And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.

LUKE 16:6KJV
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Luke 16:6 (KJV)

What does Luke 16:6 mean?

Luke 16:6 describes a moment in Jesus’ parable where a manager tells a debtor to quickly change his bill from owing one hundred measures of oil to fifty, effectively reducing the debt by half. This action shows the manager making a deal to benefit the debtor, likely to gain favor for himself.

In this scene, Jesus is telling a story about a manager who is about to lose his job for wasting his master’s goods. The manager calls in people who owe his master and reduces their debts, hoping they will help him later. The “hundred measures of oil” refers to a large quantity, and the instruction to “write fifty” is a significant reduction, showing the manager’s urgency and shrewdness in securing goodwill.

The Greek behind Luke 16:6

  • μέτρα (metra, G943): This word means “measures” and refers to a specific unit of liquid, likely about eight or nine gallons each. The size of the debt (a hundred measures) highlights the generosity of the reduction.
  • γράμμα (gramma, G1121): Translated here as “bill,” this word means a written document or account. The manager tells the debtor to physically alter the written record, not just make a verbal agreement.
  • ταχέως (tacheōs, G5030): This word means “quickly.” The manager’s instruction to act fast shows urgency, possibly so the master does not find out before the changes are made.

Why Luke 16:6 matters

  • Luke 16:6 helps clarify the shrewdness of the manager, who uses his last moments of authority to secure future help for himself, which is key to understanding Jesus’ point in the parable.
  • The verse shows the practical details of how debts were recorded and could be altered, grounding the story in everyday business practices of the time.
  • This moment sets up the lesson that follows in the passage, where Jesus comments on using worldly resources wisely, making the manager’s actions central to the teaching.

Where else these words appear

“fifty” Greek G4004 · used in 7 verses

  • Mark 6:40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.
  • Luke 9:14 For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.
  • John 21:11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

“quickly” Greek G5030 · used in 10 verses

  • Luke 14:21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
  • Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
  • 2 Thessalonians 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

“oil” Greek G1637 · used in 11 verses

  • Matthew 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
  • Mark 6:13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
  • Hebrews 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

“bill” Greek G1121 · used in 14 verses

  • Luke 16:7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.
  • Acts 26:24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
  • Romans 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.