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Parable #33 ~ Luke 16:19-31 ~ The Rich Man and Lazarus ~
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in
luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with
sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came
and licked his sores.
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to
Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in
torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So
he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip
of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received
your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here
and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has
been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone
cross over from there to us.’
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house,
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to
this place of torment.’
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to
them.’
“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them,
they will repent.’
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will
not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”
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