Text -- Luke 16:23-31 (NET)

16:23 And in hell, as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side. 16:24 So he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this fire.’ 16:25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish. 16:26 Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ 16:27 So the rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, father– send Lazarus to my father’s house 16:28 (for I have five brothers) to warn them so that they don’t come into this place of torment.’ 16:29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to them.’ 16:30 Then the rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 16:31 He replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Luk 16:23

¹ sn The Greek term Hades stands for the Hebrew concept of Sheol. It is what is called hell today. This is where the dead were gathered (Ps 16:10; 86:13). In the NT Hades has an additional negative force of awaiting judgment (Rev 20:13).

² sn Hades is a place of torment, especially as one knows that he is separated from God.

³ tn Grk “he lifted up his eyes” (an idiom).

⁴ tn Grk “in his bosom,” the same phrase used in 16:22. This idiom refers to heaven and/or participation in the eschatological banquet. An appropriate modern equivalent is “at Abraham’s side.”

NET Notes: Luk 16:24

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous actions in the narrative.

² tn Grk “calling out he said”; this is redundant in contemporary English style and has been simplified to “he called out.”

³ sn The rich man had not helped Lazarus before, when he lay outside his gate (v. 2), but he knew him well enough to know his name. This is why the use of the name Lazarus in the parable is significant. (The rich man’s name, on the other hand, is not mentioned, because it is not significant for the point of the story.)

⁴ sn The dipping of the tip of his finger in water is evocative of thirst. The thirsty are in need of God’s presence (Ps 42:1-2; Isa 5:13). The imagery suggests the rich man is now separated from the presence of God.

⁵ tn Or “in terrible pain” (L&N 24.92).

⁶ sn Fire in this context is OT imagery; see Isa 66:24.

NET Notes: Luk 16:25

¹ tn The Greek term here is τέκνον (teknon), which could be understood as a term of endearment.

² tn Or “in terrible pain” (L&N 24.92). Here is the reversal Jesus mentioned in Luke 6:20-26.

NET Notes: Luk 16:26

¹ tn Grk “And in all these things.” There is no way Lazarus could carry out this request even if divine justice were not involved.

² sn The great chasm between heaven and hell is impassable forever. The rich man’s former status meant nothing now.

³ tn Grk “between us and you.”

NET Notes: Luk 16:27

¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the rich man’s response to Abraham’s words.

² tn Grk “he”; the referent (the rich man, v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ tn Grk “Then I beg you, father, that you send him”; the referent (Lazarus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: Luk 16:28

¹ sn To warn them. The warning would consist of a call to act differently than their dead brother had, or else meet his current terrible fate.

² tn Grk “lest they also come.”

NET Notes: Luk 16:29

¹ tn Grk “says.” This is one of the few times Luke uses the historical present.

² tn Or “obey”; Grk “hear.” This recalls the many OT texts calling for a righteous heart to respond to people in need (Deut 14:28-29; Isa 3:14-15; Amos 2:6-8; Mic 2:1-2; Zech 7:9-10).

NET Notes: Luk 16:30

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

² tn Grk “he”; the referent (the rich man, v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ sn If someone from the dead goes to them. The irony and joy of the story is that what is denied the rich man’s brothers, a word of warning from beyond the grave, is given to the reader of the Gospel in this exchange.

NET Notes: Luk 16:31

¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

² tn Or “obey”; Grk “hear.” See the note on the phrase “respond to” in v. 29.

³ sn The concluding statement of the parable, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead, provides a hint that even Jesus’ resurrection will not help some to respond. The message of God should be good enough. Scripture is the sign to be heeded.