Luke 16:22

Luke 16:22, in plain English

When Lazarus dies, angels carry him to Abraham's side — the place of honor and comfort. The rich man also dies and is buried. That's all that's said about him.

Why it's here

In life, the rich man had everything and Lazarus had nothing. In death, everything flips. The reversal is complete.

Who's speaking

Luke tells us what happened next, and the contrast couldn't be more dramatic.

Where it sits in the story

One man gets an angelic escort to paradise. The other gets a funeral. In eternity, the first becomes last and the last becomes first.

The scholarly reading

At death, their fates reverse dramatically: Lazarus is 'carried by angels' (apenechthenai hypo tōn angelōn) to 'Abraham's side' (kolpon Abraam), the place of honor at the heavenly banquet. The rich man simply 'died and was buried.'

Language and setting

Abraham's bosom represents the place of rest and honor in Jewish afterlife theology. The stark contrast — angelic transport versus mere burial — signals complete reversal.

Voice

Luke narrates the deaths and immediate afterlife of both men, using the contrasting descriptions to reveal God's evaluation of their lives.

Significance

Lazarus dies and angels carry him to Abraham's side — the place of ultimate honor. The rich man dies and is buried. Period. The reversal has begun.

20And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores

21and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried.

23In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side.

24So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’

Read all of Luke 16 — A shrewd manager, a rich man in torment, and Lazarus at his gate. Jesus draws a straight line between how you handle money and where you end up.