Luke 16:3 Meaning and Explanation
“Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Facing dismissal, the steward takes stock: he is not strong enough to dig and too ashamed to beg.
What Does Luke 16:3 Mean?
Luke loves to let characters reason within themselves — the prodigal son did the same in the previous chapter (Luke 15:17). Stripped of his position, the steward takes a ruthlessly honest inventory: hard labor is beyond his strength, begging is beneath his dignity, and the comfortable middle ground is gone.
There is a strange mercy in the moment when comfortable arrangements collapse, because pretense collapses with them. The steward stops managing appearances and starts asking the only question that matters: What shall I do? In Luke's writing that question, honestly asked, is the doorway to change — the crowds asked it under John's preaching, and again at Pentecost (Luke 3:10; Acts 2:37). Crisis can be the beginning of wisdom.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 16:3
What does Luke 16:3 mean?
Facing dismissal, the steward takes stock: he is not strong enough to dig and too ashamed to beg.