This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in Luke 16:19-31, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
There was a very rich man who had everything he could ever want. He wore fancy clothes and ate delicious food every day. But outside of his gate was a poor man named Lazarus. Lazarus was covered in sores and just wanted some scraps from the rich man’s table. Even dogs would come and lick his sores!
One day, Lazarus died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. But the rich man also died and was sent to a place called Hades, where he was in terrible pain. He looked up and saw Lazarus next to Abraham, and he begged Abraham to have mercy on him.
The rich man said to Abraham, “Please, Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue because I am suffering so much in this flame.”
Abraham reminded the rich man, “Child, remember that while you were alive, you had good things, but Lazarus had bad things. Now he is comforted here, while you are in pain. Also, there is a big gap between us that cannot be crossed. No one can come from where we are to where you are.”
The rich man then begged Abraham to send Lazarus to his father’s house to warn his five brothers about the place of torment he was in. But Abraham said, “They have Moses and the Prophets. Let them listen to them.”
The rich man said, “No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.”
But Abraham said, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not listen even if someone rises from the dead.”
Biblical Lessons
- We should listen to God’s teachings and not ignore them.
- Material wealth and status are not indicators of a person’s worth or righteousness in the eyes of God.
- It is never too late to repent and seek forgiveness from God, but it is important to do so while we are still alive.
- Our ultimate destiny after death is determined by how we lived our lives on earth, particularly in relation to our faith.
Related Stories
The Parable of the Good Samaritan