Luke 16:9 Meaning and Explanation
“And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus tells His disciples to use worldly wealth to make friends, so that when money fails they will be welcomed into everlasting habitations.
What Does Luke 16:9 Mean?
Jesus now turns the parable into a command. The mammon of unrighteousness is wealth as this passing age handles it — unreliable, easily corrupting, certain to fail at death if not before. Disciples are to take that very currency and spend it on people: generosity, relief, kindness, the work of God.
Money cannot cross the grave, but what it does for others can. Friends made through mercy — the poor fed, the burdened lifted — stand at the far side of the journey, a welcome already prepared. It is the same economy Jesus teaches in Luke 12:33: give, and 'provide yourselves... a treasure in the heavens that faileth not.' Wealth in the kingdom is never a resting place; it is seed, and the harvest is everlasting.
Luke 16:9 in the Original Language
mamonas (μαμωνᾶς), 'mammon' -- an Aramaic-rooted word for money or wealth, here pictured as a power that bids for the heart.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 16:9
What does Luke 16:9 mean?
Jesus tells His disciples to use worldly wealth to make friends, so that when money fails they will be welcomed into everlasting habitations.