Luke 16 20

Luke 16:20 kjv

And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

Luke 16:20 nkjv

But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,

Luke 16:20 niv

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores

Luke 16:20 esv

And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,

Luke 16:20 nlt

At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores.

Luke 16 verses

Luke 16 20 Meaning

Luke 16:20 introduces Lazarus, a desperately poor man, afflicted with chronic sores, who was laid at the elaborate entrance of an unnamed rich man. This verse sets the immediate scene for the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, highlighting a stark contrast between extreme wealth and dire destitution, and establishing the profound spiritual blindness of the wealthy individual who overlooked the suffering at his very doorstep. The specific details underscore Lazarus's abject condition, making him not just poor, but also physically repulsive and ritually unclean, emphasizing the rich man's utter lack of compassion.

Luke 16 20 Context

Luke chapter 16 unfolds Jesus' teachings primarily directed at His disciples and also in response to the Pharisees, who were "lovers of money" (Luke 16:14). It begins with the Parable of the Dishonest Manager (Luke 16:1-13), which teaches shrewdness in using earthly possessions with a view to eternal gains, culminating in the declaration that "You cannot serve God and money" (Luke 16:13). The Pharisees scoffed at this, prompting Jesus to address their self-righteousness and the spiritual dangers of their wealth (Luke 16:14-15). He asserts the eternal validity of the Law and Prophets while demonstrating a radical interpretation of its spirit (Luke 16:16-18). The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), in which Luke 16:20 serves as an introduction, then provides a stark illustration of the consequences of covetousness, neglecting the poor, and relying on earthly comfort instead of embracing divine mercy and truth. The parable directly challenges the prevailing Jewish cultural belief that material wealth was a sure sign of God's favor and poverty a mark of divine displeasure or personal sin, subverting these assumptions by revealing a divine judgment contrary to earthly expectations.

Luke 16 20 Word analysis

• And (kai - καὶ): A common conjunction, here serving as a simple transition, but it also creates an immediate juxtaposition to the rich man's opulence described in the previous verse (Luke 16:19). It implicitly links the contrasting fates of the rich and poor, presenting them in close proximity, mirroring their physical proximity.
• at his gate (epi tou pylōnos autou - ἐπὶ τοῦ πυλῶνος αὐτοῦ):
  • Gate (pylōn - πυλών): More than a mere doorway, pylōn signifies a large entrance, a portal, often grand and indicative of a substantial house or estate. It suggests a clear and visible boundary that Lazarus could not cross into the rich man's abundance. Lazarus was placed at this entrance, implying accessibility but not welcome. The proximity makes the rich man's indifference all the more damning; Lazarus was not hidden away but conspicuously present at the place of entry and exit.
  • His (autou - αὐτοῦ): The possessive "his" emphasizes the private domain of the rich man, highlighting his ownership and control, and thus his responsibility for what transpired on his property.
• lay (ebleto - ἐβέβλητο):
  • This is the perfect passive indicative of ballō (βάλλω), meaning "to throw, to cast, to put down, to lay." The perfect tense denotes a state of being, indicating that he had been laid there and remained there. The passive voice ("was laid") suggests a helpless condition, possibly by others (friends or family too weak to care for him fully) or even by himself, but in any case, highlighting his lack of agency or choice in his situation. It paints a picture of extreme weakness and dependency, being left in a desolate state.
• a poor man (ptōchos - πτωχός):
  • This is a strong term for poverty, describing one who is utterly destitute, utterly dependent, a beggar, reduced to extreme penury. It is stronger than penēs (πενής), which simply describes someone having few possessions. Ptōchos indicates a total lack of resources, often involving begging, and signifies a social status of extreme deprivation and helplessness. In the Jewish context, such a person was often seen as someone God's people were obligated to care for (Deut 15:7-11).
• named Lazarus (onomati Lazaros - ὀνόματι Λάζαρος):
  • Named (onomati - ὀνόματι): Explicitly states that he was given a specific identity.
  • Lazarus (Lazaros - Λάζαρος): This is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Eleazar (אֶלְעָזָר), meaning "God has helped" or "God is my help." This is profoundly significant: he is the only character in any of Jesus' parables to be given a name. This unique detail grants him personhood and dignity, contrasting sharply with the unnamed "rich man." The name itself is ironic given his suffering, yet prophetic of his ultimate divine vindication and aid, demonstrating that despite his worldly affliction, he was known to God and cherished. The use of a name also gives the parable a feeling of vivid reality.
• covered with sores (heilkōmenos - ἡλκωμένος):
  • This is the perfect passive participle of helkoō (ἑλκόω), meaning "to make ulcerous," "to be full of sores," "to be diseased with sores." The perfect tense indicates a chronic, ongoing state; his body was persistently ulcerated. This condition would have made him repulsive to touch, likely generating a foul odor, and would have marked him as ceremonially unclean (Lev 13-14) in the eyes of many. This detail deepens the picture of his wretchedness, vulnerability, and the rich man's extreme indifference. It is suggested by some that dogs licking his sores (v. 21) was further indication of his pitiable and degraded state, possibly signifying his total isolation from human care and cleanliness.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• And at his gate lay: This phrase emphasizes proximity and accessibility while also establishing a stark boundary. Lazarus is visibly present at the rich man's pylōn, not hidden or far off. His "lying" suggests an ongoing, pathetic posture of weakness, inability to move or care for himself, utterly dependent on external mercy.
• a poor man named Lazarus: The juxtaposition of "poor man" (descriptive of his material state) with "named Lazarus" (identifying his personhood and, ironically, "God's help") creates an immediate tension. This detail, as the only named parable character, highlights divine remembrance and valuing of the lowly, contrasting sharply with the rich man who is utterly stripped of identity and called simply "a certain rich man."
• covered with sores: This visual and sensory detail vividly portrays his complete destitution and suffering, making him ritually impure, an outcast, and an object of disgust for many. It emphasizes that the rich man's indifference was not merely to poverty, but to a deeply distressing and humanly repulsive physical affliction. This intensifies the rich man's culpability by showing his deliberate disregard for profound human need and suffering right on his doorstep.

Luke 16 20 Bonus section

• Nameless vs. Named: The deliberate choice of giving Lazarus a name while leaving the rich man unnamed is a crucial literary and theological device. The rich man, identified only by his material possessions, loses his personal identity in death, becoming generic. Lazarus, despite his destitution, retains his name, emphasizing his inherent dignity, value, and God's personal knowledge of him. His earthly suffering is forgotten in favor of his eternal comfort, mirroring his prophetic name "God is my help."
• The Licking Dogs (Implied from Lk 16:21): Although verse 20 doesn't mention the dogs, verse 21 adds the detail that "even the dogs came and licked his sores." This reinforces Lazarus's extreme vulnerability and lack of human care, while also potentially highlighting a contrast: even common animals showed more basic "pity" than the human owner of the opulent household. This detail further signifies his utter destitution and possible social degradation to the lowest state, even below common decency, and emphasizes the repulsiveness of his condition.
• Historical Parallels: There's a parallel to be drawn from Jewish parables (e.g., from Midrash literature) which occasionally depict figures transitioning between states of fortune and misfortune, often emphasizing the unpredictability of human life or divine judgment. However, Jesus' parable radically redefines what truly constitutes "blessed" or "cursed," contrasting the external show of wealth with the internal state of the heart and its capacity for compassion.

Luke 16 20 Commentary

Luke 16:20 succinctly paints a portrait of extreme human suffering and highlights the critical lack of compassion demonstrated by the rich man in the parable. The details—Lazarus's desperate poverty (using the strong Greek term ptōchos), his prostrate state "at his gate" (a significant, visible entry point), and his gruesome condition of being "covered with sores"—all intensify the tragic reality. The uniqueness of Lazarus being the only named character in Jesus' parables underscores his individual significance to God, contrasting sharply with the anonymous rich man. This verse is not just a descriptive introduction; it sets the stage for a spiritual indictment, illustrating that true godliness is reflected in how one treats the most vulnerable and afflicted, challenging the cultural perception that wealth indicated divine favor while suffering signified a curse. It emphasizes the sin of omission, the failure to act where an opportunity for mercy and aid was undeniably present.