Luke 16:23 kjv
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:23 nkjv
And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:23 niv
In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
Luke 16:23 esv
and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
Luke 16:23 nlt
and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.
Luke 16 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 16:19-21 | There was a certain rich man... also a certain beggar named Lazarus... | Context of the rich man and Lazarus |
| Lk 16:25-26 | Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst... gulf fixed | Rich man's fate and separation |
| Ps 16:10 | For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer... | Old Testament concept of Sheol/Hades |
| Acts 2:27 | Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer... | Peter applies Ps 16:10 to Christ |
| Rev 1:18 | I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive... and have the keys of hell and of death. | Christ's victory over Hades and death |
| Rev 20:13-14 | And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead... | Hades delivers up dead for judgment |
| 2 Cor 5:8 | We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. | Immediate conscious presence after death |
| Phil 1:23 | For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; | Apostle Paul's desire for immediate union |
| Rev 6:9-10 | And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain... | Souls consciously present in heaven |
| Heb 9:27 | And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: | Fixedness of post-death destiny |
| Matt 25:46 | And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. | Final separation of destinies |
| Dan 12:2 | And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. | Resurrection to differing fates |
| Lk 6:20-25 | Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. But woe unto you that are rich! | Reversal of earthly fortunes |
| Matt 5:3 | Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. | Spiritual blessedness, not just material |
| Jas 2:5-7 | Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith... | God's choice often favors the poor in faith |
| Prov 28:27 | He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes... | Blessings for caring for the poor |
| Lk 23:43 | And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. | Conscious state of righteous in Paradise |
| Matt 8:11 | And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham... | Gathering of believers in the Kingdom |
| Matt 13:42, 50 | And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. | Imagery of torment in judgment |
| Mark 9:43, 48 | ...to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not... | Imagery of unending torment |
| Jude 1:7 | Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves... are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. | Eternal fire as punishment |
| Rev 14:10-11 | The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God... and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone... | Torment of the unrighteous |
| 1 Tim 6:9-10 | But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare... | Warning against love of money |
Luke 16 verses
Luke 16 23 Meaning
Luke 16:23 describes the immediate post-death experience of the rich man from the parable. He finds himself in Hades, a realm of the dead, consciously enduring intense suffering. From this state, he can see Abraham, the patriarch, at a distance, with Lazarus, the previously poor and neglected beggar, reclining in a place of honor and comfort alongside him. The verse immediately establishes a conscious afterlife with a stark reversal of fortunes and distinct destinies for the righteous and the unrighteous.
Luke 16 23 Context
Luke 16:23 is part of the "Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus" (Lk 16:19-31), which concludes a broader discourse by Jesus on stewardship, the deceitfulness of riches, and the Law and Prophets. The parable directly follows Jesus's warning to the Pharisees, who were "lovers of money" (Lk 16:14), emphasizing that "that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God" (Lk 16:15).
Historically and culturally, the Jewish understanding of the afterlife was varied. Some believed in a single abode for the dead (Sheol), while others, particularly in the Hellenistic period, developed concepts of distinct compartments within the unseen realm: one for the righteous (Abraham's Bosom/Paradise) and one for the wicked (a place of punishment or Gehenna-like suffering). This parable seems to align with or reinforce the latter concept, using familiar imagery to convey spiritual truths. The polemic is against the prevalent belief that material wealth was a direct sign of God's blessing and righteousness, implying that poverty was a mark of divine disfavor. Jesus flips this societal expectation on its head, demonstrating that spiritual status, defined by faith and compassion, is paramount in God's eyes.
Luke 16 23 Word analysis
- And (Καὶ - Kai): Connects the rich man's death with his immediate post-mortem experience, emphasizing the swift transition.
- in hell (ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ - en tō Hadē): "Hell" here translates Hades (Greek: ᾅδης), meaning the unseen world or the abode of the dead. It corresponds to the Old Testament Hebrew Sheol. Unlike Gehenna (γέεννα), which signifies the final place of eternal punishment (e.g., Matt 10:28), Hades generally denotes an intermediate state where souls reside between death and final judgment (Rev 20:13-14). In this parable, it is specifically depicted as a place of suffering for the wicked.
- he lift up his eyes (ἐπάρας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ - eparas tous ophthalmous autou): Indicates conscious awareness, vision, and a perception of his surroundings even after physical death. It demonstrates the continuation of personal identity and consciousness.
- being in torments (ἐν βασάνοις ὑπάρχων - en basanois huparchōn): Basanois (Greek: βασάνοις) refers to extreme pain, anguish, or torture. This clearly establishes that the rich man is not in an unconscious state ("soul-sleep") but is actively suffering in the afterlife, highlighting a fundamental truth of the parable: conscious accountability after death.
- and seeth (καὶ ὁρᾷ - kai hora): Reiterates conscious sight and recognition. He actively observes the state of others in this post-death realm.
- Abraham afar off (τὸν Ἀβραὰμ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν - ton Abraam apo makrothen): Abraham, the patriarch, represents the father of faith and is a figure of comfort and blessedness in Jewish thought. "Afar off" signifies a significant, unbridgeable distance (cf. Lk 16:26) and separation between the wicked and the righteous in the afterlife.
- and Lazarus in his bosom (καὶ Λάζαρον ἐν τοῖς κόλποις αὐτοῦ - kai Lazarov en tois kolpois autou): Kolpois (Greek: κόλποις) refers to the fold of a garment over the chest, or the area near the breast. "In his bosom" signifies a position of intimacy, honor, and close fellowship, often seen as reclining at a banquet. This image evokes the Jewish concept of "Abraham's Bosom," a peaceful place of rest for the righteous dead, paralleling "Paradise" (Lk 23:43). It dramatically portrays the reversal of Lazarus's earthly suffering into eternal comfort and honor in the presence of God's chosen.
Luke 16 23 Bonus section
The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, including verse 23, serves as a warning against spiritual apathy and the dangers of allowing earthly comfort to blind one to eternal realities and the needs of others. It implicitly critiques the notion that religious privilege (being a "son of Abraham") guarantees salvation without corresponding obedience and love (cf. Matt 3:9). While a parable, it is used by Jesus to convey fundamental truths about the human condition after death: consciousness, judgment, suffering for the unrighteous, rest for the righteous, and an irreversible separation. It emphasizes that our response to divine revelation (Moses and the Prophets, Lk 16:29-31) and to the needy around us determines our eternal state.
Luke 16 23 Commentary
Luke 16:23 provides a profound, parabolic glimpse into the conscious realities of the afterlife. It challenges the conventional understanding of the wealthy as inherently blessed by God, demonstrating a divine judgment based not on material possessions but on compassion and adherence to God's commands. The verse clearly portrays distinct destinies: torment for the uncompassionate rich man and comfort for the suffering but faithful Lazarus. This immediate awareness after death—seeing, speaking, remembering, and suffering— refutes notions of an unconscious intermediate state for the wicked. The imagery of Abraham's Bosom depicts a state of peace and honor for the righteous, sharply contrasted with the anguish in Hades. The rich man's recognition of Abraham and Lazarus, and their proximity yet separation, powerfully illustrates the finality of post-mortem destinies and the impassable chasm between them. The message urges introspection and righteous living in this life, for one's eternal fate is fixed at the moment of death.