The Rich Man and Lazarus

¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.^{(A) 20} At his gate was laid a beggar^(B) named Lazarus, covered with sores ²¹ and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.^(C) Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

²² “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴ So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham,^(D) have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’^(E)

²⁵ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things,^(F) but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.^{(G) 26} And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

²⁷ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, ²⁸ for I have five brothers. Let him warn them,^(H) so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

²⁹ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses^(I) and the Prophets;^(J) let them listen to them.’

³⁰ “‘No, father Abraham,’^(K) he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

³¹ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

¹¹ And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever.^(A) There will be no rest day or night^(B) for those who worship the beast and its image,^(C) or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”^(D)

¹⁰ And the devil, who deceived them,^(A) was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur,^(B) where the beast^(C) and the false prophet^(D) had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.^(E)

The Judgment of the Dead

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne^(F) and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence,^(G) and there was no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, great and small,^(H) standing before the throne, and books were opened.^(I) Another book was opened, which is the book of life.^(J) The dead were judged^(K) according to what they had done^(L) as recorded in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades^(M) gave up the dead^(N) that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.^{(O) 14} Then death^(P) and Hades^(Q) were thrown into the lake of fire.^(R) The lake of fire is the second death.^{(S) 15} Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life^(T) was thrown into the lake of fire.

²² But I tell you that anyone who is angry^(A) with a brother or sister^[a][b] will be subject to judgment.^(B) Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’^[c] is answerable to the court.^(C) And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.^(D)

²³ “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

²⁵ “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Adultery

²⁷ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’^{[d](E) 28} But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.^{(F) 29} If your right eye causes you to stumble,^(G) gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to stumble,^(H) cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate.^(A) For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

²⁸ Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One^(A) who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

³⁶ Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable^(A) of the weeds in the field.”

³⁷ He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.^{(B) 38} The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one,^{(C) 39} and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest^(D) is the end of the age,^(E) and the harvesters are angels.^(F)

⁴⁰ “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man^(G) will send out his angels,^(H) and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. ⁴² They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^(I)

⁴⁸ When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. ⁴⁹ This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous^{(A) 50} and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^(B)

⁹ And if your eye causes you to stumble,^(A) gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.^(B)