Luke 16 11

Luke 16:11 kjv

If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

Luke 16:11 nkjv

Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

Luke 16:11 niv

So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?

Luke 16:11 esv

If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?

Luke 16:11 nlt

And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?

Luke 16 verses

Luke 16 11 Meaning

Luke 16:11 teaches that a person's reliability in handling temporal, material possessions (termed "unrighteous mammon") serves as a critical indicator and prerequisite for their trustworthiness to be entrusted with spiritual, eternal blessings ("the true riches"). It conveys that God observes how one manages what is seemingly mundane or even corruptible by worldly standards, using this as a test to determine their fitness for greater, genuinely divine and lasting trusts. Faithfulness in the small and visible aspects of life precedes being entrusted with the profoundly significant and eternal.

Luke 16 11 Context

Luke 16:11 appears within Jesus' teachings on discipleship, specifically as a key explanatory statement following the Parable of the Dishonest Steward (Luke 16:1-9) and preceding the declaration "No servant can serve two masters" (Luke 16:13). The parable itself describes a steward praised not for his dishonesty, but for his shrewdness and foresight in leveraging earthly resources for his future. Jesus applies this worldly shrewdness to a spiritual principle: if worldly individuals are wise in using temporary assets for future advantage, believers should be even wiser in using "unrighteous mammon" for eternal purposes. Verse 11 clarifies that faithful management of material wealth (the lesser trust) is a test of character and a prerequisite for God entrusting spiritual wealth (the greater, "true riches"). This teaching challenges prevailing attitudes towards wealth, emphasizing stewardship and heavenly priorities over worldly accumulation.

Luke 16 11 Word analysis

• If (εἰ - ei): A conditional particle, introducing a real condition or one assumed for the sake of argument. It sets up a premise, a point from which a logical deduction or consequence follows.
• therefore (οὖν - oun): A connective particle indicating a consequence, result, or conclusion derived from what precedes. It signals that this verse is drawing a logical application from the Parable of the Dishonest Steward (Luke 16:1-9) and the accompanying admonition in Luke 16:9 about making friends by means of "unrighteous mammon."
• you (ὑμεῖς - hymeis): Plural pronoun, addressing the disciples and by extension, all who would follow Jesus' teachings. It makes the application direct and personal to the audience.
• have not been faithful (οὐκ ἐγένεσθε πιστοὶ - ouk egenesthe pistoi):
  • "not" (οὐκ - ouk): A strong negation, implying a definite failure or absence of quality.
  • "have been" (ἐγένεσθε - egenesthe): From ginomai, meaning "to become," "to be made," or "to prove oneself." It suggests an outcome or demonstrated state.
  • "faithful" (πιστοὶ - pistoi): From pistos, meaning trustworthy, reliable, dependable, constant. It refers to a deep character quality, demonstrating integrity and responsibility in the discharge of duties or trusts. This word highlights moral reliability.
• in the unrighteous mammon (ἐν τῷ ἀδίκῳ μαμωνᾷ - en tō adikō mamōna):
  • "in" (ἐν - en): Indicates the sphere or domain within which the faithfulness (or lack thereof) is observed.
  • "unrighteous" (ἀδίκῳ - adikō): From adikos, meaning unjust, unrighteous, deceitful, wicked. Here, it characterizes mammon. It can refer to wealth acquired by dishonest means, wealth used for unrighteous purposes, or more broadly, wealth that is intrinsically unreliable, transient, and belonging to the corruptible earthly realm, as opposed to eternal spiritual realities. It hints at money's power to corrupt or to be seen as a deceptive master (Luke 16:13). It is 'unrighteous' in contrast to God's inherent righteousness and truth.
  • "mammon" (μαμωνᾷ - mamona): An Aramaic word (מָמוֹנָא) referring to wealth, money, or possessions. In later Jewish writings, it could be personified as an idol representing avarice or greed. Here, it represents material possessions and worldly resources. It encompasses all that is external, temporal, and subject to decay.
• who (τίς - tis): A rhetorical interrogative pronoun. It expects a negative answer ("no one") or conveys impossibility, emphasizing the logical consequence. "Who" implies a judgment will be made by a higher authority (God).
• will commit to your trust (πιστεύσει - pisteusei): From pisteuō, meaning "to entrust," "to commit something to someone's care." It highlights the act of placing confidence and responsibility. The subject, though unstated, is implied to be God or one acting on God's behalf.
• the true riches (τὸ ἀληθινὸν πλοῦτος - to alēthinon ploutos):
  • "true" (ἀληθινὸν - alēthinon): From alēthinos, meaning genuine, real, authentic, reliable, ultimate, eternal. It contrasts sharply with "unrighteous mammon." This describes spiritual wealth derived from God, which is unchanging and everlasting.
  • "riches" (πλοῦτος - ploutos): Meaning abundance, wealth, plenty. Here, it refers not to material abundance but to spiritual blessings: a deep relationship with God, divine wisdom, eternal life, heavenly inheritance, true righteousness, and understanding of divine mysteries.

Words-group analysis:

• "If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon": This phrase sets the crucial condition and identifies the arena of the test. The "unrighteous mammon" serves as the proving ground for a disciple's true character and loyalty. It suggests that how one stewards worldly possessions, which are by nature imperfect and perishable, reveals fundamental integrity.
• "who will commit to your trust the true riches?": This rhetorical question underscores the impossibility of receiving greater, spiritual blessings if one fails in the lesser, material test. The "true riches" represent the profound, spiritual, and eternal wealth that God desires to impart, such as insight into His Kingdom, spiritual gifts, or responsibilities within His eternal economy. It implies that God's entrusting follows a demonstrated pattern of faithfulness. This passage highlights a principle of divine economy: God requires proof of faithfulness in managing the transient before He grants stewardship over the eternal.

Luke 16 11 Bonus section

• This verse underpins the concept that all possessions are ultimately God's, and humanity is merely entrusted with them as stewards. Our management reflects our understanding of God's ownership and our willingness to operate under His authority.
• The "unrighteous mammon" can be understood as wealth that inherently draws one away from God, or wealth that is typical of a world estranged from God, rather than money itself being evil. It is a tool, but its worldly context makes it inherently "unrighteous" when contrasted with divine purity.
• This principle applies not only to money but also to time, talents, opportunities, and influence. Faithfulness in the small, visible trusts predicts reliability in greater, less tangible spiritual responsibilities.
• The passage reveals God's patient yet rigorous training process for His followers, preparing them for eternal kingdom service by first testing their integrity in the present, tangible world.

Luke 16 11 Commentary

Luke 16:11 functions as a divine litmus test, directly linking one's management of material resources to their eligibility for spiritual endowment. It asserts that earthly possessions, though often termed "unrighteous" (due to their fleeting nature, the corruption associated with their acquisition, or their capacity to compete with God for our devotion), serve as a practical classroom for cultivating faithfulness. If an individual cannot demonstrate integrity and responsible stewardship with money, which is merely a temporal tool and common commodity, it reveals a character flaw that would hinder their ability to handle the incomparably more significant and sacred "true riches." These true riches are the enduring spiritual wealth found only in God—wisdom, righteousness, grace, divine truths, and eternal life—which transcend all earthly value. Jesus teaches that God is evaluating us daily through our mundane interactions with wealth; our financial dealings become a window into our soul's true alignment and capacity for kingdom responsibilities. Thus, the verse emphasizes that true spirituality is not compartmentalized from material life but profoundly interwoven with how we handle even the least esteemed worldly things.