“He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’”
Parallel translations
- KJV And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
- BSB Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”
- NKJV But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”
- NASB But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”
- NLT “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”
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
Abraham concludes that those who reject Scripture will not be persuaded even by someone rising from the dead.
Overview
Unbelief is a matter of the heart, not lack of evidence. Those deaf to Moses and the Prophets would dismiss even a resurrection. This pointedly foreshadows Jesus' own resurrection, which many still refused to believe, and affirms the saving sufficiency of Scripture's witness to Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 2 Cor 4:3Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who perish;
- John 11:43–53When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
- Acts 19:8He entered into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning God’s Kingdom.
- Acts 26:28Agrippa said to Paul, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?”
- Acts 28:23When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about God’s Kingdom, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening.
- John 12:10–11But the chief priests conspired to put Lazarus to death also,
- 2 Cor 5:11Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are revealed to God; and I hope that we are revealed also in your consciences.
- Gen 9:27May God enlarge Japheth. Let him dwell in the tents of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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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 16:31 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.