Luke 16:28

King James Version

For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
I have five brothers. He could warn my brothers so that they will not come to this place of pain.'

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For I have fyve brethren: for to warne the left they also come into this place of tourmet.

Hebrew Names Version
for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'

International Standard Version
for I have five brothers - to warn them, so that they won't end up in this place of torture, too.'

New American Standard Bible
for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not come to this place of torment as well.'

New Century Version
I have five brothers, and Lazarus could warn them so that they will not come to this place of pain.'

Update Bible Version
for I have five brothers; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Webster's Bible Translation
For I have five brethren; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Amplified Bible
for I have five brothers—in order that he may solemnly warn them and witness to them, so that they too will not come to this place of torment.'

English Standard Version
for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'

World English Bible
for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For I have five brethren; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Weymouth's New Testament
For I have five brothers. Let him earnestly warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For Y haue fyue britheren, that he witnesse to hem, lest also thei come in to this place of turmentis.

English Revised Version
for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Berean Standard Bible
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them so they will not also end up in this place of torment.'

Contemporary English Version
Let him warn my five brothers, so they won't come to this horrible place."

American Standard Version
for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Bible in Basic English
For I have five brothers; and let him give them an account of these things, so that they may not come to this place of pain.

Complete Jewish Bible
where I have five brothers, to warn them; so that they may be spared having to come to this place of torment too.'

Darby Translation
for I have five brothers, so that he may earnestly testify to them, that they also may not come to this place of torment.

Etheridge Translation
for five brethren have I; let him go and testify unto them, that they also come not to this place of torment.

Murdock Translation
for I have five brothers; that he may go and protest to them; lest they also come to this place of torment.

King James Version (1611)
For I haue fiue brethren, that he may testifie vnto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

New Living Translation
For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don't end up in this place of torment.'

New Life Bible
I have five brothers. Let him tell them of these things, or they will come to this place of much pain also.'

New Revised Standard
for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.'

Geneva Bible (1587)
(For I haue fiue brethren) that he may testifie vnto them, least they also come into this place of torment.

George Lamsa Translation
For I have five brothers; let him go and testify to them, so that they may not also come to this place of torment.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
for I have five brethren; - that he may solemnly testify unto them, lest, they also, come into this place of torment.

Douay-Rheims Bible
That he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torments.

Revised Standard Version
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For I haue fyue brethren, that he may witnesse vnto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Good News Translation
where I have five brothers. Let him go and warn them so that they, at least, will not come to this place of pain.'

Christian Standard Bible®
because I have five brothers—to warn

Lexham English Bible
for I have five brothers, so that he could warn them, in order that they also should not come to this place of torment!'

Literal Translation
(for I have five brothers, so that he may witness to them, that they not also come to this place of torment).

Young's Literal Translation
for I have five brothers, so that he may thoroughly testify to them, that they also may not come to this place of torment.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
for I haue yet fyue brethren, that he maye warne them, lest they also come in to this place of torment.

Mace New Testament (1729)
to give them warning, lest they also come into this place of torment.

New English Translation
(for I have five brothers) to warn them so that they don't come into this place of torment.'

New King James Version
for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'

Simplified Cowboy Version
tell my brothers what waits for them if they are selfish as I was. I don't want them to end up in this torment with me.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

Legacy Standard Bible
for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

Contextual Overview

¹⁹ There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: ²⁰ And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, ²¹ And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; ²³ And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. ²⁴ And he cried 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. ²⁵ But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. ²⁶ And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. ²⁷ Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: ²⁸ For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

lest: Psalms 49:12, Psalms 49:13

Reciprocal: Genesis 42:21 - they said Job 21:21 - For what Psalms 17:14 - leave Psalms 37:10 - wicked Psalms 52:5 - pluck Ecclesiastes 2:18 - I should Luke 16:23 - being Galatians 5:3 - testify Hebrews 12:1 - witnesses

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For I have five brethren,.... Meaning his brethren and countrymen, according to the flesh; who when he was alive, stood in such a relation to him; said to be "five", in allusion it may be to the children of Israel coming out of Egypt, חמשים, "by fives", or five in a rank, Exodus 13:18 as a learned man m conjectures, to whom I am beholden for several hints, in the explanation of this parable; and certain it is, that these five brethren were Jews, since they had the writings of Moses and the prophets with them,

Luke 16:29. Wherefore I shall venture to propose another conjecture, though it may be liable to exception, as all conjectures usually are: it is plain that there were "six" brethren in all; let it be observed then, that the Jewish nation were usually divided into "three" parts, "priests, Levites, and Israelites"; of these three the great sanhedrim usually consisted n; and these read the law every sabbath day; first a priest, then a Levite, and then "five Israelites" o; (let that number also be remarked;) now these were again divided into "three" sects, "Pharisees, Sadducees", and "Essenes". The former of these are represented in this parable; this I only propose, I lay no stress on it: it may be, that the twice five, or ten tribes of Israel, which were not known where they were, nor are they to this day, may be designed by a "synechdoche", of a part for the whole; whose return the Jews are yet expecting, and for whose welfare they are greatly concerned.

That he may testify unto them: that is, preach unto them, as the word is used in Acts 2:40. Christ, when here on earth, did testify to that people of their sins, showed them the heinousness of them, inveighed against them, and reproved for them; and of their righteousness, and showed the hypocrisy, deficiency, and insufficiency of it to justify them; of himself as the Messiah; of truth in general; and of their ruin, temporal and eternal; but he had now finished his testimony, and which, though faithful, was not heard nor received by them; the reason of this request is,

lest they also come into this place of torment; as hell is, and which these brethren of his, he left behind, were deserving of, and in danger of coming into; and his concern for them did not arise from any regard to Christ, and the enlargement of his interest; nor from any love to his testimony, the Gospel; nor from any real notion or desire of converting grace for his brethren; nor from true love to them; but from a selfish principle, lest his own torments should be aggravated by their coming: this, as it may regard the Jews in their affliction, and if the ten tribes should be meant by the five brethren, may design the very passionate concern the Jews had, and still have for them, who yet, to this day, hope for the return of them; see Manasseh ben Israel's book, called, "Spes Israelis".

m Teelmannus. n Maimon Hilchot Sanhedrin, c. 2. sect. 2. o Ib. Hilchot Tephilla, c. 12. sect. 16.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Five brethren - The number “five” is mentioned merely to preserve the appearance of verisimilitude in the story. It is not to be spiritualized, nor are we to suppose that it has any hidden or inscrutable meaning.

May testify unto them - May bear “witness” to them, or may inform them of what is my situation, and the dreadful consequences of the life that I have led. It is remarkable that he did not ask to go himself. He knew that he could not be released, even for so short a time. His condition was fixed. Yet he had no wish that his friends should suffer, and he supposed that if one went from the dead they would hear him.