Chapter
Verse

Luke 16:15

ESV And he said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
NIV He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.
NASB And He said to them, 'You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of people, but God knows your hearts; because that which is highly esteemed among people is detestable in the sight of God.
CSB And he told them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly admired by people is revolting in God’s sight.
NLT Then he said to them, 'You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.
KJV 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.
NKJV And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

What does Luke 16:15 mean?

Luke 16 is a collection of teachings about how people who prioritize the things of the world—in particular, money—demonstrate that they do not love God. The Pharisees love money and claim to love God. All they can do is sneer derisively at Jesus, attempting to discredit Him in front of His disciples (Luke 16:14).

Jesus charges them with trying to justify themselves before men. That is, they try to convince other people that they are righteous and holy. Matthew 23 gives a long list of examples, including:
"'They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others'" (Matthew 23:5–7).
Later, Jesus will share the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9–14). A socially despised tax collector prays to God, lamenting his sin in humble repentance. A nearby Pharisee prays for all to hear, "God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get" (Luke 18:11–12). It is the tax collector, who makes his living extorting money from others, who goes away justified, not the Pharisee.

"Justification" is the state of being declared righteous. It is a legal decision and declaration. What the Pharisees refuse to see is that they cannot be declared righteous based on their own works and character. Their works prove that their character comes from Satan; they are liars and the truth is not in them (John 8:44). Jesus calls out two sins that are considered an abomination in the Old Testament: unfaithfulness with money (Deuteronomy 25:13–16; Luke 16:10–13) and unfaithfulness in marriage (Deuteronomy 24:4; Luke 16:18).
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