The Parable of the Dishonest Manager
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He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had 1a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.
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And he called him and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your 2management, for you can no longer be manager.'
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And 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.
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I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.'
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So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'
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He said, 'A hundred measuresa of oil.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'
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Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' He said, 'A hundred measuresb of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'
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The master commended the dishonest manager for his 3shrewdness. For 4the sons of this worldc are 5more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than 6the sons of light.
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And I tell you, 7make friends for yourselves by means of 8unrighteous wealth,d so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.
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9"One who is 10faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
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If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?
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And if you have not been faithful in 11that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?
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12No 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."
The Law and the Kingdom of God
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And he said to them, "You are those who 16justify yourselves before men, but 17God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men 18is an abomination in the sight of God.
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19"The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then 20the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and 21everyone forces his way into it.e
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But 22it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.
Divorce and Remarriage
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23"Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.
The Rich Man and Lazarus
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"There was a rich man who was clothed in 24purple and fine linen and 25who feasted sumptuously every day.
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And at his gate 26was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
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who desired to be fed with 27what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
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The poor man died and was carried by 28the angels 29to Abraham's side.f The rich man also died and was buried,
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and in 30Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and 31saw Abraham far off and Lazarus 32at his side.
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And he called out, 33'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and 34cool my tongue, for 35I am in anguish in this flame.'
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But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that 36you 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.
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And 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.'
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And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house--
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for I have five brothersg--so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'
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And he said, 'No, 39father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)