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Thursday, June 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 6 / Ordinary 11
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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Luke 16:10

Jesus went on to make these comments: If you're honest in small things, you'll be honest in big things; If you're a crook in small things, you'll be a crook in big things. If you're not honest in small jobs, who will put you in charge of the store? No worker can serve two bosses: He'll either hate the first and love the second Or adore the first and despise the second. You can't serve both God and the Bank.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Faithfulness;   Injustice;   Integrity;   Jesus, the Christ;   Probation;   Servant;   Worldliness;   Scofield Reference Index - Parables;   Thompson Chain Reference - Injustice;   Justice-Injustice;   The Topic Concordance - Faith/faithfulness;   Unjustness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Faithfulness;   Injustice;   Servants;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Parables;   Wealth;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Heaven, Heavens, Heavenlies;   Wealth;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Mammon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Luke, Gospel of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Almsgiving ;   Asceticism (2);   Circumstantiality in the Parables;   Common Life;   Discourse;   Faithfulness (2);   Mammon;   Occupation (2);   Paradox;   Property (2);   Righteous, Righteousness;   Selfishness;   Spiritualizing of the Parables;   Steward, Stewardship;   Wealth (2);   Winter ;   Worldliness (2);  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bible, the;   Lazarus;   Steward;   Trade;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Whoever is faithful
King James Version (1611)
Hee that is faithfull in that which is least, is faithfull also in much: and he that is vniust in the least, is vniust also in much.
King James Version
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
English Standard Version
"One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
New American Standard Bible
"The one who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much; and the one who is unrighteous in a very little thing is also unrighteous in much.
New Century Version
Whoever can be trusted with a little can also be trusted with a lot, and whoever is dishonest with a little is dishonest with a lot.
Amplified Bible
"He who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little thing is also dishonest in much.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.
Legacy Standard Bible
"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much, and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.
Berean Standard Bible
Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
Contemporary English Version
Anyone who can be trusted in little matters can also be trusted in important matters. But anyone who is dishonest in little matters will be dishonest in important matters.
Complete Jewish Bible
Someone who is trustworthy in a small matter is also trustworthy in large ones, and someone who is dishonest in a small matter is also dishonest in large ones.
Darby Translation
He that is faithful in the least is faithful also in much; and he that is unrighteous in the least is unrighteous also in much.
Easy-to-Read Version
Whoever can be trusted with small things can also be trusted with big things. Whoever is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in big things too.
Geneva Bible (1587)
He that is faithfull in the least, hee is also faithful in much: and he that is vniust in the least, is vniust also in much.
George Lamsa Translation
He who is faithful with little, is also faithful with much; and he who is dishonest with little, is also dishonest with much.
Good News Translation
Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones; whoever is dishonest in small matters will be dishonest in large ones.
Lexham English Bible
"The one who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in very little is also dishonest in much.
Literal Translation
He faithful in the least is also faithful in much. And he unrighteous in the least is also unrighteous in much.
American Standard Version
He 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.
Bible in Basic English
He who is true in a little, is true in much; he who is false in small things, is false in great.
Hebrew Names Version
He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is unrighteous in a very little is also unrighteous in much.
International Standard Version
Whoever is faithful with very little is also faithful with a lot, and whoever is dishonest with very little is also dishonest with a lot.Matthew 25:21; Luke 19:27;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
Whoever in the little is faithful, in the great also is faithful; and he who in the little is unjust, in the great also is unjust.
Murdock Translation
He that is faithful in the little, is also faithful in the much; and he that is unjust in the little, is also unjust in the much.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He that is faythfull in that which is least, is faythfull also in much. And he that is vnrighteous in the least, is vnrighteous also in much.
English Revised Version
He 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.
World English Bible
He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is unrighteous in a very little is also unrighteous in much.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
He that is faithful in the least, is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much.
Weymouth's New Testament
The man who is honest in a very small matter is honest in a great one also; and he who is dishonest in a very small matter is dishonest in a great one also.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He that is trewe in the leeste thing, is trewe also in the more; and he that is wickid in a litil thing, is wickid also in the more.
Update Bible Version
He 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.
Webster's Bible Translation
He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much.
New English Translation
"The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
New King James Version
He 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.
New Living Translation
"If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities.
New Life Bible
He that is faithful with little things is faithful with big things also. He that is not honest with little things is not honest with big things.
New Revised Standard
"Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The faithful in least, in much also, is, faithful, and, he that in least is unrighteous, in much also, is, unrighteous.
Douay-Rheims Bible
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in that which is greater: and he that is unjust in that which is little is unjust also in that which is greater.
Revised Standard Version
"He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
He that is faithfull in that which is leste ye same is faithfull in moche. And he yt is vnfaithfull in ye least: is vnfaithfull also in moche.
Young's Literal Translation
`He who is faithful in the least, [is] also faithful in much; and he who in the least [is] unrighteous, is also unrighteous in much;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He that is faithfull in the least, is faithfull also in moch: and he that is vnrighteous in the least, is vnrighteous also in moch.
Mace New Testament (1729)
He that is faithful in a small trust, will be faithful in a greater: and he that is unfaithful in a little, will be unfaithful in much.
Simplified Cowboy Version
"If you can be trusted with little things, more will be trusted to you. If you cannot be trusted with small tasks, you cannot be trusted with bigger ones.

Contextual Overview

1Jesus said to his disciples, "There was once a rich man who had a manager. He got reports that the manager had been taking advantage of his position by running up huge personal expenses. So he called him in and said, ‘What's this I hear about you? You're fired. And I want a complete audit of your books.' 3"The manager said to himself, ‘What am I going to do? I've lost my job as manager. I'm not strong enough for a laboring job, and I'm too proud to beg.... Ah, I've got a plan. Here's what I'll do... then when I'm turned out into the street, people will take me into their houses.' 5 "Then he went at it. One after another, he called in the people who were in debt to his master. He said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?' 6 "He replied, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.' "The manager said, ‘Here, take your bill, sit down here—quick now—write fifty.' 7 "To the next he said, ‘And you, what do you owe?' "He answered, ‘A hundred sacks of wheat.' "He said, ‘Take your bill, write in eighty.' 8"Now here's a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you'll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior." 10Jesus went on to make these comments: If you're honest in small things, you'll be honest in big things; If you're a crook in small things, you'll be a crook in big things. If you're not honest in small jobs, who will put you in charge of the store? No worker can serve two bosses: He'll either hate the first and love the second Or adore the first and despise the second. You can't serve both God and the Bank. 14When the Pharisees, a money-obsessed bunch, heard him say these things, they rolled their eyes, dismissing him as hopelessly out of touch. So Jesus spoke to them: "You are masters at making yourselves look good in front of others, but God knows what's behind the appearance. What society sees and calls monumental, God sees through and calls monstrous. God's Law and the Prophets climaxed in John; Now it's all kingdom of God—the glad news and compelling invitation to every man and woman. The sky will disintegrate and the earth dissolve before a single letter of God's Law wears out. Using the legalities of divorce as a cover for lust is adultery; Using the legalities of marriage as a cover for lust is adultery.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

faithful in: Luke 16:11, Luke 16:12, Luke 19:17, Matthew 25:21, Hebrews 3:2

he that is unjust: John 12:6, John 13:2, John 13:27

Reciprocal: Genesis 39:6 - he left Genesis 47:14 - Joseph brought Joshua 1:1 - Moses' minister 2 Kings 12:15 - for they dealt 2 Kings 22:7 - they dealt faithfully Nehemiah 7:2 - a faithful man Nehemiah 13:13 - counted Proverbs 28:20 - faithful Matthew 24:45 - is Luke 12:48 - For Luke 16:8 - unjust Acts 4:32 - ought 1 Corinthians 4:2 - that 1 Corinthians 16:2 - as God 2 Corinthians 8:12 - if Ephesians 1:1 - which 1 Timothy 3:13 - they 2 Timothy 2:2 - faithful Titus 2:10 - showing Hebrews 3:5 - faithful 3 John 1:5 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 16:1
Sarai, Abram's wife, hadn't yet produced a child. She had an Egyptian maid named Hagar. Sarai said to Abram, " God has not seen fit to let me have a child. Sleep with my maid. Maybe I can get a family from her." Abram agreed to do what Sarai said.
Genesis 16:3
So Sarai, Abram's wife, took her Egyptian maid Hagar and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife. Abram had been living ten years in Canaan when this took place. He slept with Hagar and she got pregnant. When Hagar learned she was pregnant, she looked down on her mistress.
Genesis 16:5
Sarai told Abram, "It's all your fault that I'm suffering this abuse. I put my maid in bed with you and the minute she knows she's pregnant, she treats me like I'm nothing. May God decide which of us is right."
Genesis 16:6
"You decide," said Abram. "Your maid is your business." Sarai was abusive to Hagar and Hagar ran away.
Genesis 16:7
An angel of God found her beside a spring in the desert; it was the spring on the road to Shur. He said, "Hagar, maid of Sarai, what are you doing here?" She said, "I'm running away from Sarai my mistress."
Genesis 16:9
The angel of God said, "Go back to your mistress. Put up with her abuse." He continued, "I'm going to give you a big family, children past counting. From this pregnancy, you'll get a son: Name him Ishmael; for God heard you, God answered you. He'll be a bucking bronco of a man, a real fighter, fighting and being fought, Always stirring up trouble, always at odds with his family."
Genesis 16:13
She answered God by name, praying to the God who spoke to her, "You're the God who sees me! "Yes! He saw me; and then I saw him!"
Genesis 16:15
Hagar gave Abram a son. Abram named him Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar gave him his son, Ishmael.
Judges 6:11
One day the angel of God came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, whose son Gideon was threshing wheat in the winepress, out of sight of the Midianites. The angel of God appeared to him and said, " God is with you, O mighty warrior!"
Judges 6:16
God said to him, "I'll be with you. Believe me, you'll defeat Midian as one man."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He that is faithful in that which is least,.... In quantity and quality, especially the latter; in that which is of little value and worth, at least when compared with other things:

is faithful also in much: in matters of greater consequence and importance: the sense of the proverb is, that, generally speaking, a man that acts a faithful part in a small trust committed to him, does so likewise in a much larger; and being tried, and found faithful in things of less moment, he is intrusted with things of greater importance; though this is not always the case: for sometimes a man may behave with great integrity in lesser matters, on purpose that he might gain greater confidence, which, when he has obtained, he abuses in the vilest manner; but because it is usually otherwise, our Lord uses the common proverb; and of like sense is the following;

and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much: that man that acts the unfaithful part in a small matter, and of little worth, generally does the same, if a greater trust is committed to him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He that is faithful ... - This is a maxim which will almost universally hold true. A man that shows fidelity in small matters will also in large; and he that will cheat and defraud in little things will also in those involving more trust and responsibility. Fidelity is required in small matters as well as in those of more importance.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 16:10. He that is faithful in that which is least, c.] He who has the genuine principles of fidelity in him will make a point of conscience of carefully attending to even the smallest things and it is by habituating himself to act uprightly in little things that he acquires the gracious habit of acting with propriety fidelity, honour, and conscience, in matters of the greatest concern. On the contrary, he who does not act uprightly in small matters will seldom feel himself bound to pay much attention to the dictates of honour and conscience, in cases of high importance. Can we reasonably expect that a man who is continually falling by little things has power to resist temptations to great evils?


 
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