

24So he shouted, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool off my tongue, because I am suffering in this fire.'

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"But Abraham said, 'My child, remember that during your lifetime you received blessings, while Lazarus received hardships. But now he is being comforted here, while you suffer.

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 wide chasm has been fixed between us, so that those who want to cross from this side to you cannot do so, nor can they cross from your side 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"The rich man said, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus 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 that they won't end up in this place of torture, too.'

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

29"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"But the rich man replied, 'No, father Abraham! But if someone from the dead went to them, they would repent.'

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

31"Then Abraham told him, 'If your brothers do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded, even if someone were to rise 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 Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

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.