THEN said he also to his disciples, There was a certain rich man, who
had a steward; and he received an information against him, as having
dissipated his treasures. (2)And calling him, he said to him, What is
this report I hear of thee? give up the account of thy stewardship; for
thou mayest be no longer in that office. (3)Then the steward said
within himself, What shall I do? because my master is taking away the
stewardship from me: to dig, I have not the strength; to beg, I am
ashamed. (4)I know what I will do, that, when I am removed from the
stewardship, they may entertain me at their houses. (5)So calling upon
every one of his master's debtors, he said to the first, How much owest
thou to my master? (6)And he said, A hundred baths of oil. And he said,
Take thy account, and sit down directly, and write fifty. (7)Then said
he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred core of
wheat. And he saith to him, Take thy account, and write fourscore.
(8)And the master praised the unjust steward, because he had acted
providently: for the children of this world are more provident among
their own generation of men, than the children of light. (9)And I say
unto you, Make yourselves friends with the unrighteous mammon that when
ye fail, they may receive you into the eternal mansions.
(10)He that is faithful in the least thing, is faithful also in much:
and he who is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much. (11)If
therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will
entrust you with the true? (12)and if ye have not been faithful in that
which belongs to another, who will give up to you that which is your
own? (13)No domestic can serve two masters: for either he will hate the
one, and love the other; or he will cleave to the one, and neglect the
other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
(14)Then the Pharisees also, who were dear lovers of money, heard all
these things, and they sneered at him. (15)And he said unto them, Ye
are they who affect to be righteous persons before men; but God knoweth
your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men, is an
abomination in the sight of God. (16)The law and the prophets were
until John: since that the kingdom of God is preached, and every man
presseth into it. (17)But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass
away, than for one tittle of the law to fail. (18)Every one who putteth
away his wife and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and every one
who marrieth a woman divorced from her husband, committeth adultery.
(19)Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and
fine linen, making splendid entertainments every day: (20)and there was
a certain pauper, named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate covered with
ulcers, (21)and importunately desiring to be fed with the crumbs which
fell from the rich man's table: yea even the dogs came and licked his
ulcers. (22)Now it came to pass that the poor man died, and was carried
up by angels into the bosom of Abraham. Then the rich man also died,
and was buried: (23)and in hell, lifting up his eyes, being in
torments, he seeth Abraham at a vast distance, and Lazarus in his
bosom. (24)And crying out, he said, Father Abraham, have compassion on
me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water,
and cool my tongue; for I am tormented with this flame. (25)But Abraham
said, Son, remember that thou hast received thy good things during thy
life, and Lazarus, in like manner, what was afflictive: but now he is
comforted, and thou art tormented. (26)And besides all these
considerations, between us and you there is a vast chasm fixed: so that
they who might be willing to pass from hence to you, cannot; neither
can they pass through to us, from thence. (27)And he said, I entreat
thee then, father, that thou wouldest send him to my paternal mansion:
(28)for I have five brothers: that he may testify to them, that they
also come not into this place of torment. (29)Abraham saith to him,
They have Moses and the prophets; let them hearken to them. (30)But he
said, Ah no, father Abraham! but if one came to them from the dead,
they will repent. (31)Then he said to him, If they hearken not to Moses
and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from
the dead.