Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

◄ Luke 16:13 ►

New International Version
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

New Living Translation
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”

English Standard Version
No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Berean Standard Bible
No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Berean Literal Bible
No servant is able to serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and he will love the other, or he will be devoted to one and he will despise the other. You are not able to serve God and mammon."

King James Bible
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

New King James Version
“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

New American Standard Bible
No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

NASB 1995
“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

NASB 1977
“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Legacy Standard Bible
No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

Amplified Bible
No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand devotedly by the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon [that is, your earthly possessions or anything else you trust in and rely on instead of God].”

Christian Standard Bible
No servant can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
No household slave can be the slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t be slaves to both God and money.”

American Standard Version
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Contemporary English Version
You cannot be the slave of two masters. You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than to the other. You cannot serve God and money.

English Revised Version
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"A servant cannot serve two masters. He will hate the first master and love the second, or he will be devoted to the first and despise the second. You cannot serve God and wealth."

Good News Translation
"No servant can be the slave of two masters; such a slave will hate one and love the other or will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

International Standard Version
"No servant can serve two masters, because either he will hate one and love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and wealth!"

Majority Standard Bible
No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

NET Bible
No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."

New Heart English Bible
No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You are not able to serve God and wealth."

Webster's Bible Translation
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Weymouth New Testament
"No servant can be in bondage to two masters. For either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will cling fast to one and scorn the other. You cannot be bondservants both of God and of gold."

World English Bible
No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to one and despise the other. You aren’t able to serve God and Mammon.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
No servant is able to serve two lords, for either he will hate the one, and he will love the other; or one he will hold to, and of the other he will be heedless; you are not able to serve God and wealth.”

Berean Literal Bible
No servant is able to serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and he will love the other, or he will be devoted to one and he will despise the other. You are not able to serve God and mammon."

Young's Literal Translation
'No domestic is able to serve two lords, for either the one he will hate, and the other he will love; or one he will hold to, and of the other he will be heedless; ye are not able to serve God and mammon.'

Smith's Literal Translation
No servant can serve two lords: for he will either hate one, and love the other; or he will hold firmly to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Catholic Public Domain Version
No servant is able to serve two lords. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will cling to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

New American Bible
No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

New Revised Standard Version
No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and like the other; or he will honor one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (wealth).

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“There is no servant who can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will honor the one and he will neglect the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
No servant can serve two masters; for he will either hate the one, and love the other; or he will cleave to the one, and despise the other. You can not serve God and riches.

Godbey New Testament
No servant is able to serve two masters: for he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will cleave to the one, and despise the other. You are not able to serve God and mammon.

Haweis New Testament
No domestic can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will cleave to the one, and neglect the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Mace New Testament
a servant cannot serve two masters: for either he will neglect the one, and attend the other; or he will be attached to the first, and misbehave to the last, you cannot serve God and mammon.

Weymouth New Testament
"No servant can be in bondage to two masters. For either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will cling fast to one and scorn the other. You cannot be bondservants both of God and of gold."

Worrell New Testament
No domestic can serve two lords; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will hold to one, and despise the other: ye cannot serve God and mammon."

Worsley New Testament
No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or at lest he will be attached to the one, and neglect the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager
…12And if you have not been faithful with the belongings of another, who will give you belongings of your own? 13No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” 14The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Joshua 24:15
But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”

Romans 6:16
Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness?

1 Kings 18:21
Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.

James 4:4
You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.

Galatians 1:10
Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. / For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. / The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Colossians 3:5
Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.

Philippians 3:19
Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.

2 Timothy 3:2-4
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, / unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, / traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

Ezekiel 20:39
And as for you, O house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you. But afterward, you will surely listen to Me, and you will no longer defile My holy name with your gifts and idols.

Deuteronomy 6:5
And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Matthew 22:37
Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

Exodus 20:3
You shall have no other gods before Me.

Treasury of Scripture

No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

servant.

Luke 9:50
And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

Luke 11:23
He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.

Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

hate.

Luke 14:26
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

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Luke 16

1. The parable of the unjust steward.
14. Jesus reproves the hypocrisy of the covetous Pharisees.
19. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus the beggar.

Berean Study Bible

No servant
The term "servant" here is translated from the Greek word "οἰκέτης" (oiketēs), which refers to a household servant or slave. In the historical context of the Roman Empire, a servant was bound to the will of their master, highlighting the totality of commitment expected. This sets the stage for understanding the impossibility of divided loyalty in spiritual matters.

can serve
The Greek word "δύναται" (dunatai) implies capability or power. The phrase suggests an inherent impossibility, not just a moral or ethical dilemma. It emphasizes that it is beyond one's ability to truly serve two masters, as true service requires undivided allegiance.

two masters
The word "masters" comes from the Greek "κυρίους" (kyrious), meaning lords or owners. In the ancient world, a master had absolute authority over a servant. The use of "two masters" illustrates the conflict of interest and the impossibility of serving both with equal dedication, as each master would demand full allegiance.

Either he will hate the one
"Hate" is translated from the Greek "μισήσει" (misēsei), which can mean to love less or to prefer less. This phrase indicates the natural outcome of divided loyalties, where one master will inevitably be neglected or resented in favor of the other.

and love the other
The Greek word for "love" is "ἀγαπήσει" (agapēsei), which denotes a deep, committed love. This highlights the exclusivity of true devotion, where love for one master naturally excludes equal love for another.

or he will be devoted to the one
"Devoted" comes from the Greek "ἀνθέξεται" (anthexetai), meaning to hold firmly or cling to. This suggests a steadfast loyalty and commitment, reinforcing the idea that true service requires unwavering dedication to one master.

and despise the other
The term "despise" is from the Greek "καταφρονήσει" (kataphronēsei), meaning to think little of or to disdain. This reflects the inevitable devaluation of one master when another is prioritized, underscoring the impossibility of equal service.

You cannot serve both God and money
"Money" is translated from the Greek "μαμωνᾷ" (mamōna), often personified as a false god representing wealth and materialism. This phrase encapsulates the central teaching of the verse: the incompatibility of serving God, who demands total devotion, with the pursuit of wealth, which can become an idol. The historical context of Jesus' audience, who lived under Roman rule with its materialistic values, makes this teaching particularly poignant. It calls believers to examine their priorities and ensure that their ultimate allegiance is to God alone, as serving Him requires a heart undivided by worldly pursuits.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) No servant can serve two masters.--See Notes on Matthew 6:24. Here it obviously comes in close connection with the previous teaching. But its occurrence, in an equally close sequence, in the Sermon on the Mount, shows that it took its place among the axioms of the religious life which our Lord, if we may so speak, loved to reproduce as occasion called for them.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13 - No servant can serve two masters... Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Very vividly is this experience brought out in the great parable which immediately follows There the rich man was evidently one who observed the sacred ritual of the Law of Moses: this we learn without doubt from his conversation after death with Abraham. Thus he tried, after his light, to serve God, but he also served mammon: this we learn, too, clearly from the description given to us of his life, from the mention of the gorgeous apparel and the sumptuous feeding. The service of the two was incompatible, and we know from the sombre sequel of the story to which master the rich man really held, and whom - alas for him! - in his heart he despised.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

No
Οὐδεὶς (Oudeis)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3762: No one, none, nothing.

servant
οἰκέτης (oiketēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3610: A household servant. From oikeo; a fellow resident, i.e. Menial domestic.

can
δύναται (dynatai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.

serve
δουλεύειν (douleuein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 1398: To be a slave, be subject to, obey, be devoted. From doulos; to be a slave to.

two
δυσὶ (dysi)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1417: Two. A primary numeral; 'two'.

masters.
κυρίοις (kyriois)
Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.

Either
ἢ (ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

he will hate
μισήσει (misēsei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3404: To hate, detest, love less, esteem less. From a primary misos; to detest; by extension, to love less.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

one
ἕνα (hena)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1520: One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

love
ἀγαπήσει (agapēsei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 25: To love, wish well to, take pleasure in, long for; denotes the love of reason, esteem. Perhaps from agan; to love.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

other,
ἕτερον (heteron)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2087: (a) of two: another, a second, (b) other, different, (c) one's neighbor. Of uncertain affinity; other or different.

or
ἢ (ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

he will be devoted to
ἀνθέξεται (anthexetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 472: From anti and the middle voice of echo; to hold oneself opposite to, i.e. adhere to; by extension to care for.

[the] one
ἑνὸς (henos)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 1520: One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

despise
καταφρονήσει (kataphronēsei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2706: To despise, scorn, and show it by active insult, disregard. From kata and phroneo; to think against, i.e. Disesteem.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

other.
ἑτέρου (heterou)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2087: (a) of two: another, a second, (b) other, different, (c) one's neighbor. Of uncertain affinity; other or different.

You cannot
δύνασθε (dynasthe)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.

serve
δουλεύειν (douleuein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 1398: To be a slave, be subject to, obey, be devoted. From doulos; to be a slave to.

[both] God
Θεῷ (Theō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

money.”
μαμωνᾷ (mamōna)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3126: (Aramaic), riches, money, possessions, property. Of Chaldee origin; mammonas, i.e. Avarice.

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NT Gospels: Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters (Luke Lu Lk)