²² Jews demand signs^(A) and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified:^(B) a stumbling block^(C) to Jews and foolishness^(D) to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those whom God has called,^(E) both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God^(F) and the wisdom of God.^{(G) 25} For the foolishness^(H) of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness^(I) of God is stronger than human strength.

²⁶ Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.^(J) Not many of you were wise^(K) by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose^(L) the foolish^(M) things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not^(N)—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him.^(O)

Psalm 14^(A)

For the director of music. Of David.

Psalm 46^[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.^[b] A song.

¹⁶ And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. ¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

¹⁸ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. ¹⁹ And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool!^(A) This very night your life will be demanded from you.^(B) Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’^(C)

The Rich Man and Lazarus

¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.^{(A) 20} At his gate was laid a beggar^(B) named Lazarus, covered with sores ²¹ and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.^(C) Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

²² “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴ So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham,^(D) 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.’^(E)

²⁵ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things,^(F) but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.^{(G) 26} And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

²⁷ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, ²⁸ for I have five brothers. Let him warn them,^(H) so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

²⁹ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses^(I) and the Prophets;^(J) let them listen to them.’

³⁰ “‘No, father Abraham,’^(K) he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

³¹ “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.’”

¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.^(A)