[1] He said also to his disciples, "There was a certain rich man, who had a
manager. The same was accused to him of wasting his possessions. [2] He
called him, and said to him, `What is this that I hear about you? Give an
accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.` [3] The
steward said within himself, `What will I do, seeing that my lord is taking
away the management position from me? I don`t have strength to dig. I am
ashamed to beg. [4] I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from
management, they may receive me into their houses.` [5] Calling each one of
his lord`s debtors to him, he said to the first, `How much do you owe to my
lord?` [6] He said, `A hundred batos of oil.` He said to him, `Take your
bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.` [7] Then said he to another,
`How much do you owe?` He said, `A hundred cors of wheat.` He said to him,
`Take your bill, and write eighty.` [8] His lord commended the unrighteous
steward because he had done wisely, for the sons of this world are, in
their own generation, wiser than the sons of the light. [9] I tell you,
make for yourselves friends by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when
you fail, they may receive you into the eternal tents. [10] He who is
faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is unrighteous
in a very little is also unrighteous in much. [11] If therefore you have
not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust
the true riches? [12] 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, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or
else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You aren`t able to serve
God and mammon." [14] The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard
all these things, and they scoffed at him. [15] He said to them, "You are
those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your
hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight
of God. [16] The law and the prophets were until John. From that time the
gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is forcing his way
into it. [17] But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for
one tiny stroke of a pen in the law to fall. [18] Everyone who divorces his
wife, and marries another, commits adultery. He who marries one who is put
away from a husband commits adultery. [19] "Now there was a certain rich
man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every
day. [20] A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, full of
sores, [21] and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich
man`s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. [22] It happened
that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels to
Abraham`s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. [23] In Hades, he
lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus
at his bosom. [24] He cried and said, `Father Abraham, have mercy on me,
and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool
my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.` [25] But Abraham said, `Son,
remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and
Lazarus, in like manner, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you
are in anguish. [26] Besides all this, between us and you there is a great
gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and
that none may cross over from there to us.` [27] He said, `I ask you
therefore, father, that you would send him to my father`s house; [28] for I
have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come into
this place of torment.` [29] But Abraham said to him, `They have Moses and
the prophets. Let them listen to them.` [30] He said, `No, father Abraham,
but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.` [31] He said to
him, `If they don`t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be
persuaded if one rises from the dead.`"
