Luke 16:1-2

The Parable of the Clever Steward

16:1 Jesus also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who was informed of accusations that his manager was wasting his assets. 16:2 So he called the manager in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your administration, because you can no longer be my manager.’

Luke 16:10-12

16:10 “The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 16:11 If then you haven’t been trustworthy 10  in handling worldly wealth, 11  who will entrust you with the true riches? 12  16:12 And if you haven’t been trustworthy 13  with someone else’s property, 14  who will give you your own 15 ?

Luke 16:1

The Parable of the Clever Steward

16:1 Jesus 16  also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who was informed of accusations 17  that his manager 18  was wasting 19  his assets.

Colossians 4:2

Exhortation to Pray for the Success of Paul’s Mission

4:2 Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 4:1

4:1 Masters, treat your slaves with justice and fairness, because you know that you also have a master in heaven.

Colossians 4:10

4:10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him).


tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

tn These are not formal legal charges, but reports from friends, acquaintances, etc.; Grk “A certain man was rich who had a manager, and this one was reported to him as wasting his property.”

sn His manager was the steward in charge of managing the house. He could have been a slave trained for the role.

tn Or “squandering.” This verb is graphic; it means to scatter (L&N 57.151).

tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the reports the man received about his manager.

tn Grk “him”; the referent (the manager) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

sn Although phrased as a question, the charges were believed by the owner, as his dismissal of the manager implies.

tn Or “stewardship”; the Greek word οἰκονομία (oikonomia) is cognate with the noun for the manager (οἰκονόμος, oikonomo").

sn The point of the statement faithful in a very little is that character is shown in how little things are treated.

10 tn Or “faithful.”

11 tn Grk “the unrighteous mammon.” See the note on the phrase “worldly wealth” in v. 9.

12 sn Entrust you with the true riches is a reference to future service for God. The idea is like 1 Cor 9:11, except there the imagery is reversed.

13 tn Or “faithful.”

14 tn Grk “have not been faithful with what is another’s.”

15 tn Grk “what is your own.”

16 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

17 tn These are not formal legal charges, but reports from friends, acquaintances, etc.; Grk “A certain man was rich who had a manager, and this one was reported to him as wasting his property.”

18 sn His manager was the steward in charge of managing the house. He could have been a slave trained for the role.

19 tn Or “squandering.” This verb is graphic; it means to scatter (L&N 57.151).