Hades / Sheol

The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is often translated in English as “Hades” or “Sheol” is translated in the German Luther Bible 2017 (and pre-1912) as Totenreich or “realm (or: kingdom) of the dead” in these verses. (Source: Jost Zetzsche)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Sheol .

complete verse (Luke 16:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 16:23:

  • Noongar: “He went to hell. There he had great pain. He looked up and far off, he saw Abraham and Lazarus beside him.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “In the dwelling-place of the dead, he continually suffered. When he looked up from there, he saw (emphatic) very far away, there was Abraham, with Lazarus sitting beside him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “There in the afterworld the rich man had great pain. He looked up and he saw there in the distance Ibrahim. He also saw Lasarus at the side of Ibrahim.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And he was carried to the place of the dead, and there he was in great torment; and when he looked up, he could see Abraham, but at a great distance. And he saw also Lazarus there near Abraham.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “and he went to Hades the place of the dead. There he was excessively hardshipped. Then he looked-up and saw Abraham far-away and Lazarus beside him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Through what that rich person was experiencing which was hardship/suffering there in that punishment fire which has no dying down, he saw far away Abraham and Lazaro together.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Abraham

The name that is transliterated as “Abraham” in English is translated in the vast majority of sign languages, including American Sign Language with the sign signifying “hold back arm” (referring to Genesis 22:12).


“Abraham” in American Sign Language (source )

In Vietnamese (Hanoi) Sign Language it is translated with a sign for that demonstrates his new destiny. Previously, he had been called to wander from his home, and the name “Abram” reflected this movement (see here). The new sign name is in one location and stays there, showing Abraham will be given a land to call his own. At this time, Abraham was in the southern part of Canaan, which is shown on the base arm by the location near the elbow. (Source: The Vietnamese Sign Language translation team, VSLBT)


“Abraham” in Vietnamese Sign Language, source: SooSL

In Tira it is transliterated as Abaram. The choice of this, rather than the widely-known “Ibrahim,” as used in the Tira translation of the Qu’ran, was to offset it against the Muslim transliteration which originates from Arabic. (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )

Click or tap here to see two short video clips about Abraham (source: Bible Lands 2012)

See also our ancestor Abraham and Abram.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Abraham .

Translation commentary on Luke 16:23

Exegesis:

kai en tō hadē ‘and in Hades,’ going with all verbs of v. 23.

eparas tous opthalmous autou ‘raising his eyes,’ preparing the way for hora, etc. Cf. also on 6.20.

huparchōn en basanois ‘being in torment,’ parenthetical insertion, describing his situation in Hades. huparchōn is equivalent to ōn.

basanos (also v. 28) ‘torment,’ ‘torture.’

hora Abraam apo makrothen ‘he saw Abraham far away,’ yet within hearing distance.

kai Lazaron en tois kolpois autou ‘and Lazarus at his bosom,’ dependent upon hora.

Translation:

Being in torment, or, ‘while/where he was in torment, or, underwent suffering, or, suffered great pain.’ For ‘to torment’ cf. 8.28.

Far off here sometimes best taken with ‘Abraham,’ e.g. ‘saw Abr. who was far away (from him).’

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 16:23

16:23a

In Hades: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word Hades, which many English versions translate as “hell,” but which the Berean Standard Bible, like many other English versions, transliterates as Hades:

(1) It refers here to Hades, the place where the spirits of dead people stay until the final judgment. For example:

In Hades (Revised English Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011), Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, English Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

(2) It refers here to hell, the final place of punishment for the wicked people. For example:

He went to hell (God’s Word)

(New International Version, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, NET Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and commentaries. This interpretation is consistent with the way that the word Hades is most frequently used in the New Testament (see Revelation 20:13).

It is implied that the rich man’s spirit went to Hades after his body was buried. In some languages it may be more natural to make this event explicit. For example:

and his soul went to the place of the dead (New Living Translation (2004))

Hades: Some ways to translate Hades are:

• Transliterate the word and add a descriptive phrase. For example:

Hades, the place/world of the dead

• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:

the place where the dead live

• Use a term in your language that refers to the place where the spirits of dead people go.

See also “hell,” sense A, in Key Biblical Terms.

where he was in torment: The clause he was in torment means that the rich man was in much pain. He was suffering greatly because God was punishing him. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

he was in much pain (New Century Version)
-or-
he…was suffering terribly (Contemporary English Version)

16:23b

he looked up and saw Abraham from afar: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as he looked up and saw is literally “he lifted up his eyes and saw.” The Revised Standard Version and several other English versions translate it that way. This was a common expression that often meant simply “he looked.” The important point is not that he saw Abraham in a higher place, but that he saw Abraham from a distance. For example:

he saw Abraham in the far distance (New Living Translation (2004))

However, the Jews commonly thought of Paradise as being up, and the place where the wicked stayed in Hades as being “down.” So if it is natural to use a word that means “look up” in your language, you may do so. For example:

As he looked up, in the distance he saw Abraham and Lazarus. (God’s Word)

16:23c

with Lazarus by his side: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as with Lazarus by his side is literally “and Lazarus in his bosom.” Several English versions translate it this way. See the note on 16:22b. Here this expression means that Lazarus was next to Abraham.

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