Luke16

Jesus teaches his disciples through two parables and several direct instructions. The parable of the unjust steward illustrates the shrewdness of worldly individuals in securing their future, prompting Jesus to advise using "mammon of unrighteousness" for eternal gain. He emphasizes that one cannot serve both God and mammon, and that faithfulness in small matters reflects faithfulness in greater ones. The chapter concludes with the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, starkly contrasting their fates in the afterlife and affirming the sufficiency of Moses and the prophets for spiritual guidance.

The Parable of the Unjust Steward

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And he sayde also vnto his disciples, There was a certaine riche man, which had a stewarde, and he was accused vnto him, that he wasted his goods.
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And hee called him, and saide vnto him, Howe is it that I heare this of thee? Giue an accounts of thy stewardship: for thou maiest be no longer steward.
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Then the stewarde saide within himselfe, What shall I doe? for my master taketh away from me the stewardship. I cannot digge, and to begge I am ashamed.
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I knowe what I will doe, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receiue mee into their houses.
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Then called he vnto him euery one of his masters detters, and said vnto the first, Howe much owest thou vnto my master?
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And he said, An hudreth measures of oyle. And he saide to him, Take thy writing, and sitte downe quickely, and write fiftie.
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Then said he to another, How much owest thou? And hee sayde, An hundreth measures of wheate. Then he saide to him, Take thy writing, and write foure score.

Wisdom in the Use of Wealth

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And the Lord commended the vniust stewarde, because he had done wisely. Wherefore the children of this worlde are in their generation wiser then the children of light.
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And I say vnto you, Make you friends with the riches of iniquitie, that when ye shall want, they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations.
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He that is faithfull in the least, hee is also faithful in much: and he that is vniust in the least, is vniust also in much.
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If then ye haue not ben faithful in the wicked riches, who wil trust you in the true treasure?
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And if ye haue not bene faithfull in another mans goods, who shall giue you that which is yours?
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No seruaunt can serue two masters: for either he shall hate the one, and loue the other: or els he shall leane to the one, and despise the other. Yee can not serue God and riches.

Jesus Rebukes the Pharisees

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All these thinges heard the Pharises also which were couetous, and they scoffed at him.
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Then he sayde vnto them, Yee are they, which iustifie your selues before men: but God knoweth your heartes: for that which is highly esteemed among men, is abomination in the sight of God.
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The Lawe and the Prophets endured vntill Iohn: and since that time the kingdome of God is preached, and euery man preasseth into it.
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Nowe it is more easie that heauen and earth shoulde passe away, then that one title of the Lawe should fall.
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Whosoeuer putteth away his wife, and marieth another, committeth adulterie: and whosoeuer marieth her that is put away from her husband, committeth adulterie.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

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There was a certaine riche man, which was clothed in purple and fine linnen, and fared well and delicately euery day.
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Also there was a certaine begger named Lazarus, which was laide at his gate full of sores,
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And desired to bee refreshed with the crommes that fell from the riche mans table: yea, and the dogges came and licked his sores.
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And it was so that the begger died, and was caried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome. The rich man also died, and was buried.
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And being in hell in torments, he lift vp his eyes, and sawe Abraham a farre off, and Lazarus in his bosome.
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Then he cried, and saide, Father Abraham, haue mercie on mee, and sende Lazarus that hee may dippe the tip of his finger in water, and coole my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame.
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But Abraham saide, Sonne, remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures, and likewise Lazarus paines: now therefore is he comforted, and thou art tormented.
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Besides all this, betweene you and vs there is a great gulfe set, so that they which would goe from hence to you, can not: neither can they come from thence to vs.
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Then he said, I pray thee therfore, father, that thou wouldest sende him to my fathers house,
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(For I haue fiue brethren) that he may testifie vnto them, least they also come into this place of torment.
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Abraham said vnto him, They haue Moses and the Prophets: let them heare them.
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And he sayde, Nay, father Abraham: but if one came vnto them from the dead, they will amend their liues.
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Then he saide vnto him, If they heare not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rise from the dead againe.
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