Luke 16:28-31

16:28 (for I have five brothers) to warn ¹  them so that they don’t come ²  into this place of torment.’ 16:29 But Abraham said, ³  ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to ⁴  them.’ 16:30 Then ⁵  the rich man ⁶  said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead ⁷  goes to them, they will repent.’ 16:31 He ⁸  replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to ⁹  Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” ¹⁰ 

[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.

[16:28]  ² tn Grk “lest they also come.”

[16:29]  ³ tn Grk “says.” This is one of the few times Luke uses the historical present.

[16:29]  ⁴ 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).

[16:30]  ⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[16:30]  ⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the rich man, v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:30]  ⁷ 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.

[16:31]  ⁷ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[16:31]  ⁸ tn Or “obey”; Grk “hear.” See the note on the phrase “respond to” in v. 29.

[16:31]  ⁹ 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.