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Luke 16:17
ESV But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.
NIV It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
NASB But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.
CSB But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter in the law to drop out.
NLT But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God’s law to be overturned.
KJV And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

What does Luke 16:17 mean?

This verse is difficult to interpret. It helps to remember that the entire chapter shows that our beliefs about God determine our actions and priorities. Jesus is speaking about the role of the Mosaic law (Luke 16:16) in the age of grace.

God interacts with the world in different ways depending on what He has revealed in those places and times. Always, in every culture, salvation is by God's grace through faith that God will fulfill His promises (Ephesians 2:8–9). God had given the Jews the Mosaic law nearly 1500 years before the moment described in this verse. The Mosaic law stated that the Jews would be saved if they trusted God as their God; following the Mosaic law was a sign of their trust. God's grace, received through faith, saved them; their faith was evidenced by their obedience (1 Samuel 15:22; Galatians 3:11).

The Law and the Prophets, which began to fade with the coming of John the Baptist, also heralded the future arrival of a new promise or the new covenant. Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus' identity and words, the "good news of the kingdom of God" (Luke 16:16).

In addition to pointing to Jesus, the Law and the Prophets still provide principles on how to live out our faith (Matthew 5:17–19). The context in this chapter is loving God more than money and, therefore, using money for the benefit of God's kingdom and other people (Luke 16:9). Loving others with our money is a sign that God is our priority and that we have faith in what Jesus says; it gives evidence that we're saved.

The precise laws of the Old Testament are not applicable to Christians today. We don't have to burn sacrifices or follow the Sabbath. Civil and ceremonial requirements are not part of salvation. The eternal principles are to love God and love others (Deuteronomy 6:5; Luke 10:27). The New Testament and the Holy Spirit give believers instructions on how to live that love out.

Jesus tells another story about the seriousness of what He means. The rich man who did not look after the needs of the beggar Lazarus goes to hell. His lack of relationship with God both proves he is not saved and caused him to use his money selfishly (Luke 16:19–31).

First, however, Jesus broadens the application. It's not just about money; it's about having the right responsibilities in everything God has blessed us with, including our spouse (Luke 16:18).
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