Luke 16

Luke · Chapter 16

Luke 16:15

1And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.2And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.3Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.4I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.5So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?6And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.7Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.8And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.9And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.10He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.11If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?12And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?13No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.14And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.15And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.16The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.17And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.18Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.19There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.24And 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 tormented in this flame.25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.26And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.27Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:28For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.29Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.30And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.31And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
15And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.And he said unto them, Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
AndκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

He saidεἶπενeipenG2036
to say

εἶπον (eipon) εἶπον, 2 aorist of obsolete present ἔπω (cf. Veitch), used as aorist of λέγω, which see (AS)

to them;αὐτοῖς·autoisG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

You yourselvesὑμεῖςhumeisG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

areἐστεesteG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

justifyingδικαιοῦντεςdikaiountesG1344
to justify

δικαιόω (dikaioō) δικαιόω, -ῶ (δίκαιος), [in LXX chiefly for צָדַק pi., hi., (1) as Eze.16:51, Jer.3:11 (cf. NT usage); (2) as Deu.25:1; Exo.23:7, Isa.50:8 ;] 1. in cl., (a) with accusative of thing(s), to deem right; (b) with accusative of person(s), to do one justice; pass., δικαιοῦσθαι, to be treated rightly, opposite to ἀδικεῖσθαι. 2. In NT, as in LXX, and as usual with verbs in -όω from adjectives of moral meaning; (1) to show to be righteous: Mat.11:19, Luk.7:35, Rom.3:4" (LXX), 1Ti.3:16; …

themselvesἑαυτοὺςhe'autousG1438
/him/herself

αὑτοῦ (ahutou) αὑτοῦ, -ῆς, -οῦ = ἑαυτοῦ (which see), Mat.6:34, Luk.12:17, al. (MM, see word) (AS)

beforeἐνώπιονenōpionG1799
before

ἐνώπιον (enōpion) ἐνώπιος, -ον (ὤψ), [in LXX for פָּנִים, etc. ;] face to face, in sight (Theocr.; ἄρτοι ἐ., Exo.25:29): neut., ἐνώπιον, in vernacular, with force of prep. with genitive [in LXX for פָּנִים, עַיִן, etc., cf. Dalman, Words, 31 f., 209 f., and Deiss., BS., 213], in NT, most frequently in Lk, Ac, Re, never in Mt, Mk, before, in the presence of: Luk.1:19 Luk.4:7, Act.4:10 Act.6:5, Rev.1:4 2:14, al.; esp. ἐ. Κυρίου (θεοῦ), in the sight of God, or with God as witness or as judge, Rom.14:22, 1Co.1:29, 1Ti.2:3, Jas.4:10, 1Pe.3:4, al. (AS)

men,ἀνθρώπων,anthrōpōnG0444
a human

ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) ἄνθρωπος, -ου, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for אִישׁ ,אָדָם, also for אֱנוֹשׁ, etc. ;] man: 1. generically, a human being, male or female (Lat. homo): Jhn.16:21; with art., Mat.4:4 12:35, Mrk.2:27, Jhn.2:25, Rom.7:1, al; disting. from God, Mat.19:6, Jhn.10:33, Col.3:23, al.; from animals, etc., Mat.4:19, Luk.5:10, Rev.9:4, al.; implying human frailty and imperfection, 1Co.3:4; σοφία ἀνθρώπων, 1Co.2:5; ἀνθρώπων ἐπιθυμίαι, 1Pe.4:2; κατὰ ἄνθρωπον περιπατεῖν, 1Co.3:3; κατὰ ἄ. λέγειν (λαλεῖν), Rom.3:5, 1Co.9:8; κατὰ ἄ- λέγειν, Gal.3:15 (cf. 1Co.15:32, Gal.1:11); by meton., of man's nature or condition, ὁ …

butδὲdeG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

GodθεὸςtheosG2316
God

θεός (theos) θεός, -οῦ, ὁ, ἡ (Act.19:37 only; see M, Pr., 60, 244), late voc., θεέ (Mat.27:46; cf. Deu.3:24, al.), [in LXX chiefly for אֱלֹהִים, also for אֵל and other cognate forms, יהוה, etc. ;] a god or deity, God. 1. In polytheistic sense, a god or deity: Act.28:6, 1Co.8:4, 2Th.2:4, al.; pl., Ac. 14:11 19:26, Gal.4:8, al. 2. Of the one true God; …

knowsγινώσκειginōskeiG1097
to know

γινώσκω (ginōskō) γινώσκω (= γιγν-: see previous word. So also vulgar Attic, in Inscr., see Thumb, MGV, 207), [in LXX chiefly for ידע ;] to be taking in knowledge, come to know, recognize, perceive, understand; in past tenses to know, realize; pass., to become known: with accusative, Mat.22:18, Mrk.5:43, Col.4:8, 1Th.3:5, al. Pass., Mat.10:26, Php.4:5, al.; before ὅτι, Mat.21:45, Jhn.4:1, al.; τί, Mat.6:3; ἀπό, Mrk.15:45; ὅ, Rom.7:15; τ. λεγόμενα, Luk.18:34; τ. θέλημα, Luk.12:47; τ. καρδίας, Luk.16:15; with accusative of person(s), of recognition by God, 1Co.8:3, Gal.4:9; by Christ, neg., Mat.7:23; frequently …

heartsκαρδίαςkardiasG2588
heart

καρδία (kardia) καρδία, -ας, ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for לֵבָב ,לֵב ;] the heart, 1. the bodily organ which is regarded as the seat of life ( 2Ki.18:14, 4Ki.9:24, al.). 2. In a psychological sense, the seat of man's collective energies, the focus of personal life, the seat of the rational as well as the emotional and volitional elements in human life, hence that wherein lies the moral and religious condition of the man (DB, ii, 317f.; DGG, ii, 344a); (a) of the seat of physical life ( Jdg.19:5, Psa.101 (102):5 103 (104):15): Act.14:17, Jas.5:5; …

of youὑμῶνhumōnG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

forὅτιhotiG3754H
that/since: that

ὅτι (hoti) ὅτι, conjc. (prop. neut. of ὅστις). I. As conjc, introducing an objective clause, that; 1. after verbs of seeing, knowing, thinking, saying, feeling: Mat.3:9 6:32 11:25, Mrk.3:28, Luk.2:49, Jhn.2:22, Act.4:13, Rom.1:13 8:38 10:9, Php.4:15, Jas.2:24, al.; elliptically, Jhn.6:46, Php.3:12, al. 2. After εἶναι (γίνεσθαι): defining a demonstr. or of person(s) pron., Jhn.3:19 16:19, Rom.9:6, 1Jn.3:16 al.; with pron. interrog., Mat.8:27, Mrk.4:41, Luk.4:36, Jhn.4:22 al.; id. elliptically, Luk.2:49, Act.5:4, 9, al.; …

amongἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

menἀνθρώποιςanthrōpoisG0444
a human

ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) ἄνθρωπος, -ου, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for אִישׁ ,אָדָם, also for אֱנוֹשׁ, etc. ;] man: 1. generically, a human being, male or female (Lat. homo): Jhn.16:21; with art., Mat.4:4 12:35, Mrk.2:27, Jhn.2:25, Rom.7:1, al; disting. from God, Mat.19:6, Jhn.10:33, Col.3:23, al.; from animals, etc., Mat.4:19, Luk.5:10, Rev.9:4, al.; implying human frailty and imperfection, 1Co.3:4; σοφία ἀνθρώπων, 1Co.2:5; ἀνθρώπων ἐπιθυμίαι, 1Pe.4:2; κατὰ ἄνθρωπον περιπατεῖν, 1Co.3:3; κατὰ ἄ. λέγειν (λαλεῖν), Rom.3:5, 1Co.9:8; κατὰ ἄ- λέγειν, Gal.3:15 (cf. 1Co.15:32, Gal.1:11); by meton., of man's nature or condition, ὁ …

[is] exaltedὑψηλὸνhupsēlonG5308
high

ὑψηλός (hupsēlos) ὑψηλός, -ή, -όν [in LXX chiefly for בָּמָה, also for בָּמָה, רוּם, etc. ;] high, lofty: ὄρος, Mat.4:8 17:1, Mrk.9:2, Rev.21:10; τεῖχος, Rev.21:12; μετὰ βραχίονος., figuratively, Act.13:17 (cf. Exo.6:6, al); pl., ὑψηλά, of heaven (Psa.93:4, Isa.33:5, al.), Heb.1:3; compar., ὑψηλότερος τ. οὐρανῶν, Heb.7:26. Metaph: Luk.16:15; ὑψηλὰ ψρσνεῖν, Rom.11:20 12:16, 1Ti.6:17 (WH, txt., ὑψηλοφρονείν).† (AS)

an abominationβδέλυγμαbdelugmaG0946
abomination

βδέλυγμα (bdelugma) βδέλυγμα, -τος, τό (βδελύσσω), [in LXX chiefly for שֶׁקֶץ ,תּוֹעֵבָה ;] an abomination, a detestable thing: Luk.16:15, Rev.17:4, 5 21:27; τὸ β. τ. ἐρημώσεως (Dan LXX 12:11, cf . 1Ma.1:54; DB, i, 12f.; DCG, i, 6f.), Mrk.13:14, Mat.24:15 (Cremer, 138).† (AS)

beforeἐνώπιονenōpionG1799
before

ἐνώπιον (enōpion) ἐνώπιος, -ον (ὤψ), [in LXX for פָּנִים, etc. ;] face to face, in sight (Theocr.; ἄρτοι ἐ., Exo.25:29): neut., ἐνώπιον, in vernacular, with force of prep. with genitive [in LXX for פָּנִים, עַיִן, etc., cf. Dalman, Words, 31 f., 209 f., and Deiss., BS., 213], in NT, most frequently in Lk, Ac, Re, never in Mt, Mk, before, in the presence of: Luk.1:19 Luk.4:7, Act.4:10 Act.6:5, Rev.1:4 2:14, al.; esp. ἐ. Κυρίου (θεοῦ), in the sight of God, or with God as witness or as judge, Rom.14:22, 1Co.1:29, 1Ti.2:3, Jas.4:10, 1Pe.3:4, al. (AS)

GodθεοῦtheouG2316
God

θεός (theos) θεός, -οῦ, ὁ, ἡ (Act.19:37 only; see M, Pr., 60, 244), late voc., θεέ (Mat.27:46; cf. Deu.3:24, al.), [in LXX chiefly for אֱלֹהִים, also for אֵל and other cognate forms, יהוה, etc. ;] a god or deity, God. 1. In polytheistic sense, a god or deity: Act.28:6, 1Co.8:4, 2Th.2:4, al.; pl., Ac. 14:11 19:26, Gal.4:8, al. 2. Of the one true God; …

is.ἐστιν.¶estinG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.