Warning to Rich Oppressors

5 Now listen,^(A) you rich people,^(B) weep and wail^(C) because of the misery that is coming on you.

⁹ Those who want to get rich^(A) fall into temptation and a trap^(B) and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money^(C) is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith^(D) and pierced themselves with many griefs.^(E)

²³ This is what the Lord says:

¹¹ For the sun rises with scorching heat^(A) and withers^(B) the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed.^(C) In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

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)

²¹ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”^(D)

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)