Luke 16:12
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
American King James Version (AKJV)
And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
American Standard Version (ASV)
And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And if you have not been true in your care of the property of other people, who will give you that which is yours?
Webster's Revision
And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who will give you that which is your own?
World English Bible
If you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?
English Revised Version (ERV)
And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?
Clarke's Luke 16:12 Bible Commentary
That which is another man's - Or rather another's, τῳ αλλοτριω. That is, worldly riches, called another's:
1. Because they belong to God, and he has not designed that they should be any man's portion.
2. Because they are continually changing their possessors, being in the way of commerce, and in providence going from one to another.
This property of worldly goods is often referred to by both sacred and profane writers. See a fine passage in Horace, Sat. l. ii. s. 2. v. 129.
Nam propriae telluris herum natura neque illum,
Nec me, nec quemquam statuit
Nature will no perpetual heir assign,
Nor make the farm his property, or mine.
Francis
And the following in one of our own poets: -
"Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;
'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands."
That which is your own? - Grace and glory, which God has particularly designed for you; which are the only proper satisfying portion for the soul, and which no man can enjoy in their plenitude, unless he be faithful to the first small motions and influences of the Divine Spirit.
Barnes's Luke 16:12 Bible Commentary
Another man's - The word "man's" is not in the original. It is, "If ye have been unfaithful managers for another." It refers, doubtless, to "God." The wealth of the world is "his." It is committed to us as his stewards. It is uncertain and deceitful, and at any moment he can take it away from us. It is still "his;" and if, while intrusted with "this," we are unfaithful, we cannot expect that he will confer on us the rewards of heaven.
That which is your own - The riches of heaven, which, if once given to us, may be considered as "ours" - that is, it will be permanent and fixed, and will not be taken away "as if" at the pleasure of another. We may "calculate" on it, and look forward with the assurance that it will "continue" to be "ours" forever, and will not be taken away like the riches of this world, "as if" they were not ours. The meaning of the whole parable is, therefore, thus expressed: If we do not use the things of this world as we ought - with honesty, truth, wisdom, and integrity, we cannot have evidence of piety, and shall not be received into heaven. If we are true to that which is least, it is an evidence that we are the children of God, and he will commit to our trust that which is of infinite importance, even the eternal riches and glory of heaven.
Wesley's Luke 16:12 Bible Commentary
16:12 If ye have not been faithful in that which was another's - None of these temporal things are yours: you are only stewards of them, not proprietors: God is the proprietor of all; he lodges them in your hands for a season: but still they are his property. Rich men, understand and consider this. If your steward uses any part of your estate (so called in the language of men) any farther or any otherwise than you direct, he is a knave: he has neither conscience nor honour. Neither have you either one or the other, if you use any part of that estate, which is in truth God's, not yours, any otherwise than he directs. That which is your own - Heaven, which when you have it, will be your own for ever.