Luke 16:15 - Easy To Read Version Jesus said to the Pharisees, “You make yourselves look good in front of people. But God knows what is really in your hearts. The things that people think are important are worth nothing to God. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 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. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition But He said to them, You are the ones who declare yourselves just and upright before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted and highly thought of among men is detestable and abhorrent (an abomination) in the sight of God. [I Sam. 16:7; Prov. 21:2.] American Standard Version (1901) And he said unto them, Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. Common English Bible He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before other people, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued by people is deeply offensive to God. Catholic Public Domain Version And he said to them: "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of men. But God knows your hearts. For what is lifted up by men is an abomination in the sight of God. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version 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. |
My God, I know that you test people,\par and that you are happy\par when people do good.\par I gladly give you all these things\par with a pure, honest heart.\par I see your people gathered here.\par And I see that they are happy\par about giving these things to you.\par
then hear from heaven. Heaven is where you live. Hear and forgive. Give to each person what he should get, because you know what is in each person’s heart. Only you know what is in a person’s heart.
Evil people brag about the things they want.\par And those greedy people curse God.\par In this way, the evil people show that\par they hate the Lord.\par
That is what happens to those foolish people\par who are so pleased with their wealth. {\cf2\super [294]} \par \i (SELAH {\cf2\super [295]})\i0 \par
A wealthy person might really congratulate himself\par on how well he has done in life.\par And yes, even other people might praise him for how well he had done for himself.\par
Punish the bad people,\par and help the good people.\par God, you are good.\par And you can look into peoples’ hearts.\par
The Lord hates every person who thinks that he is better than other people. The Lord will surely punish all those proud people.
Many people call a person”friend.” But it is really hard to find a person that can really be trusted.
A person thinks everything he does is right. But the Lord judges the real reasons people do things.
But I am the Lord,\par and I can look into a person’s heart.\par I can test a person’s mind.\par I can decide what each person should have.\par I can give each person the right payment\par for the things he does.\par
We think proud people are happy. Evil people succeed. They do bad things to test God’s patience—and God does not punish them.”
“The only reason they do good things is for other people to see them. They wear special boxes {\cf2\super [328]} full of Scriptures. {\cf2\super [329]} They make these boxes bigger and bigger. And they make their special prayer clothes very long \{so that people will see them\}.
“When you fast, {\cf2\super [78]} don’t make yourselves look sad. The hypocrites {\cf2\super [79]} do that. Don’t be like the hypocrites. They make their faces look strange to show people that they are fasting. I tell you the truth, those hypocrites already have their full reward.
“When you give to poor people, don’t announce that you are giving. Don’t do like the hypocrites {\cf2\super [73]} do. They blow trumpets before they give so that people will see them. They do that in the synagogues {\cf2\super [74]} and on the streets. They want other people to give honor to them. I tell you the truth. Those hypocrites already have their full reward.
“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites. {\cf2\super [75]} The hypocrites love to stand in the synagogues {\cf2\super [76]} and on the street corners and pray loudly. They want people to see them pray. I tell you the truth. They already have their full reward.
But the man wanted to show that the way he was living was right. So he said to Jesus, “But who are these other people I must love?”
The Lord (Jesus) said to him, “You Pharisees \{think that washing the outside of the body is so important. That’s like\} cleaning only the outside of a cup or a dish! \{The inside is more important.\} And what is inside you? You want only to cheat and hurt people.
The Pharisee stood alone, away from the tax collector. When the Pharisee prayed, he said, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not as bad as other people. I am not like men that steal, cheat, or do the sin of adultery. {\cf2\super [286]} I thank you that I am better than this tax collector.
I tell you, when this man finished his prayer and went home, he was right with God. But the Pharisee, {\cf2\super [289]} who felt that he was better than other people, was not right with God. Every person that makes himself important will be made humble. But the person that makes himself humble will be made important.”
But the leader said, “I have obeyed all these commands since I was a boy!”
There were some people that thought that they were very good. These people acted like they were better than other people. Jesus used this story to teach them:
So the Jewish leaders waited for the right time to get Jesus. They sent some men to Jesus. They told these men to act like they were good men. They wanted to find something wrong with the things Jesus said. (If they found something wrong, then they could give Jesus to the governor, who had power and authority \{over him\}.)
But they are mean to widows {\cf2\super [328]} and steal their homes. Then they try to make themselves look good by saying long prayers. God will punish these people very much.”
Jesus did not need any person to tell him about people. Jesus knew what was in a person’s mind.
(Judas was paid money for doing this. His money was used to buy him a field. But Judas fell on his head, and his body broke open. All his intestines poured out.
God knows the thoughts of all men, and he accepted these non-Jewish people. God showed this to us by giving them the Holy Spirit {\cf2\super [306]} the same as he did to us.
Why? Because no person can be made right with God by following the law. The law only shows us our sin.
God can see what is in people’s hearts. And God knows what is in the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit speaks to God for his people in the way that God wants.
So don’t judge before the right time; wait until the Lord comes. He will shine light on the things that are hidden in darkness. He will make known the secret purposes of people’s hearts. Then God will give every person the praise he should get.
No, your beauty should come from inside you—the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. That beauty will never disappear. It is worth very much to God.
Young men, I have something to say to you, too. You should accept the authority of the elders. {\cf2\super [32]} All of you should be very humble with each other.
I will also kill her followers. Then all the churches will know that I am the One who knows what people feel and think. And I will repay each of you for the things you have done.
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Eliab is tall and handsome. But don’t think about things like that. God does not look at the things people see. People look only at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at his heart. Eliab is not the right man.”