Luke 16:31

Easy-to-Read Version

"But Abraham said to him, ‘If your brothers won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen to someone who comes back from the dead.'"

Parallel Translations

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
He sayd vnto him: If they heare not Moses and ye prophetes nether will they beleve though one roose from deeth agayne.

Hebrew Names Version
"He said to him, 'If they don't listen to Moshe and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.'"

International Standard Version
Then Abrahamhe">[fn] said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded, even if someone rises from the dead.'"John 12:10-11;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
"But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'"

New Century Version
But Abraham said to him, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not listen to someone who comes back from the dead.'"

Update Bible Version
And he said to him, If they don't hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if one would rise from the dead.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one shall rise from the dead.

Amplified Bible
"And he said to him, 'If they do not listen to [the messages of] Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'"

English Standard Version
He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'"

World English Bible
"He said to him, 'If they don't listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.'"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded tho' one rose from the dead.

Weymouth's New Testament
"`If they are deaf to Moses and the Prophets,' replied Abraham, `they would not be led to believe even if some one should rise from the dead.'"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to hym, If thei heren not Moises and prophetis, nethir if ony of deed men rise ayen, thei schulen bileue to hym.

English Revised Version
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if one rise from the dead.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Abraham said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'"

Contemporary English Version
So Abraham said, "If they won't pay attention to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen even to someone who comes back from the dead."

American Standard Version
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if one rise from the dead.

Bible in Basic English
And he said to him, If they will not give attention to Moses and the prophets, they will not be moved even if someone comes back from the dead.

Complete Jewish Bible
But he replied, ‘If they won't listen to Moshe and the Prophets, they won't be convinced even if someone rises from the dead!'"

Darby Translation
And he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, not even if one rise from among [the] dead will they be persuaded.

Etheridge Translation
Abraham saith to him, If Musha and the prophets they hear not, neither, if one from the dead should rise, would they believe him.

Murdock Translation
Abraham said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, they will not believe, though one should rise from the dead.

King James Version (1611)
And hee said vnto him, If they heare not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be perswaded, though one rose from the dead.

New Living Translation
"But Abraham said, ‘If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'"

New Life Bible
Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and to the early preachers, they will not listen even if someone is raised from the dead.'"

New Revised Standard
He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then he saide vnto him, If they heare not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rise from the dead againe.

George Lamsa Translation
Abraham said to him, If they will not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe even if a man should rise from the dead.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But he said unto him - If, unto Moses and the Prophets, they do not hearken, neither, if one, from among the dead, should arise, would they be persuaded.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, if one rise again from the dead.

Revised Standard Version
He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"

Bishop's Bible (1568)
He sayde vnto hym: If they heare not Moyses & the prophetes, neither wyll they beleue, though one rose from death agayne.

Good News Translation
But Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone were to rise from death.'"

Christian Standard Bible®
“But he told him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”

King James Version
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Lexham English Bible
But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone rises from the dead.'"

Literal Translation
And he said to him, If they will not hear Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if one from the dead should rise.

Young's Literal Translation
And he said to him, If Moses and the prophets they do not hear, neither if one may rise out of the dead will they be persuaded.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Neuertheles he sayde vnto him: Yf they heare not Moses & the prophetes, then shal they not beleue also, though one rose agayne fro the deed.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Abraham replied, if they disregard Moses and the prophets, they will not believe any one, though he rose from the dead.

THE MESSAGE
"Abraham replied, ‘If they won't listen to Moses and the Prophets, they're not going to be convinced by someone who rises from the dead.'"

New English Translation
He replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

New King James Version
But he said to him, "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead."'

Simplified Cowboy Version
"But Abraham replied, 'If they wouldn't listen and heed the warning of Moses and the old cowboy prophets, then they won't listen to anyone else, even if someone were to rise from the dead and tell them.'"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'"

Legacy Standard Bible
But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'"

Contextual Overview

¹⁹ Jesus said, "There was a rich man who always dressed in the finest clothes. He was so rich that he was able to enjoy all the best things every day. ²⁰ There was also a very poor man named Lazarus. Lazarus' body was covered with sores. He was often put by the rich man's gate. ²¹ Lazarus wanted only to eat the scraps of food left on the floor under the rich man's table. And the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² "Later, Lazarus died. The angels took him and placed him in the arms of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ He was sent to the place of death and was in great pain. He saw Abraham far away with Lazarus in his arms. ²⁴ He called, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to me so that he can dip his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am suffering in this fire!' ²⁵ "But Abraham said, ‘My child, remember when you lived? You had all the good things in life. But Lazarus had nothing but problems. Now he is comforted here, and you are suffering. ²⁶ Also, there is a big pit between you and us. No one can cross over to help you, and no one can come here from there.' ²⁷ "The rich man said, ‘Then please, father Abraham, send Lazarus to my father's house on earth. ²⁸ I have five brothers. He could warn my brothers so that they will not come to this place of pain.'

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

neither: John 11:43-53, John 12:10, John 12:11, 2 Corinthians 4:3

be persuaded: Genesis 9:27, *marg. Acts 19:8, Acts 26:28, Acts 28:23, 2 Corinthians 5:11

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 20:20 - believe his 2 Chronicles 24:19 - Yet he sent Psalms 78:32 - believed Proverbs 13:13 - despiseth Matthew 27:40 - come Mark 16:13 - neither Luke 16:16 - Law Luke 22:67 - If John 4:48 - Except John 5:39 - Search John 5:47 - General John 6:36 - That John 9:18 - General John 11:46 - General John 12:37 - General Acts 18:4 - persuaded Galatians 3:19 - It was added Hebrews 11:32 - the prophets

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said unto him..... That is, Abraham said unto him, as the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions express it:

if they hear not Moses and the prophets; as they did not, nor regarded what they said of Christ, but disbelieved both him and them:

neither will they be persuaded: or brought to repent and believe;

though one rose from the dead; as Christ did; whose resurrection, the truth of it they endeavoured to baffle, stifle, and suppress: this was the sign Christ gave them, of the truth of his Messiahship; and yet they repented not of what they had done to him, that they might believe in him; but remained still in their impenitence and infidelity, and so died. This shows the regard that ought to be had to the written word, as read, or preached; and that it is a sad sign of a desperate condition, when men reject divine revelation. Beza's ancient copy adds, "and should go unto them".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Be persuaded - Be convinced of the truth; of the danger and folly of their way; of the certainty of their suffering hereafter, and be induced to turn from sin to holiness, and from Satan unto God.

From this impressive and instructive parable we may learn:

1. That the souls of people do not die with their bodies.
2. That the soul is “conscious” after death; that it does not “sleep,” as some have supposed, until the morning of the resurrection.
3. That the righteous are taken to a place of happiness immediately at death, and the wicked consigned at once to misery.
4. That wealth does not secure from death.

“How vain are riches to secure

Their haughty owners from the grave!”

The rich, the beautiful, the happy, as well as the poor, go down to the grave. All their pomp and apparel, all their honors, their palaces, and their gold cannot save them. Death can as easily find his way into the splendid mansions of the rich as into the cottages of the poor; and the rich shall turn to the same corruption, and soon, like the poor, be undistinguished from common dust and be unknown.

1. We should not envy the condition of the rich.

“On slippery rocks I see them stand,

And fiery billows rollI below.

“Now let them boast how tall they rise,

I’ll never envy them again;

There they may stand with haughty eyes,

Till they plunge deep in endless pain.

“Their fancied joys how fast they flee!

Like dreams, as fleeting and as vain;

Their songs of softest harmony.

Are but a prelude to their pain.”

1. We should strive for a better inheritance than can be possessed in this life.

“Now I esteem their mirth and wine.

Too dear to purchase with my blood:

Lord, ’tis enough that thou art mine -

My life, my portion, and my God.”

1. The sufferings of the wicked in hell will be indescribably great. Think what is represented by “torment;” by burning flame; by insupportable thirst; by that state where a single “drop” of water would afford relief. Remember that “all this” is but a representation of the pains of the damned, and that this will have no intermission day or night, but will continue from year to year, and age to age, without any end, and you have a faint view of the sufferings of those who are in hell.
2. There is a place of sufferings beyond the grave a hell. If there is not, then this parable has no meaning. It is impossible to make “anything” of it unless it be designed to teach that.
3. There will never be any escape from those gloomy regions. There is a gulf fixed - “fixed,” not movable. Nor can any of the damned beat a pathway across this gulf to the world of holiness.
4. We see the amazing folly of those who suppose there may be an “end” to the sufferings of the wicked, and who, on that supposition, seem willing to go down to hell to suffer a long time, rather than go at once to heaven. If man were to suffer but a thousand years, or even “one” year, why should he be so foolish as to choose that suffering rather than go at once to heaven, and be happy at once when he dies?
5. God gives us sufficient warning to prepare for death. He has sent his Word, his servants, his Son; he warns us by his Spirit and his providence; by the entreaties of our friends and by the death of sinners; he offers us heaven, and he threatens hell. If all this will not move sinners, what would do it? There is nothing that would.
6. God will give us nothing farther to warn us. No dead man will come to life to tell us of what he has seen. If he did we would not believe him. Religion appeals to man not by ghosts and frightful apparitions. It appeals to their reason, their conscience, their hopes, their fears. It sets life and death soberly before people, and if they “will not” choose the former, they must die. If you will not hear the Son of God and the warnings of the Scriptures, there is nothing which you will or can hear. You will never be persuaded, and will never escape the place of torment.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 16:31. If they hear not Moses, c.] This answer of Abraham contains two remarkable propositions.

1. That the sacred writings contain such proofs of a Divine origin, that though all the dead were to arise, to convince an unbeliever of the truths therein declared, the conviction could not be greater, nor the proof more evident, of the divinity and truth of these sacred records, than that which themselves afford.

2. That to escape eternal perdition, and get at last into eternal glory, a man is to receive the testimonies of God, and to walk according to their dictates.

And these two things show the sufficiency and perfection of the sacred writings. What influence could the personal appearance of a spirit have on an unbelieving and corrupted heart? None, except to terrify it for the moment, and afterwards to leave it ten thousand reasons for uncertainty and doubt. Christ caused this to be exemplified, in the most literal manner, by raising Lazarus from the dead. And did this convince the unbelieving Jews? No. They were so much the more enraged and from that moment conspired both the death of Lazarus and of Christ! Faith is satisfied with such proofs as God is pleased to afford! Infidelity never has enow. See a Sermon on this subject, by the author of this work.

To make the parable of the unjust steward still more profitable, let every man consider: -

1. That God is his master, and the author of all the good he enjoys, whether it be spiritual or temporal.

2. That every man is only a steward, not a proprietor of those things.

3. That all must give an account to God, how they have used or abused the blessings with which they have been entrusted.

4. That the goods which God has entrusted to our care are goods of body and soul: goods of nature and grace: of birth and education: His word, Spirit, and ordinances: goods of life, health, genius, strength, dignity, riches; and even poverty itself is often a blessing from the hand of God.

5. That all these may be improved to God's honour, our good, and our neighbour's edification and comfort.

6. That the time is coming in which we shall be called to an account before God, concerning the use we have made of the good things with which he has entrusted us.

7. That we may, even now, be accused before our Maker, of the awful crime of wasting our Lord's substance.

8. That if this crime can be proved against us, we are in immediate danger of being deprived of all the blessings which we have thus abused, and of being separated from God and the glory of his power for ever.

9. That on hearing of the danger to which we are exposed, though we cannot dig to purchase salvation, yet we must beg, incessantly beg, at the throne of grace for mercy to pardon all that is past.

10. That not a moment is to be lost: the arrest of death may have gone out against us; and this very night-hour-minute, our souls may be required of us. Let us therefore learn wisdom from the prudent despatch which a worldly-minded man would use to retrieve his ruinous circumstances; and watch and pray, and use the little spark of the Divine light which yet remains, but which is ready to die, that we may escape the gulf of perdition, and obtain some humble place in the heaven of glory. Our wants are pressing; God calls loudly; and eternity is at hand!