Okay, I think I understand your take on this parable. Do these points accurately represent your view? (1) Jesus\'s message is to literally make friends of rich people. (2) These rich people will take care of us if we lose our jobs and homes as a result of persecution. (3) This is God\'s explicit will through which he intends to provide for his people and his work through this recruitement of rich people. (4) These rich people are unbelievers, particularly. (5) Anyone who does not teach that this is the meaning of this parable is leading the body of Christ astray through false teaching. (6) These false teachers need to be exposed publicly. (7) Only congregations who are truly doing the will of God are actively recruiting unsaved rich people to pay the expenses of out of work members and the general expenses of the ministry (8) This is a supremely important message that you are in danger of damnation to not fulfill it. Please correct any statement above that does not represent your views. I have rarely found any value in breaking out and examining Greek words, phrases and usage to support a position. These Greek examinations are almost always used to defend an argument, not establish one. What I mean is, rarely, if ever, do people go to the Greek words to find out what a passage means. They go to the Greek words to defend an interpretation they\'ve already come up with. Don\'t get me wrong, at first glance I would say there is merit to what you say about the corruption of the original Greek, but I don\'t think it alters the meaning of the parable. The truth is, most people cannot grasp a wordy, complicated Greek word study designed to change their minds about the meaning of a passage. Paul was not blowing hot air when he told Timothy to \"warn then before God against quarreling about words; IT IS OF NO VALUE, and ONLY RUINS THOSE WHO LISTEN\" (2 Timothy 2:14). I can testify that these futile exercises often motivated by the \'pride of knowledge\' only serve to further confound and confuse ANY useful understanding of scripture that we might have otherwise received. You have to agree it\'s a tool of the Devil to confuse and confound, and--worse yet--to divide brethren through strife and envy and the pride of knowledge. If that isn\'t the Devil\'s work then I don\'t know what is. My wife is one of those people who was \'ruined\' by this kind of contentiousness. Instead word studies bringing her deeper into Christ and whetting her appetite for more, it has repelled her away from Bible studies and sharing. I\'m ashamed to say many of us truly are \'unaware of his schemes\'--meaning the devil--and has swayed us into grudges, strife and quarreling. Why do we think this is a Godly, righteous pursuit? May I submit my understanding of this parable? I won\'t agrue with you, I won\'t condemn you for disagreeing. My sincere hope is that you and others will see some truth, be transformed and grow up into the image and character of our Lord and Savior, filled to overflowing with His joy. In as few words as possible. (1) Even unsaved people know how to use wealth to gain friends and influence people. (2) They do it to insure their future security. (3) Even an unsaved boss can\'t help but to admire the shrewdness of his dishonest servant\'s wisdom--think how the master benefits, too. (4) Jesus asks why we as the people of light don\'t consider how we might win the praise our Master in heaven, and gain influence with the people around us for the Kingdom\'s sake, by being generous with our Master\'s possesions (worldly possesions--money, and spiritual--forgiveness, mercy...) (5) Why don\'t the people of the light do the things that will insure their future security, the things God says we should do? (6) The Bible interprets/ defends itself: 2 Corinthians 9:11-13 is really what this parable is all about. (7) As you well know from Jesus\'s other teaching, it\'s our actions, our obedience that secures and confirms the promise of the bright future we have in Christ. No action, no promise--no future. I have questions that one can ask him/herself that bring your interpretation into suspicion. If you\'d like I can share those. Let me know. Can I get an \'amen\' from anybody on this?