Luke – Chapter 16

New Testament31 Verses

Chapter Summary

Luke 16 opens with the words: "And he said also to his disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted…" The chapter centers on Abraham, Lazarus and Moses. Across its 31 verses, two threads run through the text: faith and trust in God and family and covenant relationships. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1And he said also to his disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods.

2And he called him and said to him: How is it that I hear this of thee? Give an account of thy stewardship: for now thou canst be steward no longer.

3And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am ashamed.

4I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

5Therefore, calling together every one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my lord?

6But he said: An hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly and write fifty.

7Then he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: An hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill and write eighty.

8And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.

9And I say to you: Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity: that when you shall fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings.

10He 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.

11If then you have not been faithful in the unjust mammon, who will trust you with that which is the true?

12And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?

13No 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.

14Now the Pharisees, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

15And he said to them: you are they who justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts. For that which is high to men is an abomination before God.

16The law and the prophets were until John. From that time the kingdom of God is preached: and every one useth violence towards it.

17And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of the law to fall.

18Every one that putteth away his wife and marrieth another committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

19There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and feasted sumptuously every day.

20And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, full of sores,

21Desiring to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. And no one did give him: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died: and he was buried in hell.

23And lifting up his eyes when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom:

24And he cried and said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame.

25And Abraham said to him: Son, remember that thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted and thou art tormented.

26And besides all this, between us and you, there is fixed a great chaos: so that they who would pass from hence to you cannot, nor from thence come hither.

27And he said: Then, father, I beseech thee that thou wouldst send him to my father's house, for I have five brethren,

28That he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torments.

29And Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them.

30But he said: No, father Abraham: but if one went to them from the dead, they will do penance.

31And he said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, if one rise again from the dead.

Important Verses in Luke 16

And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am ashamed.

Luke 16:3

No 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.

Luke 16:13

The law and the prophets were until John. From that time the kingdom of God is preached: and every one useth violence towards it.

Luke 16:16

And he cried and said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame.

Luke 16:24

Historical Context

Luke belongs to the New Testament and was composed for gentile Christians, assured that salvation in Christ is for all peoples. Chapter 16 of 24 moves toward the climax of the book as earlier promises and conflicts converge. It is a narrative passage recounting concrete events in salvation history with 31 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The chapter focuses on Abraham, Lazarus, Moses and John, whose actions and words drive the passage forward. The chapter begins: "And he said also to his disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him,…" The final verse reads: "And he said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, if one rise again from the…" The wider setting of Luke is this: Luke, the only Gentile author in Scripture, wrote an ordered account 'for Theophilus' emphasizing God's mercy for the poor, sinners, women, and outsiders. Scholarly and ecclesial tradition places the composition of Luke around About AD 80-90.

Who Wrote It

Luke, the beloved physician, companion of St. Paul

When It Was Written

About AD 80-90

Catholic Commentary

In this 31-verse narrative, the sacred author records events that advance the story of Jesus as Savior of all peoples, especially the poor. A pivotal line is verse 3: "And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am ashamed." The passage repeatedly touches on faith and trust in God.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 436). Here, Luke emphasizes God's mercy and the role of the Holy Spirit (CIC 714). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize faith and trust in God as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

The moral and spiritual import remains timely: Faith is a gift and a decision: entrusting ourselves entirely to God and to His promises.. St. Jerome insisted that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ; this chapter offers material for meditation, examination of conscience, and deeper love of God.

Main Teachings

  • Faith is a gift and a decision: entrusting ourselves entirely to God and to His promises.
  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • True conversion means turning away from sin and returning to God with our whole heart.

People in This Chapter

Abraham6 mentionsLazarus4 mentionsMoses2 mentionsJohn1 mention

Reflection for Today

Catholic exegesis approaches Luke Chapter 16 with reverence, seeking both the literal sense and the spiritual meaning ordered to Christ.

Catholic theology recognizes that Jesus as Savior of all peoples, especially the poor is not an abstract idea but a reality encountered in prayer, sacraments, and charity. This chapter contributes to that vision by stressing forgiveness and reconciliation.

Let Luke Chapter 16 deepen your love for the Eucharist, where the Word made flesh continues to feed His people. The same Christ who speaks in Scripture offers Himself sacramentally on the altar.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Luke Chapter 16 about?

Luke 16 contains 31 verses. It opens with "And he said also to his disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him,…" and closes with "And he said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, if one rise again from the…". The book as a whole is gospel.

What is a key verse in Luke 16?

One of the most significant verses is verse 3: "And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am ashamed." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Luke Chapter 16?

This chapter mentions Abraham, Lazarus, Moses, John.

Who wrote Luke and when?

Luke, the beloved physician, companion of St. Paul. About AD 80-90.

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