THE RICH MAN’S PLEA TO ABRAHAM (VV. 24–31) A Plea for Himself The rich man then pathetically cried across the distance, pleading, “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” (v. 24). His plea asserted his kinship with “Father Abraham” (in fact, he calls him “father” three times in all; cf. vv. 27, 30). The rich man, so insensitive in this life, may even have thought he was in good standing with Father