Luke 16:1 There was a certain rich man, which had a steward;

Spoken to
audience

After the analogies of the lost sheep and lost coin and the prodigal son, Jesus starts a new analogy.

KJV

Luke 16:1 There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

NIV

Luke 16:1 “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.

LISTENERS HEARD

A man, a someone, was rich. This one had a house manager and this one was slandered to him as scattering around those belongings of his. 

LOST IN TRANSLATION

The verb translated as "was accused" means "falsely accused" and "slander”.  The root of this verb is the same as the root for the word translated inaccurately as "devil”, which means "slanderer”. This idea is lost in all translations.  This helps clarify a very confusing parable which seems to praise a dishonest manager. The man's actions are more understandable and a sensible lesson if he was falsely accused. 

The word translated as "wasted" means "scattering" or "scattering around”. It only means "squander" in the passive voice, not used here. This accusation is less about squandering that it is about poor organization. The opposite of this word is "gathering”. However, the real reason for this "scattering" is revealed at the end of the story. This manager appears have been loaning to other people rather than stacking money in a treasury. The more common word for scattering seeds is not used because it would not have been a slander and would have given away the ending. 

MY TAKE

Better invest and diversify that have money sit in the bank. 

GREEK ORDER

Ἄνθρωπός    τις            ἦν   πλούσιος ὃς         εἶχεν    οἰκονόμον
A man,        a someone, was rich.        This one had  a house manager

καὶ  οὗτος    διεβλήθη           αὐτῷ ὡς διασκορπίζων τὰ      ὑπάρχοντα  αὐτοῦ
and this one was slandered to him as  scattering         those belongings   of his. 

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
7

 There was a certain(WW) rich man, which had a steward; and the(IW) same(CW) was accused unto him that he had(WT) wasted(WW,WF) his (MW) goods.

  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "certain" should be something more like "somebody”.
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "the" before "same"doesn't exist in the source.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "same" works better in this situation as "here”. 
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "had" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "wasted" should be something more like "scattered”.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "goods" is not shown in the English translation.
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES
9

There was a rich man (MW) whose(WF) (MW) manager (MW) (MW) was accused (MW) of(WW) wasting(WW) his (MW) possessions.

  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "somebody"  after "man" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WF -- Wrong Form - This is not a possessive but a subject. 
  •  MW - Missing Word -- The word "had"  after "whose" is not shown in the English translation. 
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "and"  after "manager" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "this"  after "manager" is not shown in the English translation. 
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "to him"  after "accused" is not shown in the English translation. 
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "of" should be something more like "that”.
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "wasting" should be something more like "scattering”.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "possessions" is not shown in the English translation.
EACH WORD of KJV

 There -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

was -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.  The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.

a -- There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a noun doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.

certain -- (WW) The Greek word translated as "certain" in the singular means "anyone”, "someone”,  "something” and "anything”. The same forms are used both for the masculine and feminine, so "anyone" works best for a person. In the plural, it means "everyone”, "some”, "they” and "those”. Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who”, "what”, "which” or even "why". Jesus often uses the root word as an adjective describing a high-status people as "somebodies”. This is not an adjective but a pronoun.   This word doesn't mean "certain”. 

rich  -- "Rich man" is from an adjective that means "rich” and "opulent". It very much has the sense of ostentatiously rich. 

man - The Greek word for "man" means "man”, "person" and "humanity" in the singular. In the plural, it means "men”, "people" and "peoples”. 

which -- The word translated as "which" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this", "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun, "he”, "she”, "it”, "which”, "what”, "who”, "whosoever”, "where”, "when”, "for which reason” and many similar meanings. In the neuter, plural, its sense is "these things”.

had  -- The word translated as "had" means to "have”, "possess”, "bear”, "to indulge in”, "keep close”, "hold in”, "to have due to one” or "keep" and many specific uses.

a -- There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a noun doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.

steward; -- "Steward" means "one who manages a household", "house-steward", generally, "manager”, "administrator."

and  -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and”, but it also is used to add emphasis, "even”, "also” and "just”.

the -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source

same  -- (CW) The "same" is a pronoun that can mean "this" or "that” “the nearer”,  "here” or "there”. It often  follows the noun to further identify it as the one "here" or there”.  When preceded by a definite article that also functions as a "this”, this word more clearly means "here”.

was -- This helping verb "was" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

accused -- "Accused" is a Greek verb that Jesus only uses here. It means to "throw or carry over or across", "pass over", "cross",  "put through",  "set at variance", "slander", "put off with evasions", "deceive by false accounts", and in the passive,  "to be at variance with",  "to be slanered", etc. It does not mean simply to accuse but specifically to accuse falsely. 

unto -- This word "to" comes from the indirect object form of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.

him --  The word translated as "him" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person,  indirect object pronoun.

that - -  The word translated as "that" has a very broad meaning, translated as "as”, "when”, "where”,  "that”, "in order that” and related words. It means "when", in the sense of "as”, during an act, but with past, indicative tenses the temporal "when" at a time. It means "how" only in an exclamation with an adjective or adverb like "how wonderful!”. It means "how" in questions and in an exclamation with an adjective or adverb like "how wonderful!”.  

he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

had -- (WT) This helping verb "had" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here. 

wasted  -- (WW, WF) The word used for "wasted" means "to scatter among”, "to disperse among" and "to winnow”, which is separating the wheat from the straw.  It is often used as the opposite of "gathered”. This word doesn't mean "wasted”.  This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "scattering”.

his -- The word translated as "his" is the Greek word correctly translated as third-person "his/him" in English.  The word appears after the noun so the sense is "of his." - In its adverbial form, this means "just here" or "exactly there”.

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the”, which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this”, "that”, "these” and "those"). See this article for more. 

goods.  - "Goods" is from a participle of a verb, not a noun. The verb means "to take the initiative", "to begin". As a participle used as a noun, it means, "possessions", "resources, and "the past record”.

EACH WORD of NIV

There -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

was -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.  The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.

a -- There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a noun doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.

rich  -- "Rich man" is from an adjective that means "rich” and "opulent”. It very much has the sense of ostentatiously rich. 

man - The Greek word for "man" means "man”, "person" and "humanity" in the singular. In the plural, it means "men”, "people” and "peoples”. 

missing "somebody"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  "somebody" in the singular means "anyone”, "someone”,  "something” and "anything”. The same forms are used both for the masculine and feminine, so "anyone" works best for a person. In the plural, it means "everyone", "some”, "they” and "those”. Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who”, "what”, "which” or even "why". Jesus often uses the root word as an adjective describing a high-status people as "somebodies”. This is not an adjective but an pronoun.   This word doesn't mean "certain”.

whose -- (WF) The word translated as "which" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this", "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun, "he”, "she”, "it”, "which”, "what”, "who”, "whosoever”, "where”, "when", "for which reason” and many similar meanings. In the neuter, plural, its sense is "these things”. This is not a possessive but a subject. WF -- Wrong Form - This is not a possessive but a subject. 

missing "had"  -- (MW) The untranslated word "had" means to "have”, "possess”, "bear”, "to indulge in", "keep close", "hold in”, "to have due to one” or "keep" and many specific uses.

manager ; -- "Manager " means "one who manages a household", "house-steward", generally, "manager”, "administrator."

missing "and"  -- (MW) The untranslated word "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis, "even”, "also”, and "just”.

missing "this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  "this" or "that”, “the nearer”, "here" or "there”. It often follows the noun to further identify it as the one "here" or there”.

was -- This helping verb "was" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

accused -- "Accused" is a Greek verb that Jesus only uses here. It means to "throw or carry over or across", "pass over", "cross", "put through", "set at variance", "slander", "put off with evasions", "deceive by false accounts", and in the passive,  "to be at variance with",  "to be slandered", etc. It does not mean simply to accuse but specifically to accuse falsely. 

him missing "to him"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  "him" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person,  indirect object pronoun.

of - -  (WW) The word translated as "of" has a very broad meaning, translated as "as”, "when", "where”, "that”, "in order that” and related words. It means "when”, in the sense of "as," during an act, but with past, indicative tenses the temporal "when" at a time.  This word doesn't mean "of”.

he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

wasting -- (WW) The word used for "wasting" means "to scatter among”, "to disperse among" and "to winnow”. which is separating the wheat from the straw.  It is often used as the opposite of "gathered”. This word doesn't mean "wasted”.

his -- The word translated as "his" is the Greek word correctly translated as third-person "his/him" in English.  The word appears after the noun so the sense is "of his”. - In its adverbial form, this means "just here" or "exactly there”.

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the”, which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this”, "that”, "these” and "those"). See this article for more. 

possessions.  - "Possessions" is from a participle of a verb, not a noun. The verb means "to take the initiative", "to begin”. As a participle used as a noun, it means, "possessions", "resources” and "the past record”.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

Ἄνθρωπός [209 verses](noun sg masc nom) "Man" is anthropos, which is "man” and, in plural, "mankind”. It also means "humanity" and that which is human and opposed to that which is animal or inanimate. Used as a form of address, it is a bit contemptuous, "sir”.

τις (252 verses](pron sg masc nom) "Certain" is tis, which can mean "someone”, "something”, "any one”, "everyone”, "they” [indefinite], "many a one”, "whoever”, "anyone”, "anything”, "some sort”, "some sort of”, "each”, "any”, "the individual”, "such” and so on. In a question, it can mean "who”, "why” or "what”. Plural, "who are" is τίνες ἐόντες.  It has specific meanings with certain prepositions, διὰ τί; for what reason? ἐκ τίνος; from what cause? ἐς τί; "to what point”? “to what end”? τί ὅτι "why it is that,"

ἦν [614 verses](verb 3rd sg imperf ind act) "There was" is eimi, which means "to be”, "to exist”, "to be the case”, of circumstance and events "to happen” and "is possible”. With the possessive (genitive) object, it means "is descended from”, "is the type of”, "belongs to”, "is made of”, "is a duty of”, "is at the mercy of", or "is dependent on”. With an indirect (dative) object, it means "have" where the subject and object are reversed.  "It is to him" becomes "it is his" or "he has it”. With the preposition,"into" (εἰς), the sense is "consist of”. When the verb "to be" appears early in the clause before the subject, the sense is more like "it is" or, in the plural, "there are”.

πλούσιος [11 verses](adj pl masc nom) "Rich" is from plousios, which means "rich” and "opulent”. It very much has the sense of ostentatiously rich.

ὃς [294 verses] (pron sg masc nom) "Which" is hos, which means "this", "that", "he”, "she", "it”, "which”, "what”, "who”, "whosoever”, "where”, "when”,  "for which reason” and many similar meanings. In the neuter, plural, its sense is "these things”.

εἶχεν [181 verses](verb 3rd sg imperf ind act) "Had"  is echo, which means "to have", "to hold", "to possess", "to keep”, "to have charge of”, "to have due to one”, "to maintain”, "to indulge in”, "to hold fast”, "to hold in”, "to bear”, "to carry”, "to keep close”, "to keep safe” and "to have means to do”. In aorist, it can mean "acquire” or "get”. The main sense when it has an object is "to have" or "to hold”. In reference to habits or states, it means "indulge in”. With a gen. object,  "to keep back" or "withhold" a thing. When its object is an infinitive verb, it means "to have the means or power” or "to be able" not "it must" as in English.  This verb isn't used to form past tenses as the helper verb does in English.Nor does it have the sense of "must" when used with infinitives.

οἰκονόμον, [5 verses](noun sg masc nom) 'Steward" is oikonomos, which means "one who manages a household”, "house-steward", generally, "manager”, "administrator”. 

καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and”, or "also”. After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also”. Also used to give emphasis, "even”, "also" and "just”. In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also”. After words implying sameness "as”.

οὗτός [83 verses](adj sg masc nom) "same" is houtos, which as an adjective means "this”, "that”, "the nearer”. When οὗτος and ἐκεῖνος refer to two things ἐκεῖνος, which normally means "the nearer" as well belongs to the more remote, "the latter" in time, place, or thought, οὗτος to "the nearer".

διεβλήθη [1 verse](verb 3rd sg aor ind pass) "Was accused" is diaballo,  which means to "throw or carry over or across", "pass over", "cross",  "put through",  "set at variance", "slander", "put off with evasions", "deceive by false accounts" and in the passive,  "to be at variance with",  "to be slandered", etc.  

αὐτῷ [106 verses](pron/adj sg masc/neut dat) "Him" is  is auto, the dative case of the third-person, singular adjective that is used as a pronoun. The word also means "the same”, "one's true self” and "the soul" as opposed to the body. It also means "of one's own accord”. The form is the third person, plural as an indirect object of the verb or the object of a preposition.  When used as a noun, it is preceded by a definite article, and it means "the same". A dative object of a preposition implies no movement but in a fixed position. With the "to be", it acts as a possessive, "his”.

ὡς (167 verses](adv/conj) "That" is hos, an adverb which means to "thus”, "as”, "how”, "when”, "where”, "like”, "just as”, "so far as”, "as much as can be", "that”, "in order that", "nearly” (with numbers), and "know that". It means "how" in questions and in an exclamation with an adjective or adverb like "how wonderful!”.

διασκορπίζων  [6 verses] (part sg pres act masc nom) "He had wasted" is from diaskorpizo, which means literally, to "scatter among" or "disperse among," and "to scatter abroad”. In the passive, it means "to squander”, "to confound” and "to winnow”.

τὰ [821 verses](article sg neut acc/nom)  Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). It usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. When not preceding a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones”.

ὑπάρχοντα [8 verses] (part pl pres act neut acc/nom)    "Goods" is from hyparchonta, which is the participle form of hyparcho, which means "to take the initiative", "to begin", "take the initiative in","to be the beginning", "to exist really", "to be laid down", "to be taken for granted" and of persons "to be devoted to one". In this form, a participle used as a noun, it means "existing circumstances", "present advantages", "possessions", "resources”, "that which is in existence” and "the past record”.

αὐτοῦ [142 verses](adv/adj sg masc gen) "His" is autou, which means is the singular adjective used as the genitive pronoun, which is used as a possessive form or the object of prepositions and sometimes verbs as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord”. In its adverbial form, this means "just here" or "exactly there”. This form is often used as the object of a preposition, “him”. This form of an object of a preposition means a movement away from something or a position away from something else. The time sense of a genitive object is that the event occurred within a specified time. Though the form is masculine, it refers to masculine words, not people.  The masculine form is used to refer to people in general, not just men.

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