16
1 He also said to his disciples, “There was a certain rich man who had a manager. An accusation was made to him that this man was 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 manager 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, ‘One hundred batos [800 Gal; 3,028 L] of oil.’ ‘Take your note back,’ he told him. ‘Now, quickly! Sit down and write one for fifty [400 Gal; 1,514 L]!’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘How much do you owe?’ He said, ‘One thousand bushels of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your note back and write one for eight hundred.’
8 “His lord commended the sinful ·legal injustice that misses the mark and is without share in the goal· manager because he had done wisely, for the children of this world are, in their own generation, wiser than the children of the light. 9 I tell you, make for yourselves friends by means of sinful ·legal injustice that misses the mark and is without share in the goal· mammon ·wealth·, 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 dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If therefore you have not been faithful in the trecherous mammon ·wealth·, 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 show agapao ·total devotion love· to the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You are not able to serve God and Mammon ·Wealth·.”
14 The Pharisees [Separated], 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 Torah ·Teaching· and the Prophets were until John [Yah is gracious]. Since then the Good News of God’s Kingdom 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 Torah ·Teaching· become void. 18 Everyone who divorces his wife, and marries another moicheuo ·commits adultery·. He who marries one who is divorced from a husband moicheuo ·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 [Help of God], 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 The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham [Father of a multitude]’s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. 23 In Hades / Sh'ol ·Place of the dead·, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham [Father of a multitude] far off, and Lazarus [Help of God] at Abraham's bosom, (the righteous side of Sheol). 24 He cried and said, ‘Father Abraham [Father of a multitude], have mercy on me, and send Lazarus [Help of God], 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 [Father of a multitude] said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus [Help of God], in the same way, 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 no one may cross over from there to us.’
27 “He said, ‘I ask you therefore, Abba father, that you would send him to 'Avi ·my Father·’s house; 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won’t also come into this place of torment.’
29 “But Abraham [Father of a multitude] said to him, ‘They have Moses [Drawn out] and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’
30 “He said, ‘No, Abba father Abraham [Father of a multitude], but if one goes to them from the dead, they will make teshuvah ·complete repentance·.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses [Drawn out] and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’ ”