“The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.
Parallel translations
- WEB “His lord commended the dishonest manager because he had done wisely, for the children of this world are, in their own generation, wiser than the children of the light.
- 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.
- BSB The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light.
- 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.
- NASB And his master complimented the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The master commends the dishonest manager for acting shrewdly, noting the worldly are wiser in their dealings than the children of light.
Overview
Jesus commends not the man's dishonesty but his shrewd foresight. He laments that worldly people pursue their goals more cleverly than believers pursue eternal ones. The 'children of light,' a New Testament term for the redeemed, should match the world's prudence while exceeding its motives.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- 1 Th 5:5You are all children of light, and children of the day. We don’t belong to the night, nor to darkness,
- Eph 5:8For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
- John 12:36While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light.” Jesus said these things, and he departed and hid himself from them.
- Luke 16:10He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
- Prov 6:6–8Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;
- Exod 1:10Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it happen that when any war breaks out, they also join themselves to our enemies, and fight against us, and escape out of the land.”
- 1 Jn 3:10In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother.
- Luke 16:4I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from management, they may receive me into their houses.’
- 1 Cor 3:18Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.
- Gen 3:1Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?’”
- Luke 20:34Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry, and are given in marriage.
- Ps 17:14from men by your hand, Yahweh, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.
- 2 Sam 13:3But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man.
- Ps 49:10–19For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others.
- 2 Kgs 10:19Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all of his worshipers, and all of his priests. Let no one be absent; for I have a great sacrifice to Baal. Whoever is absent, he shall not live.” But Jehu did deceptively, intending to destroy the worshipers of Baal.
- Matt 17:26Peter said to him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Therefore the children are exempt.
- Phil 3:19whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.
- 1 Pet 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
- Luke 18:6The Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says.
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 16:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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