KJV King James Version
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.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Luke 16:8
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.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
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.
WEB World English Bible
“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.
ASV American Standard Version
And his lord commended the unrighteous steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
‘And the lord commended the unrighteous steward that he did prudently, because the sons of this age are more prudent than the sons of the light, in respect to their generation.
Surrounding context — Luke 16
5 So he called every one of his lord’s debtors [unto him], and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?
6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.
8 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.
9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
10 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.
11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true [riches]?
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
καὶG2532 · kaiandἐπῄνεσενG1867 · epaineōto praiseὁG3588 · hothe/this/whoκύριοςG2962 · kurioslord: GodτὸνG3588 · hothe/this/whoοἰκονόμονG3623 · oikonomosmanagerτῆςG3588 · hothe/this/whoἀδικίαςG93 · adikiaunrighteousnessὅτιG3754 · hotithat/since: thatφρονίμωςG5430 · phronimōsshrewdlyἐποίησεν,G4160 · poieōto do/make: doὅτιG3754 · hotithat/since: thatοἱG3588 · hothe/this/whoυἱοὶG5207 · uhiossonτοῦG3588 · hothe/this/whoαἰῶνοςG165 · aiōnan age: ageτούτουG3778 · ohutosthis/he/she/itφρονιμώτεροιG5429 · phronimosthoughtfulὑπὲρG5228 · huperabove/forτοὺςG3588 · hothe/this/whoυἱοὺςG5207 · uhiossonτοῦG3588 · hothe/this/whoφωτὸςG5457 · phōslightεἰςG1519 · eistowardτὴνG3588 · hothe/this/whoγενεὰνG1074 · geneagenerationτὴνG3588 · hothe/this/whoἑαυτῶνG1438 · heautouthemselfεἰσιν.G1510 · eimito be
Cross-references
1 Thessalonians 5:5Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.Ephesians 5:8For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye] light in the Lord: walk as children of light:John 12:36While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.Luke 16:10He 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.Proverbs 6:6-8Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:Exodus 1:10Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and [so] get them up out of the land.Luke 16:4I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.1 John 3:10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.1 Corinthians 3:18Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.Genesis 3:1Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?Luke 20:34And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:Psalm 49:10-19For he seeth [that] wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.Psalm 17:14From men [which are] thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, [which have] their portion in [this] life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid [treasure]: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their [substance] to their babes.2 Samuel 13:3But Amnon had a friend, whose name [was] Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab [was] a very subtil man.2 Kings 10:19Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice [to do] to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did [it] in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.Matthew 17:26Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.Philippians 3:19Whose end [is] destruction, whose God [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame, who mind earthly things.)Luke 18:6And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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