Luke 16:13
What does Luke 16:13 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 16:13 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 16:13 means
Jesus declares an absolute truth: no one can simultaneously serve two masters with conflicting loyalties. One will inevitably prioritize and love one master while neglecting or hating the other. He explicitly applies this universal principle to the choice between serving God and serving "mammon" (wealth personified as a deity). This verse culminates Jesus' teaching on wealth, demanding exclusive devotion to God, recognizing that material possessions can easily become an idol that pulls one's heart away from Him.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
KJV
King James Version · 1611No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949No man may be a servant to two masters: for he will have hate for the one and love for the other; or he will keep to the one and have no respect for the other. You may not be servants of God and of wealth.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`No domestic is able to serve two lords, for either the one he will hate, and the other he will love; or one he will hold to, and of the other he will be heedless; ye are not able to serve God and mammon.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other: or he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and will love the other, or he will cleave to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serveGod and mammon.
Context
This verse is the powerful conclusion to Jesus' extended teaching on wealth and stewardship, beginning with the parable in verse 1 and elaborated through verses 9-12. It delivers a definitive, non-negotiable choice between God and money, setting up the immediately ensuing reaction from the Pharisees in verse 14, who are characterized by their love of money. It provides a clear spiritual imperative.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Matthew 4:10
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
- Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve Jehovah, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah.
- Romans 8:5
For they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
- Romans 6:16
Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
- 1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
- James 4:4
Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.
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