^16:9And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth,³¹ so that when it runs out you will be welcomed³² into the eternal homes.³³

^16:10“The one who is faithful in a very little³⁴ is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. ^16:11If then you haven’t been trustworthy³⁵ in handling worldly wealth,³⁶ who will entrust you with the true riches?³⁷

Read in Logos

Footnotes

31 Grk “unrighteous mammon.” Mammon is the Aramaic term for wealth or possessions. The point is not that money is inherently evil, but that it is often misused so that it is a means of evil; see 1 Tim 6:6–10, 17–19. The call is to be generous and kind in its use. Zacchaeus becomes the example of this in Luke’s Gospel (19:1–10).
32 The passive refers to the welcome of heaven.
33 Grk “eternal tents” (as dwelling places).
34 The point of the statement faithful in a very little is that character is shown in how little things are treated.
35 Or “faithful.”
36 Grk “the unrighteous mammon.” See the note on the phrase “worldly wealth” in v. .
37 Entrust you with the true riches is a reference to future service for God. The idea is like 1 Cor 9:11, except there the imagery is reversed.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?

NIVNew International Version (2011)

I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?

CSBChristian Standard Bible

And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of worldly wealth so that when it fails, they may welcome you into eternal dwellings. Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much. So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will trust you with what is genuine?

NLTNew Living Translation

Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it runs out they will welcome you into the eternal dwellings.

“The one who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful with unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?

KJV 1900King James Version

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

Public Domain