Luke 16:20-26 Meaning: Why the Beggar Has a Name
20A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was taken to his gate, full of sores,
21and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
23In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom.
24He 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 in anguish in this flame.’
25“But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But here he is now comforted and you are in anguish.
26Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that no one may cross over from there to us.’
20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22And 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;
23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24And 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.
25But 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.
26And 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.
20and a certain beggar named Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table; yea, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: and the rich man also died, and was buried.
23And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24And 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 in anguish in this flame.
25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things: but now here he is comforted, and thou art in anguish.
26And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they that would pass from hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from thence to us.
20and there was a certain poor man, by name Lazarus, who was laid at his porch, full of sores,
21and desiring to be filled from the crumbs that are falling from the table of the rich man; yea, also the dogs, coming, were licking his sores.
22`And it came to pass, that the poor man died, and that he was carried away by the messengers to the bosom of Abraham--and the rich man also died, and was buried;
23and in the hades having lifted up his eyes, being in torments, he doth see Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom,
24and having cried, he said, Father Abraham, deal kindly with me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and may cool my tongue, because I am distressed in this flame.
25`And Abraham said, Child, remember that thou did receive--thou--thy good things in thy life, and Lazarus in like manner the evil things, and now he is comforted, and thou art distressed;
26and besides all these things, between us and you a great chasm is fixed, so that they who are willing to go over from hence unto you are not able, nor do they from thence to us pass through.
20And [there was] a poor man, by name Lazarus, [who] was laid at his gateway full of sores,
21and desiring to be filled with the crumbs which fell from the table of the rich man; but the dogs also coming licked his sores.
22And it came to pass that the poor man died, and that he was carried away by the angels into the bosom of Abraham. And the rich man also died and was buried.
23And in hades lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24And he crying out said, Father Abraham, have compassion on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering in this flame.
25But Abraham said, Child, recollect that thou hast fully received thy good things in thy lifetime, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now he is comforted here, and thou art in suffering.
26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm is fixed, so that those who desire to pass hence to you cannot, nor do they who [desire to cross] from there pass over unto us.
Meaning in one sentence
In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, only the poor man is named. His name means 'God helps,' revealing a key truth about how Jesus uses this story.
Context
This passage falls near the end of Luke 16, a chapter where Jesus talks about money, faithfulness, and the heart of God's kingdom. Right after teaching that no one can serve both God and money, and after saying the Law and the Prophets remain in force until the Gospel comes, Jesus tells a story.
He describes two men whose lives could not be more different. One is rich, wearing purple and fine linen, feasting every day. The other is a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, lying at the rich man's gate and longing for scraps from the table. The dogs come and lick his sores, giving a small kindness that the rich man does not offer.
Then both die. Lazarus is carried by angels to Abraham's side, a place of rest and comfort. The rich man is buried and finds himself in Hades, in torment. He sees Abraham far off, with Lazarus at his side, and begs for help. Abraham answers with a gentle but firm reminder: during your lifetime you had your good things, Lazarus had his bad things, and now a great chasm separates you. This story is unique to Luke, and it stands as one of the most sobering passages in the Gospels about how we use what God has given us.
Key Words
Three words in this passage carry weight beyond what we first see.
Lazarus. The name is the Greek form of Eleazar, which means 'God helps.' In a world where the rich man remains unnamed, Lazarus is named. The commentators note this: his name is given because his character was good and his end glorious. The name itself is a quiet promise, when human help fails, God himself steps in.
Poor. The Greek word is ptōchos, which means more than 'needy.' It describes someone reduced to begging, who has nothing and cannot help themselves. In the Beatitudes, Jesus says the ptōchoi are blessed, for theirs is the kingdom. Here, that kingdom becomes visible as Lazarus is carried to Abraham's bosom.
Gulf fixed. The word chasma means a yawning gap, a chasm. And the verb estēriktai, 'has been fixed', is in the perfect tense, meaning it was established and remains permanent. The separation between comfort and anguish is not arbitrary; it reflects choices made in life. But the gulf is not just between two places. It is also between two kinds of hearts.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this story differently across traditions. Many see it as a parable teaching about wealth, compassion, and the reversal of fortunes in the afterlife, a vivid warning not to ignore the needy at our door. Others read it as a literal glimpse into the intermediate state of souls after death, with Lazarus at Abraham's side and the rich man in Hades. Some early church writers used this passage as part of their understanding of purgatory or the need for prayer for the dead, while most Protestant interpreters caution against taking every detail (like the finger dipped in water) as a literal description of heaven or hell. What all traditions agree on: the story shows that how we treat the poor matters eternally, and that God sees those whom the world overlooks. The name Lazarus, 'God helps,' is itself a gospel promise.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that the rich man was sent to torment simply because he had money. In fact, the text does not say he was condemned for being rich. Abraham says, 'You in your lifetime received your good things.' The sin was not wealth itself but the hard-hearted neglect of the man suffering at his gate. The rich man had the means to help and did nothing. The parable condemns indifference, not prosperity.
Living This Out
This week, the story asks a pointed question: who is the Lazarus at your gate? It might be a neighbor you avoid, a coworker you overlook, a family member you have stopped seeing. It could even be the part of your own life that you keep at a distance because helping would cost you.
The name means 'God helps.' Maybe today you are the help God intends to send. Maybe a small kindness, a meal, a visit, a listening ear, is the crumb that someone desperately needs. The story does not say the rich man was required to solve all poverty. It says he was called to see the person right in front of him. That call still stands.
Main takeaway: God sees the ones we overlook, and in the end, true blessing is not found in wealth but in the comfort of His presence.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
There was a man named Lazarus who was very poor and sick. A rich man lived nearby and did not help him. But God saw Lazarus and loved him. When Lazarus died, angels carried him to a happy place with Abraham. God always sees you too, even when others do not.
For ages 9, 12
This story is about a rich man who had everything and a poor man named Lazarus who had nothing but sores and hunger. The rich man walked past Lazarus every day and never helped him. When they died, everything changed. Lazarus was comforted in a good place, and the rich man was in torment. Jesus told this story to show us that how we treat people matters forever. The name Lazarus means 'God helps', and God helped him in the end. This week, think about someone at school or in your neighborhood who might need you to notice them. A kind word or a shared snack can be the help they need.
Questions People Ask
Is this a parable or a true story?
Most Christians read it as a parable, a story Jesus told to teach a truth, since it follows other parables in Luke 16. But it is the only parable where a character has a name, which makes some wonder if Jesus was describing an actual event. Either way, the teaching about compassion and the afterlife is taken seriously across all traditions.
What does 'Abraham's bosom' mean?
It was a Jewish way of describing the place of rest and honor where the righteous go after death, pictured as reclining next to Abraham at a banquet. It represents the comfort and fellowship of heaven, especially for those who share Abraham's faith. Lazarus is carried there by angels, showing that God welcomes the humble.
Why didn't Lazarus help the rich man once he was in torment?
Abraham explains that a great chasm has been fixed between them, and no one can cross from one side to the other. This shows that after death, the choices we made in life have permanent consequences. The story is not about a lack of mercy in the afterlife, but a call to show mercy now while we still can.
Did the rich man go to hell just because he was rich?
No. The parable never says wealth itself sent him to torment. His sin is that he saw Lazarus suffering at his gate every day and did nothing. He had the resources to help but chose indifference. The warning is against hard-hearted neglect, not against having money.
Why does only the beggar have a name in this story?
The name Lazarus means 'God helps.' By giving the poor man a name, Jesus shows that God sees and remembers those the world ignores. It also contrasts with the rich man, who stays nameless, his identity was just his wealth. The name is a sign that God's help comes to the helpless.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study