Luke 16:9

Luke 16:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
• New International Version (NIV)I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.

Context of Luke 16:9

7Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8So 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. “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. 10He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

Luke 16:9 word by word

καὶ ἐγὼ ὑμῖν λέγω· ἑαυτοῖς ποιήσατε φίλους ἐκ τοῦ μαμωνᾶ τῆς ἀδικίας, ἵνα ὅταν ἐκλίπῃ δέξωνται ὑμᾶς εἰς τὰς αἰωνίους σκηνάς.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Iκἀγώkagō kamoi kame · and IG2504
• sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• Makeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• to yourselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• friendsφίλοςphilos · friendly/friendG5384
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the mammonὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the mammonμαμμωνᾶςmammōnas · wealthG3126
• of unrighteousnessἀδικίαadikia · unrighteousnessG93
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
• ye failἐκλείπωekleipō · to failG1587
• they may receiveδέχομαιdechomai · to receiveG1209
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• everlastingαἰώνιοςaiōnios · eternalG166
• habitationsσκηνήskēnē · tentG4633

Cross-references for Luke 16:9

• Luke 11:41But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.
• Luke 14:14And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
• Proverbs 19:17He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given.
• Ecclesiastes 11:1Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days.
• Isaiah 58:7Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
• Daniel 4:27Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.”
• Matthew 6:19“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
• Matthew 19:21Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
• Matthew 25:35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
• Acts 10:4And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.
• 2 Corinthians 9:12For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,
• 1 Timothy 6:17Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
• 2 Timothy 1:16The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain;
• Luke 16:11Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
• Proverbs 23:5Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.
• 1 Timothy 6:9But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Commentaries on Luke 16:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9The mammon of unrighteousness - - literally, the mammon, or riches, of injustice. Riches promise Much, and perform Nothing: they excite hope and confidence, and deceive both: in making a man depend on them for happiness, they rob him of the salvation of God and of eternal glory. For these reasons, they are represented as unjust and deceitful. See the note on Matthew 6:24, where this is more particularly explained. It is evident that this must be the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9I say unto you - I, Jesus, say to you, my disciples. Make to yourselves friends - Some have understood the word “friends,” here, as referring to the poor; others, to holy angels; and others, to God. Perhaps, however, the word should not be considered as referring to any particular “persons,” but is used in accordance with the preceding parable; for in the application our Saviour uses the “language” appropriated to the conduct of the steward to express the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Worldly wealth: This is a better translation than the traditional “mammon of unrighteousness” (KJV). Believers are to use their resources wisely for spiritual benefit. they will welcome you into eternal dwellings: This probably refers to the friends gained through faithful use of wealth. Just as the manager’s friends gave him security, the people brought into God’s kingdom will welcome believers into eternal homes.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. Make ... friends of--Turn to your advantage; that is, as the steward did, "by showing mercy to the poor" (Da 4:27; compare Lu 12:33; 14:13, 14). mammon of unrighteousness--treacherous, precarious. (See on Mt 6:24). ye fail--in respect of life. they may receive you--not generally, "ye may be received" (as Lu 6:38, "shall men give"), but "those ye have relieved may rise up as witnesses for you" at the great day. Then, like the steward, when turned out of…Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 16:9

• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Liberality
• Mammon
• Probation
• Servant
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Account
• Beg
• Beside
• Cool
• Deride
• Dig
• Eternal life
• Fare
• Mammon
• Put

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