²¹ Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” ²² He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ^(A)‘Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ ²³ But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, ^(B)but he will not return to me.”

²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that ^(A)you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’

¹³ And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: ^(A)Blessed are the dead ^(B)who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, ^(C)“that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”