Luke 16:19-31

The Rich Man and Lazarus

“Once there was a rich man who used to dress in the most expensive clothing and spent his days in magnificent luxury.

At his gate had been laid a beggar named El‘azar who was covered with sores.

He would have been glad to eat the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table; but instead, even the dogs would come and lick his sores.

In time the beggar died and was carried away by the angels to Avraham’s side; the rich man also died and was buried.

“In Sh’ol, where he was in torment, the rich man looked up and saw Avraham far away with El‘azar at his side.

He called out, ‘Father Avraham, take pity on me, and send El‘azar just to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue, because I’m in agony in this fire!’

However, Avraham said, ‘Son, remember that when you were alive, you got the good things while he got the bad; but now he gets his consolation here, while you are the one in agony.

Yet that isn’t all: between you and us a deep rift has been established, so that those who would like to pass from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

“He answered, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house,

where I have five brothers, to warn them; so that they may be spared having to come to this place of torment too.’

But Avraham said, ‘They have Moshe and the Prophets; they should listen to them.’

However, he said, ‘No, father Avraham, they need more. If someone from the dead goes to them, they’ll repent!’

But he replied, ‘If they won’t listen to Moshe and the Prophets, they won’t be convinced even if someone rises from the dead!’”

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