Luke 16:22 - Printer Friendly

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.

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.

Luke 16:19–31 contains the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus, a poor beggar, dies and goes to "Abraham's bosom" while a rich man dies and goes to torment. The rich man begs Abraham first for some relief and then to warn his brothers; Abraham insists they have been warned enough. There are several applications: our feelings about money often reveal our devotion to God; once someone dies, their fate is sealed; and if the Pharisees cannot see Jesus in the Mosaic law and the Prophets, they'll never see the truth of who He is in miracles—even someone returning from the dead.

Teaching His disciples and confronting the Pharisees, Jesus offers several lessons about wealth and devotion to God. The first is a parable about a dishonest manager. This illustrates the value of being careful and clever with earthly resources. Jesus then uses remarks about the Law and marriage to introduce the story of the rich man and Lazarus. This not only highlights the dangers of greed, but it also debunks the common claim that a non-believer would submit to God if only they saw "a little more evidence" or a miracle.

The prior chapter included Jesus' teachings centered on lost things: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. Luke 16 includes several of Jesus' lessons about living in the kingdom of God compared to the world system, beginning and ending with parables (Luke 16:1—17:10). Chapter 16 includes the parable of the dishonest manager, Jesus' teaching on how money reveals faith, and the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Luke 17:1–10 teaches about whether Christ-followers bear responsibility for others' sin, lessons about faith, and the parable of the unworthy servants.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.