Matthew 18:23-24

The Parable of the Unforgiving Slave

18:23 “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. ¹  18:24 As ²  he began settling his accounts, a man who owed ten thousand talents ³  was brought to him.

Luke 16:1-2

The Parable of the Clever Steward

16:1 Jesus ⁴  also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who was informed of accusations ⁵  that his manager ⁶  was wasting ⁷  his assets. 16:2 So ⁸  he called the manager ⁹  in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? ¹⁰  Turn in the account of your administration, ¹¹  because you can no longer be my manager.’

Luke 16:19-31

The Rich Man and Lazarus

16:19 “There was a rich man who dressed in purple ¹²  and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously ¹³  every day. 16:20 But at his gate lay ¹⁴  a poor man named Lazarus ¹⁵  whose body was covered with sores, ¹⁶  16:21 who longed to eat ¹⁷  what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs ¹⁸  came and licked ¹⁹  his sores.

16:22 “Now ²⁰  the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. ²¹  The ²²  rich man also died and was buried. ²³  16:23 And in hell, ²⁴  as he was in torment, ²⁵  he looked up ²⁶  and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side. ²⁷  16:24 So ²⁸  he called out, ²⁹  ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus ³⁰  to dip the tip of his finger ³¹  in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish ³²  in this fire.’ ³³  16:25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, ³⁴  remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish. ³⁵  16:26 Besides all this, ³⁶  a great chasm ³⁷  has been fixed between us, ³⁸  so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ 16:27 So ³⁹  the rich man ⁴⁰  said, ‘Then I beg you, father – send Lazarus ⁴¹  to my father’s house 16:28 (for I have five brothers) to warn ⁴²  them so that they don’t come ⁴³  into this place of torment.’ 16:29 But Abraham said, ⁴⁴  ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to ⁴⁵  them.’ 16:30 Then ⁴⁶  the rich man ⁴⁷  said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead ⁴⁸  goes to them, they will repent.’ 16:31 He ⁴⁹  replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to ⁵⁰  Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” ⁵¹ 

Romans 14:7-12

14:7 For none of us lives for himself and none dies for himself. 14:8 If we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 14:9 For this reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he may be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

14:10 But you who eat vegetables only – why do you judge your brother or sister? ⁵²  And you who eat everything – why do you despise your brother or sister? ⁵³  For we will all stand before the judgment seat ⁵⁴  of God. 14:11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.” ⁵⁵  14:12 Therefore, each of us will give an account of himself to God. ⁵⁶ 

Romans 14:1

Exhortation to Mutual Forbearance

14:1 Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions. ⁵⁷ 

Colossians 3:12-15

Exhortation to Unity and Love

3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, ⁵⁸  kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 3:13 bearing with one another and forgiving ⁵⁹  one another, if someone happens to have ⁶⁰  a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others. ⁶¹  3:14 And to all these ⁶²  virtues ⁶³  add ⁶⁴  love, which is the perfect bond. ⁶⁵  3:15 Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body ⁶⁶  to this peace), and be thankful.

Colossians 3:2

3:2 Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth,

Colossians 1:10

1:10 so that you may live ⁶⁷  worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects ⁶⁸  – bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God,

James 3:1

The Power of the Tongue

3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, ⁶⁹  because you know that we will be judged more strictly. ⁷⁰ 

[18:23]  ¹ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.

[18:24]  ² tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[18:24]  ³ sn A talent was a huge sum of money, equal to 6,000 denarii. One denarius was the usual day’s wage for a worker. L&N 6.82 states, “a Greek monetary unit (also a unit of weight) with a value which fluctuated, depending upon the particular monetary system which prevailed at a particular period of time (a silver talent was worth approximately six thousand denarii with gold talents worth at least thirty times that much).”

[16:1]  ⁴ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:1]  ⁵ 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.”

[16:1]  ⁶ sn His manager was the steward in charge of managing the house. He could have been a slave trained for the role.

[16:1]  ⁷ tn Or “squandering.” This verb is graphic; it means to scatter (L&N 57.151).

[16:2]  ⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the reports the man received about his manager.

[16:2]  ⁹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (the manager) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:2]  ¹⁰ sn Although phrased as a question, the charges were believed by the owner, as his dismissal of the manager implies.

[16:2]  ¹¹ tn Or “stewardship”; the Greek word οἰκονομία (oikonomia) is cognate with the noun for the manager (οἰκονόμος, oikonomo").

[16:19]  ¹² sn Purple describes a fine, expensive dye used on luxurious clothing, and by metonymy, refers to clothing colored with that dye. It pictures someone of great wealth.

[16:19]  ¹³ tn Or “celebrated with ostentation” (L&N 88.255), that is, with showing off. Here was the original conspicuous consumer.

[16:20]  ¹⁴ tn The passive verb ἐβέβλητο (ebeblhto) does not indicate how Lazarus got there. Cf. BDAG 163 s.v. βάλλω 1.b, “he lay before the door”; Josephus, Ant. 9.10.2 (9.209).

[16:20]  ¹⁵ sn This is the one time in all the gospels that a figure in a parable is mentioned by name. It will become important later in the account.

[16:20]  ¹⁶ tn Or “was covered with ulcers.” The words “whose body” are implied in the context (L&N 23.180).

[16:21]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “to eat his fill,” but this phrase has been simplified as “to eat” for stylistic reasons.

[16:21]  ¹⁸ tn The term κύνες (kunes) refers to “wild” dogs (either “street” dogs or watchdogs), not house pets (L&N 4.34).

[16:21]  ¹⁹ sn When the dogs came and licked his sores it meant that he was unclean. See the negative image of Rev 22:15 that draws on this picture.

[16:22]  ²⁰ tn Grk “Now it happened that the.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[16:22]  ²¹ tn Grk “to Abraham’s bosom.” The phrase “carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom” describes being gathered to the fathers and is a way to refer to heaven (Gen 15:15; 47:30; Deut 31:16).

[16:22]  ²² tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[16:22]  ²³ sn The shorter description suggests a different fate, which is confirmed in the following verses.

[16:23]  ²⁴ sn The Greek term Hades stands for the Hebrew concept of Sheol. It is what is called hell today. This is where the dead were gathered (Ps 16:10; 86:13). In the NT Hades has an additional negative force of awaiting judgment (Rev 20:13).

[16:23]  ²⁵ sn Hades is a place of torment, especially as one knows that he is separated from God.

[16:23]  ²⁶ tn Grk “he lifted up his eyes” (an idiom).

[16:23]  ²⁷ tn Grk “in his bosom,” the same phrase used in 16:22. This idiom refers to heaven and/or participation in the eschatological banquet. An appropriate modern equivalent is “at Abraham’s side.”

[16:24]  ²⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous actions in the narrative.

[16:24]  ²⁹ tn Grk “calling out he said”; this is redundant in contemporary English style and has been simplified to “he called out.”

[16:24]  ³⁰ sn The rich man had not helped Lazarus before, when he lay outside his gate (v. 2), but he knew him well enough to know his name. This is why the use of the name Lazarus in the parable is significant. (The rich man’s name, on the other hand, is not mentioned, because it is not significant for the point of the story.)

[16:24]  ³¹ sn The dipping of the tip of his finger in water is evocative of thirst. The thirsty are in need of God’s presence (Ps 42:1-2; Isa 5:13). The imagery suggests the rich man is now separated from the presence of God.

[16:24]  ³² tn Or “in terrible pain” (L&N 24.92).

[16:24]  ³³ sn Fire in this context is OT imagery; see Isa 66:24.

[16:25]  ³⁴ tn The Greek term here is τέκνον (teknon), which could be understood as a term of endearment.

[16:25]  ³⁵ tn Or “in terrible pain” (L&N 24.92). Here is the reversal Jesus mentioned in Luke 6:20-26.

[16:26]  ³⁶ tn Grk “And in all these things.” There is no way Lazarus could carry out this request even if divine justice were not involved.

[16:26]  ³⁷ sn The great chasm between heaven and hell is impassable forever. The rich man’s former status meant nothing now.

[16:26]  ³⁸ tn Grk “between us and you.”

[16:27]  ³⁹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the rich man’s response to Abraham’s words.

[16:27]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the rich man, v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:27]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “Then I beg you, father, that you send him”; the referent (Lazarus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:28]  ⁴² sn To warn them. The warning would consist of a call to act differently than their dead brother had, or else meet his current terrible fate.

[16:28]  ⁴³ tn Grk “lest they also come.”

[16:29]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “says.” This is one of the few times Luke uses the historical present.

[16:29]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “obey”; Grk “hear.” This recalls the many OT texts calling for a righteous heart to respond to people in need (Deut 14:28-29; Isa 3:14-15; Amos 2:6-8; Mic 2:1-2; Zech 7:9-10).

[16:30]  ⁴⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[16:30]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the rich man, v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:30]  ⁴⁸ sn If someone from the dead goes to them. The irony and joy of the story is that what is denied the rich man’s brothers, a word of warning from beyond the grave, is given to the reader of the Gospel in this exchange.

[16:31]  ⁴⁹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[16:31]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “obey”; Grk “hear.” See the note on the phrase “respond to” in v. 29.

[16:31]  ⁵¹ sn The concluding statement of the parable, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead, provides a hint that even Jesus’ resurrection will not help some to respond. The message of God should be good enough. Scripture is the sign to be heeded.

[14:10]  ⁵² tn Grk “But why do you judge your brother?” The introductory phrase has been supplied in the translation to clarify whom Paul is addressing, i.e., the “weak” Christian who eats only vegetables (see vv. 2-3). The author uses the singular pronoun here to rhetorically address one person, but the plural has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[14:10]  ⁵³ tn Grk “Or again, why do you despise your brother?” The introductory phrase has been supplied in the translation to clarify whom Paul is addressing, i.e., the “strong” Christian who eats everything (see vv. 2-3). The author uses the singular pronoun here to rhetorically address one person, but the plural has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[14:10]  ⁵⁴ sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bhma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a familiar item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city.

[14:11]  ⁵⁵ sn A quotation from Isa 45:23.

[14:12]  ⁵⁶ tc ‡ The words “to God” are absent from some mss (B F G 6 630 1739 1881 pc) but are found in א A C D Ψ 0209 33 Ï lat sy co. External evidence somewhat favors their inclusion since Alexandrian, Western, and Byzantine mss are well represented. From an internal standpoint, however, it is easy to see the words as a scribal gloss intended to clarify the referent, especially as a reinforcement to the quotation of Isa 45:23 in v. 11. Not only that, but the abrupt ending of the verse without “to God” is harsh, both in Greek and in English. In this instance, the internal considerations seem overwhelming on the side of the omission. At the same time, English stylistic needs require the words and they have been put into the translation, even though they are most likely not original. NA²⁷ places the words in brackets, indicating doubt as to their authenticity.

[14:1]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “over opinions.” The qualifier “differing” has been supplied to clarify the meaning.

[3:12]  ⁵⁸ tn If the genitive construct σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμοῦ (splancna oiktirmou) is a hendiadys then it would be “compassion” or “tenderheartedness.” See M. J. Harris, Colossians and Philemon (EGGNT), 161.

[3:13]  ⁵⁹ tn For the translation of χαριζόμενοι (carizomenoi) as “forgiving,” see BDAG 1078 s.v. χαρίζομαι 3. The two participles “bearing” (ἀνεχόμενοι, anecomenoi) and “forgiving” (χαριζόμενοι) express the means by which the action of the finite verb “clothe yourselves” is to be carried out.

[3:13]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “if someone has”; the term “happens,” though not in the Greek text, is inserted to bring out the force of the third class condition.

[3:13]  ⁶¹ tn The expression “forgive others” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. It is included in the translation to make the sentence complete and more comprehensible to the English reader.

[3:14]  ⁶² tn BDAG 365 s.v. ἐπί 7 suggests “to all these” as a translation for ἐπὶ πᾶσιν δὲ τούτοις (epi pasin de toutoi").

[3:14]  ⁶³ tn The term “virtues” is not in the Greek text, but is included in the translation to specify the antecedent and to make clear the sense of the pronoun “these.”

[3:14]  ⁶⁴ tn The verb “add,” though not in the Greek text, is implied, picking up the initial imperative “clothe yourselves.”

[3:14]  ⁶⁵ tn The genitive τῆς τελειότητος (th" teleiothto") has been translated as an attributive genitive, “the perfect bond.”

[3:15]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “in one body.” This phrase emphasizes the manner in which the believers were called, not the goal of their calling, and focuses upon their unity.

[1:10]  ⁶⁷ tn The infinitive περιπατῆσαι (peripathsai, “to walk, to live, to live one’s life”) is best taken as an infinitive of purpose related to “praying” (προσευχόμενοι, proseucomenoi) and “asking” (αἰτούμενοι, aitoumenoi) in v. 9 and is thus translated as “that you may live.”

[1:10]  ⁶⁸ tn BDAG 129 s.v. ἀρεσκεία states that ἀρεσκείαν (areskeian) refers to a “desire to please εἰς πᾶσαν ἀ. to please (the Lord) in all respects Col 1:10.”

[3:1]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

[3:1]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “will receive a greater judgment.”