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Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor.
Luke 16:19 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB “Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day.
  • KJV There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
  • NKJV “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.
  • NASB “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, enjoying himself in splendor every day.
  • NLT Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Jesus introduces a rich man living in daily luxury, beginning the account of the rich man and Lazarus.

Overview

The unnamed rich man, clothed in royal purple and fine linen, embodies self-indulgent wealth without regard for God or neighbor. His comfort sets up the stark reversal to come. The story warns of the eternal peril of a life consumed by earthly riches.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 18

  • Ezek 16:49Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and complacent; they did not help the poor and needy.
  • Luke 18:24–25Seeing the man’s sadness, Jesus said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!
  • Amos 6:4–6You lie on beds inlaid with ivory, and lounge upon your couches. You dine on lambs from the flock and calves from the stall.
  • Jas 5:1–5Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you.
  • Ezek 27:7Of embroidered fine linen from Egypt they made your sail, which served as your banner. Of blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah they made your awning.
  • Luke 12:16–21Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance.
  • Mark 15:17They dressed Him in a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and set it on His head.
  • Ps 73:3–7For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
  • Judg 8:26The weight of the gold earrings he had requested was 1,700 shekels, in addition to the crescent ornaments, the pendants, the purple garments of the kings of Midian, and the chains from the necks of their camels.
  • Rev 18:7As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow and will never see grief.’
  • Rev 18:16saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!
  • Job 21:11–15They send forth their little ones like a flock; their children skip about,
  • Luke 16:1Jesus also said to His disciples, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.
  • Ezek 16:13So you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was made of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey, and oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be queen.
  • Rev 17:4The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.
  • Esth 8:15Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.
  • Luke 15:13After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.
  • Mark 15:20After they had mocked Him, they removed the purple robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (7)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Luke videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Luke 16:19YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on LukeMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.

How Luke 16:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.