Devine Scripture

Luke 16:6

What does Luke 16:6 mean?

A plain-English look at Luke 16:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Luke 16:6 means

The first debtor owes a significant quantity of oil. The steward instructs him to quickly amend his bond (the legal document of debt) from one hundred measures down to fifty. This substantial reduction creates a strong incentive for the debtor to feel obligated to the steward. The swift action and the significant reduction highlight the steward's boldness and his grasp of how to incur favor and gratitude, securing a future refuge for himself.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bond, and sit down quickly and write fifty.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bond, and sit down quickly and write fifty.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said, Take your account straight away and put down fifty.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and he said, A hundred baths of oil; and he said to him, Take thy bill, and having sat down write fifty.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

But he said: An hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly and write fifty.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And he said, A hundred baths of oil. And he said to him, Take thy writing and sit down quickly and write fifty.

Context

This verse provides the first concrete example of the steward's scheme, detailing his interaction with the first debtor. It directly follows his decision to act and showcases the precise method he uses to curry favor. This reduction of debt is the initial illustration of the "shrewdness" that the master will later commend and that Jesus will use as a point of comparison for His disciples.

v.5And calling to him each one of his lord’s debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?

v.6This passage

v.7Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. He saith unto him, Take thy bond, and write fourscore.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Luke 16:12

    And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?

  • Titus 2:10

    not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

  • Luke 16:9

    And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles.

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