“The rich man said.
‘Then Father!
I beg you!
Send Lazarus
To my father’s house!
I have five brothers.
Let him warn them!
Thus,
They might not
Also come
Into this place
Of torment.’”
εἶπεν δέ Ἐρωτῶ σε οὖν, πάτερ, ἵνα πέμψῃς αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός μου·
ἔχω γὰρ πέντε ἀδελφούς· ὅπως διαμαρτύρηται αὐτοῖς, ἵνα μὴ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔλθωσιν εἰς τὸν τόπον τοῦτον τῆς βασάνου.
This parable story about the poor man Lazarus and an unnamed rich man is only found in Luke, not in the other gospels. Luke indicated that Jesus said the rich man responded to Abraham (εἶπεν δέ), calling him father (πάτερ). He begged Abraham (Ἐρωτῶ σε οὖν) to send Lazarus (ἵνα πέμψῃς αὐτὸν) to his father’s house (εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός μου). This rich man said that he had five brothers (ἔχω γὰρ πέντε ἀδελφούς). He wanted Lazarus to warn them (ὅπως διαμαρτύρηται αὐτοῖς). Thus, they might not also come into this toremented place (ἵνα μὴ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔλθωσιν εἰς τὸν τόπον τοῦτον τῆς βασάνου). The rich man wanted Abraham to send Lazarus back to his family home to warn his 5 brothers, since he could not himself warn them. This was an act of kindness on his part to care about his 5 brothers. Would Lazarus be able to do this? Would you want to warn your family members if you were in hell?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 