Luke 16:5

THE MESSAGE

"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?'

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“So he summoned each one of his master’s debtors. ‘How much do you owe my master?’ he asked the first one.

King James Version (1611)
So hee called euery one of his lords detters vnto him, and said vnto the first, How much owest thou vnto my lord?

King James Version
So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?

English Standard Version
So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?'

New American Standard Bible
"And he summoned each one of his master's debtors, and he began saying to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'

New Century Version
"So the manager called in everyone who owed the master any money. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe?'

Amplified Bible
"So he summoned his master's debtors one by one, and he said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"And he summoned each one of his master's debtors, and he began saying to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'

Legacy Standard Bible
And he summoned each one of his master's debtors, and he began saying to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?'

Berean Standard Bible
And he called in each one of his master's debtors. 'How much do you owe my master?' he asked the first.

Contemporary English Version
Then one by one he called in the people who were in debt to his master. He asked the first one, "How much do you owe my master?"

Complete Jewish Bible
"So, after making appointments with each of his employer's debtors, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my boss?'

Darby Translation
And having called to [him] each one of the debtors of his own lord, he said to the first, How much owest thou to my lord?

Easy-to-Read Version
"So the manager called in each person who owed the master some money. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe my master?'

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then called he vnto him euery one of his masters detters, & said vnto the first, Howe much owest thou vnto my master?

George Lamsa Translation
And he called his lord''s debtors, one by one, and said to the first, How much do you owe my lord?

Good News Translation
So he called in all the people who were in debt to his master. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe my master?'

Lexham English Bible
And he summoned each one of his own master's debtors and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?'

Literal Translation
And having called to him each one of the debtors of his lord, he said to the first, How much do you owe my lord?

American Standard Version
And calling to him each one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?

Bible in Basic English
And sending for every one who was in debt to his lord he said to the first, What is the amount of your debt to my lord?

Hebrew Names Version
Calling each one of his lord's debtors to him, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe to my lord?'

International Standard Version
"So he called for each of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'

Etheridge Translation
And he called one by one from the debtors of his lord, and said to the first, How much owest thou to my lord ?

Murdock Translation
And he called each one of his lord's debtors; and he said to the first, How much owest thou to my lord?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
So, whe he had called all his maisters detters together, he sayde vnto the first: Howe muche owest thou vnto my maister?

English Revised Version
And calling to him each one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?

World English Bible
Calling each one of his lord's debtors to him, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe to my lord?'

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
So having called to him every one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou to my lord?

Weymouth's New Testament
"So he called all his master's debtors, one by one, and asked the first, `How much are you in debt to my master?'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor whanne alle the dettours of his lord weren clepid togider, he seide to the firste, Hou myche owist thou to my lord?

Update Bible Version
And calling to him each one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first, How much do you owe to my lord?

Webster's Bible Translation
So he called every one of his lord's debtors, and said to the first, How much owest thou to my lord?

New English Translation
So he contacted his master's debtors one by one. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?'

New King James Version
"So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, "How much do you owe my master?'

New Living Translation
"So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe him?'

New Life Bible
"He sent for the people who owed the rich man. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe the owner?'

New Revised Standard
So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?'

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, calling unto him each one of the debtors of his own lord, he was saying unto the first, - How much owest thou my lord?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore, calling together every one of his lord’s debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my lord?

Revised Standard Version
So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then called he all his masters detters and sayd vnto ye fyrst: how moche owest thou vnto my master?

Young's Literal Translation
`And having called near each one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first, How much dost thou owe to my lord?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he called vnto hi all his lordes detters, and sayde vnto the first: How moch owest thou vnto my lorde?

Mace New Testament (1729)
so he sent for every one of his master's debtors in private, he ask'd the first, how much do you owe my master?

Simplified Cowboy Version
"So he called in everyone who owed the rancher anything and made them a deal to reduce their debt. He asked the first one, 'How much do you owe my boss?'

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

his: Luke 7:41, Luke 7:42, Matthew 18:24

Reciprocal: Genesis 41:34 - and take 2 Samuel 3:12 - Make

Cross-References

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.

Psalms 35:23
Please get up—wake up! Tend to my case. My God, my Lord—my life is on the line. Do what you think is right, God , my God, but don't make me pay for their good time. Don't let them say to themselves, "Ha-ha, we got what we wanted." Don't let them say, "We've chewed him up and spit him out." Let those who are being hilarious at my expense Be made to look ridiculous. Make them wear donkey's ears; Pin them with the donkey's tail, who made themselves so high and mighty!

Psalms 43:1
Clear my name, God; stick up for me against these loveless, immoral people. Get me out of here, away from these lying degenerates. I counted on you, God. Why did you walk out on me? Why am I pacing the floor, wringing my hands over these outrageous people?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So he called every one of his Lord's debtors,.... Either the Gentiles, who were greatly indebted to God, having sinned against him, and the law, and light of nature, at a great rate; into whose affections, houses, and palaces, the Jews found ways and means to introduce themselves; and, in process of time, got leave to have synagogues built, and their worship set up again: or else the Jews, their countrymen; since these were under those stewards, tutors, and governors, and were debtors to do the whole law; and had, by breaking the law, contracted large debts; and against whom the ceremonial law stood as an handwriting: these the steward called

unto him, and said unto the first, how much owest thou unto my Lord? and it is observable, that the debts of these men, of the first, lay in oil, and of the other in wheat; things much used in the ceremonial law, in the observance of which they had been, greatly deficient; see Exodus 29:40

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Called every one - As he was “steward,” he had the management of all the affairs, and, of course, debts were to be paid to him.

Debtors - Those who “owed” his master, or perhaps “tenants;” those who rented land of his master.