^16:23And in hell,⁷¹ as he was in torment,⁷² he looked up⁷³ and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side.⁷⁴^16:24So⁷⁵ he called out,⁷⁶ ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus⁷⁷ to dip the tip of his finger⁷⁸ in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish⁷⁹ in this fire.’⁸⁰

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Footnotes

71 The Greek term Hades stands for the Hebrew concept of Sheol. It is what is called hell today. This is where the dead were gathered (Ps 16:10; 86:13). In the NT Hades has an additional negative force of awaiting judgment (Rev 20:13).
72 Hades is a place of torment, especially as one knows that he is separated from God.
73 Grk “he lifted up his eyes” (an idiom).
74 Grk “in his bosom,” the same phrase used in 16:22. This idiom refers to heaven and/or participation in the eschatological banquet. An appropriate modern equivalent is “at Abraham’s side.”
75 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous actions in the narrative.
76 Grk “calling out he said”; this is redundant in contemporary English style and has been simplified to “he called out.”
77 The rich man had not helped Lazarus before, when he lay outside his gate (v. 2), but he knew him well enough to know his name. This is why the use of the name Lazarus in the parable is significant. (The rich man’s name, on the other hand, is not mentioned, because it is not significant for the point of the story.)
78 The dipping of the tip of his finger in water is evocative of thirst. The thirsty are in need of God’s presence (Ps 42:1–2; Isa 5:13). The imagery suggests the rich man is now separated from the presence of God.
79 Or “in terrible pain” (L&N 24.92).
80 Fire in this context is OT imagery; see Isa 66:24.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’

NIVNew International Version (2011)

In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

CSBChristian Standard Bible

And being in torment in Hades, he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off, with Lazarus at his side. ‘Father Abraham!’ he called out, ‘Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this flame!’

NLTNew Living Translation

and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.

“The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And in Hades he lifted up his eyes as he was in torment and saw Abraham from a distance, and Lazarus at his side. And he called out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he could dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am suffering pain in this flame!’

KJV 1900King James Version

And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And 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.

Public Domain