Luke 16:2 - He called him, and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’

Generated Verse: Luke 16:2

What does "Luke 16:2" mean?


This verse is the beginning of the Parable of the Unjust Steward (or the Shrewd Manager) in Luke 16:1-13. It sets the stage for the story by introducing the problem:

"He called him": The "he" refers to a wealthy, influential man (the master).
"said to him": The steward (manager) is being summoned by his boss.
"What is this that I hear about you?": The master has received reports (likely from multiple sources) about the steward's dishonesty or mismanagement of the master's property. It implies a serious breach of trust.
"Give an accounting of your management": The master is demanding a formal audit. He wants to see exactly how the steward has been handling the finances and resources entrusted to him. He wants to know how much has been earned, spent, and where everything went.
"for you can no longer be manager": This is the punchline. The master is firing the steward. The alleged mismanagement is serious enough that the master no longer trusts him to continue in his role.

In essence, the verse conveys the following:

1. Accusation: The steward is being accused of some wrongdoing.
2. Investigation: The master is demanding an explanation and a detailed report to understand the extent of the problem.
3. Consequence: The steward is about to lose his job because of his actions.

The verse is important because it sets the stage for the steward's actions in the rest of the parable. Knowing he is about to be fired, the steward acts shrewdly (though still unethically) to secure his future. The parable is less about condoning the steward's dishonesty and more about Jesus using the steward's resourcefulness to teach a lesson about how believers should use their own resources wisely in light of eternity.