He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easy to miss is that Abraham's response subtly shifts the focus from whether someone from the dead could persuade them, to whether they would even listen. It’s not just about a lack of proof, but a willful deafness to divine revelation that no supernatural messenger could overcome. This highlights that the problem isn't insufficient evidence, but a heart hardened against God's existing word.
He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Abraham is responding to the rich man's plea for his family, directly addressing the idea that a miraculous messenger from the dead could save them. He states that if people ignore the established teachings of Moses and the Prophets, even a resurrection would not be enough to convince them. This emphasizes that the core issue isn't a lack of evidence, but a hardened heart unwilling to accept divine truth.
What if someone rose from the dead to tell you about God? Would that finally convince you? Abraham’s answer here is a powerful reminder that true conviction isn't about the amount of evidence, but about the receptiveness of the heart.
Abraham's response to the rich man in hell highlights a crucial truth: the written Word of God, the Law of Moses and the words of the Prophets, is already sufficient to convince anyone.
More Than Enough Evidence
Abraham essentially says that if people won't listen to the detailed revelation they already have – the Scriptures – they won't be convinced even by a miracle as dramatic as someone returning from the dead. This points to the comprehensive nature of the Bible. It contains all that we need for salvation and understanding God’s will.
The Heart's Resistance
When people refuse to believe what is clearly presented in Scripture, it’s often not due to a lack of evidence, but a hardened heart. They've already dismissed God's established communication. A supernatural event, while astonishing, might only cause temporary fear or curiosity, but it wouldn’t necessarily change a will that's already set against God’s truth. True belief comes from encountering God's message with a willingness to hear.
We live in an age fascinated by the extraordinary. But what happens when even the most astounding miracle isn't enough to change a hardened heart? This verse challenges our assumptions about what truly persuades us.
Ask a follow-up
The rich man’s desperate plea comes from a place of regret, imagining that a dramatic sign – a resurrection – would surely make his brothers repent. Abraham’s reply, however, reveals a profound spiritual dynamic:
Miracles as Signs, Not Substitutes
While God certainly works through miracles, they are often signs pointing to a deeper truth, not the ultimate source of truth itself. The resurrection of Jesus, the greatest miracle, is meant to confirm His identity and message, not to bypass the importance of His teaching and the established Scriptures.
The Unmoved Heart
History and the text show us that even undeniable miracles don’t guarantee belief. The very people who witnessed Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead (a striking parallel to this parable) were not convinced; in fact, some plotted to kill Lazarus too! This demonstrates that genuine faith isn’t primarily a matter of external spectacle, but an internal yielding to God’s revealed truth. If the foundational witness of Moses and the Prophets, and ultimately Jesus Himself, is rejected, even a resurrected messenger will likely be met with disbelief or even hostility.
Understand the original words
Mōysēn kai tous prophētas · Greek Proper Noun and Noun Phrase
Refers to the collective body of divinely inspired Scripture written by Moses (the Pentateuch) and the prophets, which served as the authoritative record of God's covenant and revelation to Israel. It represents the objective, sufficient word of God necessary for salvation and life.
akouousin · Greek Verb
To listen with the intent to believe, understand, and obey. In a biblical context, it implies a response of faith and submission to the divine message delivered by the prophets.
peisthēsontai · Greek Verb
To be persuaded or brought to a state of belief. It indicates a transformation of mind and heart through evidence or divine encounter, leading to acceptance of the truth.
nekrōn · Greek Adjective/Noun
The state of being restored to life after physical death. In the New Testament, this is a central theological concept pointing to the resurrection of Christ and the future bodily resurrection of the dead as the ultimate divine validation of the gospel.
This verse directly references the resurrection of Lazarus as a failed attempt to convince the skeptical, highlighting that even a miraculous sign from the dead wouldn't sway those hardened against the authority of Scripture and Jesus' own teachings.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus teaches using parables
Jesus frequently used parables, like the one of the Rich Man and Lazarus, to illustrate spiritual truths and challenge the assumptions of his listeners.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead
Jesus miraculously raised his friend Lazarus from the dead, a powerful event that the Jewish authorities sought to suppress, rather than believe.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus is crucified and resurrected
Jesus himself rose from the dead, providing the ultimate sign for belief, yet many, particularly the religious leaders, remained unconvinced.
c. AD 50-60
Paul's letters are circulated
Writings like Paul's epistles, which expound on Moses and the Prophets and the resurrection of Jesus, began to be shared among early Christian communities.
c. AD 60-62
Luke writes his Gospel
Luke compiles his Gospel account, including the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, preserving Jesus' teachings and the testimonies of eyewitnesses.
This passage shows the immediate aftermath of Lazarus' resurrection, highlighting that even a literal return from the dead didn't convince the skeptical religious leaders, thus underscoring Abraham's point.
Deuteronomy 18:15-19Moses prophesied about a coming prophet like him, whom God would raise up, pointing to the sufficiency of God's word and messengers, rather than miraculous signs from the dead.
Hebrews 12:25This verse warns about refusing to listen to God's voice speaking through earthly messengers, implying that rejecting such messages leaves no further recourse, similar to Abraham's statement.
Exodus 7:1-2Here, God tells Moses that Aaron will speak for him to Pharaoh, establishing Moses and the prophets as God's appointed spokesmen, whose authority should be heeded.
barnesLuke 16:31: "And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
Be persuaded - Be convinced of the truth; of the danger and folly of their way; of the certainty of their suffering hereafter, and be induced to turn from sin to holiness, and from Satan unto God. From this impressive and instructive parable we may learn: 1. That the souls of people do not die with their bodies. 2. That the soul is "conscious" after death;…
vincentLuke 16:31: "And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
Be persuadedDives had said, "they will repent." Abraham replies, "they will not be even persuaded."Though one roseDives had said, "if one went."From the dead (ἐν νεκρῶν)Dives had said from the dead, but using a different preposition (ἀπό). It is wellnigh impossible to give the English reader this nice play of prepositions. The general distinction is ἀπ…
What's easy to miss is that Abraham's response subtly shifts the focus from whether someone from the dead could persuade them, to whether they would even listen. It’s not just about a lack of proof, but a willful deafness to divine revelation that no supernatural messenger could overcome. This highlights that the problem isn't insufficient evidence, but a heart hardened against God's existing word.
Abraham is responding to the rich man's plea for his family, directly addressing the idea that a miraculous messenger from the dead could save them. He states that if people ignore the established teachings of Moses and the Prophets, even a resurrection would not be enough to convince them. This emphasizes that the core issue isn't a lack of evidence, but a hardened heart unwilling to accept divine truth.
Abraham is responding to the rich man's plea for his family, directly addressing the idea that a miraculous messenger from the dead could save them. He states that if people ignore the established teachings of Moses and the Prophets, even a resurrection would not be enough to convince them. This emphasizes that the core issue isn't a lack of evidence, but a hardened heart unwilling to accept divine truth.
"He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”" — What's easy to miss is that Abraham's response subtly shifts the focus from whether someone from the dead could persuade them, to whether they would even listen. It’s not just about a lack of pro…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026