THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
15:17. And returning to himself, he said: How many hired servants in my father's house abound with bread, and I here perish with hunger!
15:18. I will arise and will go to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee.
15:19. I am not worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
15:20. And rising up, he came to his father. And when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion and running to him fell upon his neck and kissed him.
15:21. And the son said to him: Father: I have sinned against heaven and before thee I am not now worthy to be called thy son.
15:22. And the father said to his servants: Bring forth quickly the first robe and put it on him: and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.
15:23. And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it: and let us eat and make merry:
15:24. Because this my son was dead and is come to life again, was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.
15:25. Now his elder son was in the field and when he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
15:26. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
15:27. And he said to him: Thy brother is come and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe.
15:28. And he was angry and would not go in. His father therefore coming out began to entreat him.
15:29. And he answering, said to his father: Behold, for so many years do I serve thee and I have never transgressed thy commandment: and yet thou hast never given me a kid to make merry with my friends.
15:30. But as soon as this thy son is come, who hath devoured his substance with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
15:31. But he said to him: Son, thou art always with me; and all I have is thine.
15:32. But it was fit that we should make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead and is come to life again; he was lost, and is found.
Luke Chapter 16
The parable of the unjust steward and of the rich man and Lazarus.
16:1. 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 his goods.
16:2. And 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.
16:3. 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.
16:4. I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
16:5. Therefore, calling together every one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my lord?
16:6. But he said: An hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly and write fifty.
16:7. Then 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.
16:8. And 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.
16:9. And 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.
Mammon of iniquity... Mammon signifies riches. They are here called the mammon of iniquity, because oftentimes ill gotten, ill bestowed, or an occasion of evil; and at the best are but worldly, and false; and not the true riches of a Christian. They may receive... By this we see, that the poor servants of God, whom we have relieved by our alms, may hereafter, by their intercession, bring our souls to heaven.
16:10. He 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.
16:11. If then you have not been faithful in the unjust mammon, who will trust you with that which is the true?
16:12. And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?
16:13. 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.
16:14. Now the Pharisees, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
16:15. And 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.
16:16. The law and the prophets were until John. From that time the kingdom of God is preached: and every one useth violence towards it.
16:17. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of the law to fall.
16:18. Every 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.
16:19. There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and feasted sumptuously every day.
16:20. And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, full of sores,
16:21. Desiring 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.