Jesus said to the Pharisees. Once there was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine
linen and feasted every day. At his gate lay Lazarus, a poor man covered with sores,
who longed to eat just the scraps falling from the rich man's table. Even dogs used to
come and lick his sores. It happened that the poor man died and angels carried him to
take his place with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. From hell where
he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham afar off, and with him Lazarus at
rest. He called out: 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus with the tip of
his finger dipped in water to cool my tongue, for I suffer so much in this fire.'
Abraham replied: 'My son, remember that in your lifetime you were well-off while the
lot of Lazarus was misfortune. Now he is in comfort and you are in agony. But that is
not all. Between your place and ours a great chasm has been fixed, so that no one can
cross over from here to you or from your side to us.' The rich man implored once
more: 'Then I beg you, Father Abraham, to send Lazarus to my father's house where
my five brothers live. Let him warn them so that they may not end up in this place of
torment.' Abraham replied: 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to
them.' But the rich man said: 'No, Father Abraham. But if someone from the dead
goes to them, they will repent.' Abraham said: 'If they will not listen to Moses and the
prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the grave.' (Lk 16,19-31)
