Luke 16 · Verse 10

Luke 16:10

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Luke 16:10, King James Version

Luke 16:10 in other translations

BSBWhoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
WEBHe who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
ASVHe that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much.
YLT‘He who is faithful in the least, is also faithful in much; and he who in the least is unrighteous, is also unrighteous in much;
DARBYHe that is faithful in the least is faithful also in much; and he that is unrighteous in the least is unrighteous also in much.
BBEHe who is true in a little, is true in much; he who is false in small things, is false in great.
WebsterHe that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much.

What does Luke 16:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
10. He, &c.--a maxim of great pregnancy and value; rising from the prudence which the steward had to the fidelity which he had not, the "harmlessness of the dove, to which the serpent" with all his "wisdom" is a total stranger. Fidelity depends not on the amount entrusted, but on the sense of responsibility. He that feels this in little will feel it in much, and conversely.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 10. He that is faithful, &c. This is a maxim which will almost universally hold true. A man that shows fidelity in small matters will also in large; and he that will cheat and defraud in little things will also in those involving more trust and responsibility. Fidelity is required in small matters as well as in those of more importance.

(d) "He that is faithful" Mt 25:21,23

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 He that is faithful in that which is least, etc. - He who has the genuine principles of fidelity in him will make a point of conscience of carefully attending to even the smallest things; and it is by habituating himself to act uprightly in little things that he acquires the gracious habit of acting with propriety fidelity, honor, and conscience, in matters of the greatest concern. On the contrary, he who does not act uprightly in small matters will seldom feel himself bound to pay much attention to the dictates of honor and conscience, in cases of high importance. Can we reasonably expect that a man who is continually falling by little things has power to resist temptations to great evils?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 16:1-12

Whatever we have, the property of it is God's; we have only the use of it, according to the direction of our great Lord, and for his honour. This steward wasted his lord's goods. And we are all liable to the same charge; we have not made due improvement of what God has trusted us with. The steward cannot deny it; he must make up his accounts, and be gone. This may teach us that death will come, and deprive us of the…

Read the full comment on Luke 16:1-12 →

Luke 16:10 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὉHoThe [one]G3588
πιστὸςpistosfaithfulG4103
ἐνenwithG1722
ἐλαχίστῳelachistōvery littleG1646
καὶkaialsoG2532
ἐνenwithG1722
πολλῷpollōmuchG4183
πιστόςpistosfaithfulG4103
ἐστιν,estinis,G1510
καὶkaiandG2532
ὁhothe [one]G3588
ἐνenwithG1722
ἐλαχίστῳelachistōvery littleG1646
ἄδικοςadikosunrighteousG94
καὶkaialsoG2532
ἐνenwithG1722
πολλῷpollōmuchG4183
ἄδικόςadikosunrighteousG94
ἐστιν.estinis.G1510

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 16:10

  • Luke 16:11-12

    If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?

  • Matthew 25:21

    His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

  • Luke 19:17

    And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

  • Matthew 25:23

    His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

  • Hebrews 3:2

    Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
faithful in.
11,12; 19:17; Mt 25:21; Heb 3:2
he that is unjust.
Joh 12:6; 13:2,27

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 16:9

    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.

  • Luke 16:10

    He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

  • Luke 16:11

    If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

Read all of Luke 16

Luke 16:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El que es fiel en lo muy poco, también en lo más es fiel: y el que en lo muy poco es injusto, también en lo más es injusto.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Celui qui est fidèle dans ce qui est très petit, est fidèle aussi dans ce qui est grand; et celui qui est injuste dans ce qui est très petit, est injuste aussi dans ce qui est grand.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wer im Geringsten treu ist, ist auch in vielem treu, und wer im Geringsten ungerecht ist, ist auch in vielem ungerecht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui fidelis est in minimo, et in majori fidelis est: et qui in modico iniquus est, et in majori iniquus est.