EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Luke 16:8
8Jesus then said, ‘The servant in the story was not honest. But his master spoke well about what he had done. It would help the servant later in his life. People that do not obey God think carefully. They know how to do well with people who are like themselves. But people who live in God's light often think less carefully.
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
6The man replied, “I have to give him 100 barrels of oil.” The servant said to him, “Here is the paper with your debt written down on it. Take the paper. Sit down now and write 50 barrels there.” 7He asked the next man, “How big is your debt to my master?” The man replied, “I have to give him 100 baskets of wheat.” The servant replied, “Here is the paper with your debt written down on it. Take the paper and write 80 baskets.” ’ Jesus then said, ‘The servant in the story was not honest. But his master spoke well about what he had done. It would help the servant later in his life. People that do not obey God think carefully. They know how to do well with people who are like themselves. But people who live in God's light often think less carefully. 9So I tell you this. People may get money in wrong ways. But you should use it to do good to those who need help. Then they will be your friends. You will die, one day. Then those people will be happy to see you in that place where people live for all time. 10If you can trust a person with a very small thing, you can also trust him with bigger things. And if you cannot trust a person with a very small thing, you cannot trust him with big things.
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- the lordὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the lordκύριοςkurios · lord: masterG2962
- commendedἐπαινέωepaineō · to praiseG1867
- the unjustἀδικίαadikia · unrighteousnessG93
- stewardοἰκονόμοςoikonomos · managerG3623
- becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- he had doneποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- wiselyφρονίμωςphronimōs · shrewdlyG5430
- the childrenυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- of thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- worldαἰώνaiōn · an age: ageG165
- areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- inεἰςeis · towardG1519
- theirἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- generationγενεάgenea · generationG1074
- wiserφρόνιμοςphronimos · thoughtfulG5429
- thanὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
- of lightφῶςphōs · lightG5457
Cross-references for Luke 16:8
- Luke 16:10If you can trust a person with a very small thing, you can also trust him with bigger things. And if you cannot trust a person with a very small thing, you cannot trust him with big things.
- Luke 18:6Jesus then said, ‘This judge was not a good man. But you should think about what he said. He helped the woman because she caused him trouble.
- Luke 16:4I must stop working for my master. But I know what I can do so that people will then accept me into their homes.”
- Genesis 3:1The Lord God made many wild animals. But the snake was the most clever of them all. The snake asked the woman, ‘Did God say, “You must not eat the fruit from any tree in the garden”? Is that really true?’
- Exodus 1:10We must find a clever way to stop them. If we do nothing, their families will become even bigger. Then, if there is a war, they will join our enemies and they will fight against us. That will give the Israelites a chance to leave our country.’
- 2 Samuel 13:3Amnon had a friend called Jonadab. He was the son of David's brother, Shimeah. Jonadab was a clever man.
- 2 Kings 10:19So tell all the prophets who serve Baal to come here, as well as all Baal's servants and his priests. Make sure that they all come. I want to offer a great sacrifice to Baal. If any of them does not come, I will punish him with death.’ But Jehu was deceiving them. He wanted to kill all Baal's servants.
- Proverbs 6:6Learn a lesson from the ants, you lazy person! See how hard they work.
- Luke 20:34Jesus answered them, ‘Men and women who are alive on earth are the ones who get married.
- Psalms 17:14Lord, use your power to save me from them. They only think about this world, and they enjoy the good things that it gives them. So give them all that you have ready for them. Give them more than they want! May their children also have plenty, and enough left to give to their children too.
- 1 Corinthians 3:18Be careful! Do not think that you are better than you really are. Maybe you think that you are wise, like people today want to be wise. But if you want to become truly wise, be ready for other people to think that you are a fool.
- Philippians 3:19In the end, God will destroy them. Their stomach is what they worship. They are proud of things that should make them ashamed. Their thoughts are full of things that belong to this world.
- Psalms 49:10Surely you see that even wise people die, in the way that fools and stupid people also die. Then their money will belong to someone else.
- Matthew 17:26‘They take the taxes from other people,’ Peter replied. Jesus said to him, ‘This means that people from the ruler's own country do not need to pay anything.
- John 12:36While you still have the light with you, believe in that light. So then you will become children of light.’ When Jesus had said this, he went away. He hid himself from them.
- Ephesians 5:8Once your minds were completely in the dark. But now you belong to the Lord. As a result, you have become full of light. So now you must live as people who belong to the 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
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