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Luke 16:22
ESV The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham 's side. The rich man also died and was buried,
NIV "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
NASB Now it happened that the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s arms; and the rich man also died and was buried.
CSB One day the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
NLT Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried,
KJV And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
NKJV So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.

What does Luke 16:22 mean?

The story of the rich man and Lazarus takes a turn. A very wealthy man lives a lavish lifestyle. Directly outside his gate is Lazarus: crippled, starving, and covered with open sores. Lazarus longs for the leftovers from the rich man's plate, but he gets nothing. As happens to all humans, both Lazarus and the rich man die. Their circumstances immediately reverse. Lazarus is welcomed by the angels of God and delivered straight to Abraham. The fate of his corpse doesn't even matter. The rich man's body is buried in the ground, which is a better place than his spirit which goes to hell.

The ESV uses "Abraham's side," but other translations use "Abraham's bosom." This is a nurturing, protective term that still encompasses the traditional "gathered to the fathers" (Genesis 15:15; 25:8; Deuteronomy 31:16). It evokes the way John reclined at Jesus' side at the Last Supper (John 13:25). Abraham's presence is significant. God promised that Abraham's descendants would be God's people (Genesis 12:1–2; 17:6–8; Exodus 6:7). Jews, including the Pharisees to whom Jesus speaks, believe their salvation comes from the fact they are descended from Abraham (Matthew 3:7–10). They find it difficult to understand it takes more than genetics to be a child of Abraham (Luke 3:7–9).

This story isn't meant to illustrate the precise pathway of the afterlife. We don't know that angels "carry" souls to heaven in a literal sense. We don't know exactly what "Abraham's bosom" means or if Abraham welcomes God-followers in the temporary paradise before the resurrection. The imagery is meant to strongly contrast between God-followers who are gloriously brought into His presence, no matter what their physical state or the nature of their death, and unbelievers who are sent underground: a metaphor for hell.
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