“But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’
Parallel Translations
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“But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’
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Abraham sayd vnto him: they have Moses and the Prophetes let them heare them.
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Abraham said vnto him, They haue Moses and the Prophets: let them heare them.
Cross-references (11)
Passages linked to Luke 16:29 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Acts 15:21 For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
- Luke 24:27 Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
- Isaiah 8:20 Turn to the law and to the covenant! If they don’t speak according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.
- Isaiah 34:16 Search in the book of Yahweh, and read: not one of these will be missing. None will lack her mate. For my mouth has commanded, and his Spirit has gathered them.
- Malachi 4:2-4 But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall. You shall tread down the wicked; for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make,” says Yahweh of Armies. “Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances.
- Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John. From that time the Good News of God’s Kingdom is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
- John 5:39-47 “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life. I don’t receive glory from men. But I know you, that you don’t have God’s love in yourselves. I have come in my Father’s name, and you don’t receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God? “Don’t think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, even Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me. But if you don’t believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
- Acts 17:11-12 Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men.
- 2 Timothy 3:15-17 From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
- 2 Peter 1:19-21 We have the more sure word of prophecy; and you do well that you heed it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the morning star arises in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation. For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.
- Luke 4:17 The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the book, and found the place where it was written,
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (11 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and…
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Ver. 29. Let them hear them] Hell is to be escaped by hearing the word read and preached, Joh 5:25; Isa 55:3.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Christ here represents to us the genius of wicked…
Christ here represents to us the genius of wicked and carnal men, that would be converted by revelations and some extraordinary signs; if they could see one risen from the dead, then they would believe the resurrection; if they could see a glorified saint, or hear or see a damned soul, then they would believe a heaven and a hell: he here brings in Abraham saying,
They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. God will have men believe the propositions of His word, and live up to the rule of life prescribed there, and not expect to have their curiosity satisfied by needless and extraordinary revelations. But is there then no need of the gospel to bring men to heaven? Doubtless there is, but that is included in Moses and the prophets, who all prophesied of Christ, though more darkly than he is revealed in the New Testament.
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Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me, Joh 5:39,46, Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me: now they at that time had no Scriptures to search but those of Moses and the prophets; for the New Testament was not at that time written.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain That is, they have the inspired writings of Moses…
That is, they have the inspired writings of Moses and the prophets, which sufficiently declare the mind and will of God to mankind, and therefore it is unreasonable to expect any farther revelation.
Learn thence, that a standing revelation of God is evidence sufficient for divine things: it is a more certain way of conveyance, and more secured from imposture.
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Secondly, that there is a sufficient evidence that Moses and the prophets, or the writings of the holy scriptures, are of divine authority, and therefore to be read and heard, to be believed and assented to: They have Moses, etc.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And he said, nay, father Abraham,.... He contradicts his…
And he said, nay, father Abraham,.... He contradicts his father Abraham, or at least desires it might not be so; this way he suggests, was not so right, and would not succeed; for he knew his brethren were a rebellious, and stiffnecked people, and would not hear Moses and the prophets, notwithstanding all their outward boast of them, and pretensions of regard to them:
but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent; but alas! repentance is not of man's will, but a gift of God's grace; nor could these men repent, because in a judicial way their eyes were shut, their ears were stopped, and their hearts were hardened; and though Christ came in person to them, and preached, as never man did, with power and authority, and confirmed his doctrine with miracles, yet they repented not, nor did they when he arose from the dead.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 29. They have Moses and the prophets] This…
Verse 29. They have Moses and the prophets] This plainly supposes they were all Jewish believers: they had these writings in their hands, but they did not permit them to influence their lives.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain They have Moses - The writings of Moses. The…
They have Moses - The writings of Moses. The first five books of the Bible.
The prophets - The remainder of the Old Testament. What the prophets had written.
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Hear them - Hear them speak in the Scriptures. Read them, or hear them read in the synagogues, and attend to what they have delivered.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 29. They have Moses and the prophets—Even from these…
29. They have Moses and the prophets—Even from these they might learn (not that it is wicked to be rich and blessed to be a beggar, but) that a rich, infidel, sensual worldliness meets a terrible retribution from a just God.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 29. They have Moses and the prophets] See Joh_1:45;…
29. They have Moses and the prophets] See Joh_1:45; Joh_5:39; Joh_5:46.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (29) They have Moses and the prophets.—The words are…
(29) They have Moses and the prophets.—The words are in entire harmony with all the teaching of our Lord. The right use of lower knowledge is the condition of attaining to the higher, and without it signs and wonders avail but little: “He that hath, to him shall be given” (Mar_4:25); “He that willeth to do the will of God,” so far as he knows it, “shall know of the doctrine” which Christ came to proclaim, “whether it be of God” (Joh_7:17). It was because the scribes and their followers were unfaithful in a little, that more was denied them. “Moses and the Prophets” were enough to teach them that a life of self-indulgent luxury was evil in itself, and therefore must bring with it, in the end, shame and condemnation. (Comp. Notes on Joh_5:45-46.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the…
Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. The reply of Abraham was especially addressed to those Jews who were standing round him and even asking for a sign. They had all read and heard again and again the Books of Moses and the records of the prophets; if these guides had failed to show them the right way, a special messenger sent to them would be quite useless.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
Jesus finishes telling the story about the rich man and Lazarus.
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They have Moses and the prophets
It is implied that Abraham refused to send Lazarus to the rich man's brothers. This could be stated. AT: "No, I will not do that, because your brothers have what Moses and the prophets wrote long ago" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
Moses and the prophets
This refers to their writings. AT: "what Moses and the prophets wrote" (See: Metonymy)
let them listen to them
"your brothers should pay attention to Moses and the prophets"
if someone would go to them from the dead
This describes a situation that has not happened, but that the rich man would like to happen. AT: "if a person who has died would go to them" or "if someone who has died would go and warn them" (See: Hypothetical Situations)
from the dead
From among all those who have died. This expression describes all dead people together in the underworld.
If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets
Here "Moses and the prophets" represent the things that they wrote. AT: "If they do not pay attention to what Moses and the prophets wrote" (See: Metonymy)
neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead
Abraham states what would happen if the hypothetical situation occurred. It can be stated in active form. AT: "neither will a person who comes back from the dead be able to convince them" or "they will not believe even if a person comes back from the dead" (See: Hypothetical Situations and Active or Passive)
rises from the dead
The words "from the dead" speak of all dead people together in the underworld. To rise from among them is to become alive again.
translationWords
Moses
prophet
repent
raise
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.