^16:19“There was a rich man who dressed in purple⁵⁹ and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously⁶⁰ every day. ^16:20But at his gate lay⁶¹ a poor man named Lazarus⁶² whose body was covered with sores,⁶³^16:21who longed to eat⁶⁴ what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs⁶⁵ came and licked⁶⁶ his sores.

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Footnotes

59 Purple describes a fine, expensive dye used on luxurious clothing, and by metonymy, refers to clothing colored with that dye. It pictures someone of great wealth.
60 Or “celebrated with ostentation” (L&N 88.255), that is, with showing off. Here was the original conspicuous consumer.
61 The passive verb ἐβέβλητο (ebeblēto) does not indicate how Lazarus got there. Cf. βάλλω 1.b, “he lay before the door”; Josephus, 9.10.2 (9.209).
62 This is the one time in all the gospels that a figure in a parable is mentioned by name. It will become important later in the account.
63 Or “was covered with ulcers.” The words “whose body” are implied in the context (L&N 23.180).
64 Grk “to eat his fill,” but this phrase has been simplified as “to eat” for stylistic reasons.
65 The term κύνες (kunes) refers to “wild” dogs (either “street” dogs or watchdogs), not house pets (L&N 4.34).
66 When the dogs came and licked his sores it meant that he was unclean. See the negative image of Rev 22:15 that draws on this picture.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“There was a rich man who would dress in purple and fine linen, feasting lavishly every day. But a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, was lying at his gate. He longed to be filled with what fell from the rich man’s table, but instead the dogs would come and lick his sores.

NLTNew Living Translation

Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“Now a certain man was rich, and dressed in purple cloth and fine linen, feasting sumptuously every day. And a certain poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, lay at his gate, and was longing to be filled with what fell from the table of the rich man. But even the dogs came and licked his sores.

KJV 1900King James Version

There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

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