136. The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Lk. 16:19–31

There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and feasted sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who lay at his gate full of sores and desired to be fed with crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

The beggar died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said: Father Abraham! have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.

But Abraham said: Child! remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who would pass from here to you cannot, and those from there cannot come to us.

Then he said: I beg you therefore, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers; let him warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. But he said: No, father Abraham! but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent. Then Abraham said to him: If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.