King James Version
What Does Luke 16:13 Mean?
“No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Context
11
If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? mammon: or, riches
12
And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
13
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
14
And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
15
And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
Topics in This Verse
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(13) **No servant can serve two masters.**—See Notes on Matthew 6:24. Here it obviously comes in close connection with the previous teaching. But its occurrence, in an equally close sequence, in the Sermon on the Mount, shows that it took its place among the axioms of the religious life which our Lord, if we may so speak, loved to reproduce as occasion called for them.
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Luke. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Luke 16:13 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to Luke 16:13
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge