American Standard Version
Luke 16:8
8And his lord commended the unrighteous steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light.
Luke 16:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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.
- New International Version (NIV)“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.
Context of Luke 16:8
6And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bond, and sit down quickly and write fifty. 7Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. He saith unto him, Take thy bond, and write fourscore. And his lord commended the unrighteous steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light. 9And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles. 10He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much.
Read all of Luke 16Luke 16:8 word by word
καὶ ἐπῄνεσεν ὁ κύριος τὸν οἰκονόμον τῆς ἀδικίας ὅτι φρονίμως ἐποίησεν, ὅτι οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου φρονιμώτεροι ὑπὲρ τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ φωτὸς εἰς τὴν γενεὰν τὴν ἑαυτῶν εἰσιν.Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Luke 16:8
- Luke 16:10He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much.
- Luke 18:6And the Lord said, Hear what the unrighteous judge saith.
- Luke 16:4I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
- Genesis 3:1Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which Jehovah God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?
- Exodus 1:10come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they also join themselves unto our enemies, and fight against us, and get them up out of the land.
- 2 Samuel 13:3But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtle man.
- 2 Kings 10:19Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshippers, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtlety, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.
- Proverbs 6:6Go to the ant, thou sluggard; Consider her ways, and be wise:
- Luke 20:34And Jesus said unto them, The sons of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
- Psalms 17:14From men by thy hand, O Jehovah, From men of the world, whose portion is inthislife, And whose belly thou fillest with thy treasure: They are satisfied with children, And leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
- 1 Corinthians 3:18Let no man deceive himself. If any man thinketh that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.
- Philippians 3:19whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.
- Psalms 49:10For he shall see it. Wise men die; The fool and the brutish alike perish, And leave their wealth to others.
- Matthew 17:26And when he said, From strangers, Jesus said unto him, Therefore the sons are free.
- John 12:36While ye have the light, believe on the light, that ye may become sons of light. These things spake Jesus, and he departed and hid himself from them.
- Ephesians 5:8for ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light
Commentaries on Luke 16:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8The lord commended - Viz. the master of this unjust steward. He spoke highly of the address and cunning of his iniquitous servant. He had, on his own principles, made a very prudent provision for his support; but his master no more approved of his conduct in this, than he did in his wasting his substance before. From the ambiguous and improper manner in which this is expressed in the common English translation, it has been supposed that our blessed Lord…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8The lord commended - Praised, or expressed admiration at his wisdom. These are not the words of Jesus, as commending him, but a part of the narrative or parable. His “master” commended him - saw that he was wise and considerate, though he was dishonest. The unjust steward - It is not said that his master commended him because he was “unjust,” but because he was “wise.” This is the only thing in his conduct of which there is any approbation expressed, and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8The ways of the world are the opposite of God’s ways. The children of this world use all their resources to succeed or gain an advantage in this world. God’s people do just the opposite (16:9). the sons of the light: These are God's people (see John 12:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. the lord--evidently the steward's lord, so called in Lu 16:3, 5. commended, &c.--not for his "injustice," but "because he had done wisely," or prudently; with commendable foresight and skilful adaptation of means to end. children of this world--so Lu 20:34; compare Psa 17:14 ("their portion in this life"); Php 3:19 ("mind earthly things"); Psa 4:6, 7. their generation--or "for their generation"--that is, for the purposes of the "world" they are "of."…Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 16:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Luke 16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries