Luke 16:16-31

Christian Standard Bible

¹⁶ “The^(A) Law and the Prophets^(B) were until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God^(C) has been proclaimed, and everyone is urgently invited to enter it.^{[a] 17} But it is easier^(D) for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter in the law to drop out.

¹⁸ “Everyone^(E) who divorces^(F) his wife and marries another woman commits adultery,^(G) and everyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

¹⁹ “There was a rich man who would dress in purple and fine linen,^(H) feasting lavishly every day. ²⁰ But a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, was lying at his gate.^{(I) 21} He longed to be filled^(J) with what fell from the rich man’s table,^(K) but instead the dogs^(L) would come and lick his sores. ²² One day the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side.^[b](M) The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ And being in torment^(N) in Hades,^(O) he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off, with Lazarus at his side. ²⁴ ‘Father Abraham!’^(P) he called out, ‘Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony^(Q) in this flame!’

²⁵ “‘Son,’^[c] Abraham said, ‘remember that during your life you received your good things,^(R) just as Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here,^(S) while you are in agony. ²⁶ Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass over from here to you cannot; neither can those from there cross over to us.’

²⁷ “‘Father,’ he said, ‘then I beg you to send him to my father’s house— ²⁸ because I have five brothers—to warn^(T) them, so that they won’t also come to this place of torment.’

²⁹ “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets;^(U) they should listen to them.’

³⁰ “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said. ‘But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

³¹ “But he told him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”^(V)