Luke 16 So He went on saying to the disciples, "A certain person (human being) who was rich had a house manager (administrator; steward), and this manager was accused (thrust-through with charges brought by an adversary; note: from this verb comes the noun "one who thrusts-through," commonly rendered "devil") to him as habitually squandering his possessions and means of subsistence by thoroughly scattering and wasting them.

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ So He went on saying to the disciples, "A certain person (human being) who was rich had a house manager (administrator; steward), and this [manager] was accused (thrust-through with charges brought by an adversary; [note: from this verb comes the noun "one who thrusts-through," commonly rendered "devil"]) to him as habitually squandering his possessions and means of subsistence by thoroughly scattering and wasting [them]. ² "And so, upon summoning him, he said to him, 'What [is] this [that] I am continually hearing about you (or: Why am I now hearing this concerning you)? Turn in the account (= Hand over the books for an audit) of your management (administration; stewardship), for you are no longer able to be [the] manager of the household.' ³ "So the manager said within himself, 'What shall I do, because my master (lord; = employer) is in the process of taking the management (the administration) away from me? I am not strong to be habitually digging; I am ashamed and feel disgrace to make a life of begging. ⁴ "'I know from experience what I will proceed in doing, so that, whenever I am actually transferred (or: may have my position changed) from out of the management (the position of administration), folks may welcome and receive me into their own houses (or: homes).' ⁵ "And then, after calling to himself each one of his own master's (lord's; = employer's) debtors, he was saying to the first one, 'How much do you continue owing to my master (lord; = employer)?' ⁶ "So he said, 'One hundred baths (Hebrew liquid measure: = about five to nine hundred gallons [estimates vary]) of olive oil.' So [the manager] said to him, 'Take in hand (= take back) your writings (the notes; the contracts; the invoices) and, after sitting down, quickly write [a new one for] fifty.' ⁷ "Next, he said to a different person, 'You there – how much are you continuing to owe?' So he said, 'One hundred cors (Hebrew dry measure: = about a thousand bushels) of grain.' He said to him, 'Take in hand (= take back) your writings (contracts; invoices), and write [a new one for] eighty.' ⁸ "And so the master (lord; = employer) commended (added praise and applause to) the estate-manager in regard to the disregard for what is right (the injustice; the actions which were not in accord with the way pointed out; = the dishonesty), because he acted thoughtfully (or: performed intelligently in considering [the situation]), because, you see, the sons of this age (= the people who have the qualities and display the character of the current age and present period of time) exist being (or: are) more thoughtful, prudent and intelligent with common sense than (or: above) the sons of the Light (= people of the covenant with revealed knowledge of the way of life) [are] unto (or: respecting; with a view to) their own generation. ⁹ "Further, I am now saying to you folks, At once make friends from out of the midst of the mammon (Aramaic: wealth and earthly goods; Syrian god of riches) that pertains to and has its source in inequity (or: the aforementioned mammon of injustice and dishonesty) so that whenever it gives out (fails; falls short; is defaulting) folks can (or: may; would) welcome and receive you into the tents that have the qualities and characteristics of [this] age (or: the tabernacles that last for an undetermined duration). ¹⁰ "The person [who is] faithful (reliable; trustworthy; loyal) in [the] least (or: smallest) also continues being (or: is) faithful (reliable; trustworthy; loyal) in much; and the person [who is] inequitable (unjust; = dishonest) in [the] least (or: smallest) also continues being (or: is) inequitable (unjust; unfair) in much. ¹¹ "Therefore, since you folks did not (or: if you folks do not) come to be faithful and trustworthy in connection with the inequitable mammon (the unfair and unjust wealth), who will proceed entrusting to you (or: in you) the real and true? ¹² "And since you folks did not (or: if you folks do not) come to be faithful and trustworthy in connection with the thing belonging to another, who will continue giving to you (or: for you; in you) the thing that is your own [other MSS: that is ours]? ¹³ "No domestic (household servant) continues able to habitually perform as a slave for (or: to) two owners (masters; lords); you see, he will either proceed treating the one with less preference and disfavor (with ill will; with disapproval; with hate) and will continue loving the other (the different one), or, he will continue holding himself instead to (= uphold, be attentive to, stay loyal to and support) [things] pertaining to one and then proceed despising (hold a down-oriented opinion and frame of mind toward) the other (the different one). You folks continue unable to keep on performing as a slave for (or: to) God and also to (or: for) mammon (= wealth, money, or, the god of riches). ¹⁴ Now the Pharisees, habitually being inherently fond of silver (= money-lovers), were listening to all these things, and so began turning out and up their noses while contemptuously sneering at Him. ¹⁵ Consequently He said to them, "You men are the ones constantly justifying yourselves in the sight of people (or: show yourselves as being fair and equitable to humans), but God continuously knows your hearts by intimate experience! The fact is, the thing [which is] high and lofty among humans [is] a disgusting and nauseating thing (something which is the result of filth and nastiness) in God's sight. ¹⁶ "The Law [= Torah] and the Prophets [continued in effect] until John [the baptist]. From that time on, the reign (royal rule; kingdom; sovereign influence and activity) of God is being progressively brought and declared as the good news of well-being, ease and goodness – and everyone is one after another being pressed and forced into it (or, as a middle voice: and so, without any recourse to law or customary right, everyone is progressively crowding himself into it)! ¹⁷ "Still, it continues being easier (or: Now it is less trouble and work) for the sky or atmosphere and the land (or: the heaven and the earth) to pass on by or go to the side, than for one horn-like projection (diacritical mark, such as an accent or breathing mark, or part of a Hebrew letter; a serif; = the smallest detail) of the Law to fall. [comment: this means that the Jewish leaders would receive the curses of the Law] ¹⁸ "Every man repeatedly loosing-away (dismissing; divorcing) his [current] wife, and then proceeding in marrying a different woman is in the act of committing adultery. And also the man habitually (or: one after another) marrying a woman having been loosed-away (divorced) from a husband is in the act of committing adultery. [comment: Jesus is here condemning the then current practices of the male-dominated marriage/divorce arrangements of those who followed the school of Hillel, which taught that a man could divorce his wife "for any reason"] ¹⁹ "Now there was a certain rich man, and he was in the habit of dressing himself with purple fabric and fine linen (a shiny white cloth made from bleached flax; used in Egypt for wrapping mummies; = costly garments) while daily enjoying himself and being in a good frame of mind – [being simply] radiant (or: [living] splendidly and magnificently). ²⁰ "Now in contrast, there was a certain destitute man named Lazarus, who, having been sorely wounded (or: afflicted with sores and ulcers), had been flung [down] (or: cast [aside]) in the proximity of and [facing] toward the large portico (gateway and forecourt) of his [house]. ²¹ "And [he continued there] progressively experiencing strong desires to be fed and satisfied from the things [which were] from time to time falling from the rich man's table. Not only that, even the dogs – periodically coming – were licking his wounds (or: sores and ulcers). ²² "Now at one point it came to be [for] the destitute man to die off and for him to be carried away by the agents (or: messengers) into Abraham's place of safety and intimacy (bosom; breast; chest; folds of a garment; inlet or bay; [note: a figure of Paradise]). Now the rich man also died, and he was buried (or: – he also was entombed). ²³ "Then, undergoing the distress of being examined, tested and tried (having the touchstone applied to check his composition) within the midst of the unseen [realm] (or: = the grave; the sphere or state of the dead; Greek: hades), upon lifting up his eyes he continues seeing Abraham, from afar, as well as Lazarus within his bosom (place of intimacy and safety). ²⁴ "And so he, shouting a call, said, 'Father Abraham, mercy me (do at once that which will be merciful to me) and at once send Lazarus (means: God's helper; or: God is the Helper) so that he can (or: may) immerse (dip; baptize) the tip of his finger [in] water, and then can cool down my tongue – because I continue being pained within the midst of this flame.' ²⁵ "But Abraham said, 'Child (or: Born one; or: Descendant), be reminded that within your life (or: lifetime) you took away (or: received from; or: got in full) your good things (or: the good things that pertain to you; the good things that had their source in you), and Lazarus likewise the bad things (the [experiences] of poor quality; the worthless things; the harmful and injurious [treatments]; the [conditions] as they ought not to be). But at the present time, here he continues being called alongside and given relief, aid, comfort and consolation, yet you yourself continue being given pain. ²⁶ "'Furthermore, in the midst of all these things [and conditions] a great, yawning chasm (or: gaping opening) has been set firmly in position and is now established between us and you people, so that folks presently wanting or intending to step through from here toward you people would continue being unable [to do so] – neither could folks pass over from there toward us.' ²⁷ "So he said, 'Then I am begging you, father (or: O father, in that case I now ask you), that you would send him into the house (or: household) of my father – ²⁸ "'you see, I continue having five brothers – so that he can progressively bring a thorough witness (testimony; or: show complete evidence) to them, to the end that they would not also come into this place of painful examination and testing (or: of the application of the touchstone, which tests our composition).' [Note: the touchstone (lapis Lydius) was applied to metals to determine the amount of alloy which was mixed in, and thus e.g. with a gold object, is a test to indicate the amount of pure gold in the piece. The process became a figure of the pain and discomfort of a person sick with palsy (Matt.8:60); of the difficulties and pressures in maneuvering against a strong wind and high waves (Matt. 14:24); of the hard work of rowing in a storm (Mark 6:48); of how Lot was distressed by lawless acts (2 Pet. 2:7-8); and of the pain of childbirth (Rev. 12:2) – all of which can be construed as "tests" given by God. The flame in the context of this parable calls to mind the fire of the "refiner and purifier of silver" and the purging of the gold by Yahweh (Mal. 3:3) in His dealing with the Levites. It is also interesting to note that "purple fabric and fine linen" were used as part of the vestments of the priests (Ex. 39), as well as by the rich.] ²⁹ "But Abraham proceeds to say, 'They continue having Moses and the Prophets – let them at once listen to and hear from them.' ³⁰ "Yet he said, 'O no (or: = That's not enough; or: = They won't), father Abraham. However, if someone from [the] dead people should go his way (or: travel) to them, they will proceed to change their minds (or: have a change in their way of thinking) [and be returning to Yahweh]!' ³¹ "Still, he rejoined to him, 'Since (or: If) they are not in the habit of listening to or hearing Moses and the Prophets, neither will they proceed in being persuaded if someone should arise and stand up out from among [the] dead folks.'"