And he replied, 'Eight hundred gallons of [olive] oil.' And he said to him, 'Take your contract and quickly sit down and write in four hundred [gallons].'

Now he did not say this because he cared about poor people, but because he was in charge of the money bag, and being a thief, he used to steal from it.

and brought [only] a part of the selling price and gave it to the apostles; but the man and his wife had kept this a secret.

Shewing

"Who then, is the trustworthy and sensible slave, to whom his master has assigned the management of his household to provide timely meals for its members?

"The person who is trustworthy in regard to very small matters, [such as material possessions] is also [likely to be] trustworthy in regard to large matters, [such as spiritual values], and the person who does not do what is right in very small matters is also not [likely] to do what is right in large ones.

Furthermore, one thing required of [good] property managers is that they prove dependable.

Adorn

In that same way, you should allow your light [i.e., influence] to shine in front of people, so that they will see your good deeds and [be led to] honor your Father in heaven.

I urge you, therefore, as a prisoner of the Lord, to live in a way that measures up to [the standard required by] God when He called you.

So, [whatever happens], live your daily lives in such a way as to be worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or remain absent from you, I will hear about you, that you are standing firm in one spirit [i.e., united in purpose, and] contending with one mind for the faith of the Gospel [i.e., for the body of Christian teaching].

so that you will be without just blame and innocent [of wrongdoing], children of God without fault in the middle of a crooked and perverted generation of people. You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky,

Finally, brothers, give [careful] thought to these things: Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovable, whatever is commendable. If it is excellent; if it is praiseworthy; [think about it].

You should live such good lives before [unconverted] Gentiles, so that even though they accuse you of being evildoers, by seeing your good deeds, they will [be led to] honor God [for you] on the day He visits us again [i.e., to bring judgment].

May your conscience be able to so approve of your conduct that, even if you are ridiculed, those doing it will [eventually] have to be ashamed [of themselves] for criticizing your Christian behavior.

The doctrine

The elders who lead [the church] well should be considered deserving of double honor [Note: This probably refers to financial support in addition to the honor of the office], especially those who work hard at [preaching] the word and at teaching it.

All those people who are under the reins of slavery [i.e., in subjection to someone] should consider their own masters as deserving of full respect, so that God's name and [His] teaching will not be spoken against [i.e., by unbelievers].

Every person who does not continue to follow the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God [in his life]. [But], the person who continues to follow in the teaching [of Christ] has both the Father and the Son [in his life].

General references

[Instead], each of us should do what pleases his neighbor in order to accomplish something good and uplifting [in his life].

On the contrary, those parts of the body which seem to be weaker [i.e., delicate organs like the heart, lungs, kidneys, etc.] are necessary [for life].