Discovery BoxLuke 16:26-29 
Context16:26 Besides all this, 1 a great chasm 2 has been fixed between us, 3 so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ 16:27 So 4 the rich man 5 said, ‘Then I beg you, father – send Lazarus 6 to my father’s house 16:28 (for I have five brothers) to warn 7 them so that they don’t come 8 into this place of torment.’ 16:29 But Abraham said, 9 ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to 10 them.’
1 tn Grk “And in all these things.” There is no way Lazarus could carry out this request even if divine justice were not involved.
2 sn The great chasm between heaven and hell is impassable forever. The rich man’s former status meant nothing now.
3 tn Grk “between us and you.”
4 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the rich man’s response to Abraham’s words.
5 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the rich man, v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 tn Grk “Then I beg you, father, that you send him”; the referent (Lazarus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
7 sn To warn them. The warning would consist of a call to act differently than their dead brother had, or else meet his current terrible fate.
8 tn Grk “lest they also come.”
9 tn Grk “says.” This is one of the few times Luke uses the historical present.
10 tn Or “obey”; Grk “hear.” This recalls the many OT texts calling for a righteous heart to respond to people in need (Deut 14:28-29; Isa 3:14-15; Amos 2:6-8; Mic 2:1-2; Zech 7:9-10).
