The Meaning of Luke 16:26 Explained

Luke 16:26

KJV: And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

YLT: and besides all these things, between us and you a great chasm is fixed, so that they who are willing to go over from hence unto you are not able, nor do they from thence to us pass through.

Darby: And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm is fixed, so that those who desire to pass hence to you cannot, nor do they who desire to cross from there pass over unto us.

ASV: And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they that would pass from hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from thence to us.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  beside  all  this,  between  us  and  you  there is  a great  gulf  fixed:  so that  they which would  pass  from hence  to  you  cannot;  neither  can they pass  to  us,  that [would come] from thence. 

What does Luke 16:26 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 16:14-31 - A Look Into The Future
Here was a flagrant case of heartless indifference, amid luxuries of every kind, to the daily spectacle of abject need. Most of us have at least one Lazarus at the gates of our life. The charge against the rich man was, not that he had injured Lazarus, but that he had not helped him. Man condemns us for doing wrong, God for failing to do right.
Lazarus was translated to the realm of blessedness-the bosom of Abraham bespeaking nearness to him at the great feast-not because he had been so poor and miserable, but because, beggar though he was, he possessed the faith of heart and the purity of motive that characterized his great ancestor.
Notice that memory plays a conspicuous part in the sorrow of Gehenna; that Christ gives no hope of changing the soul's habitation; and that we have in the Scripture a more certain agent of spiritual renewal than would be provided by even the apparition of the dead. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 16

1  The parable of the unjust steward
14  Jesus reproves the hypocrisy of the covetous Pharisees
19  The parable of the rich man and Lazarus the beggar

Greek Commentary for Luke 16:26

Beside all this [εν πασι τουτοις]
(εν πασι τουτοις — en pāsi toutois). [source]
In all these things [or regions)]
(or regions).Gulf (χασμα — chasma). An old word from χαινω — chainō to yawn, our chasm, a gaping opening. Only here in the N.T.Is fixed Perfect passive indicative of στηριζω — stērizō old verb (See note on Luke 9:51). Permanent chasm.May not be able (μη δυνωνται — mē dunōntai). Present middle subjunctive of δυναμαι — dunamai The chasm is there on purpose (that not, οπως μη — hopōs mē) to prevent communication. [source]
Gulf [χασμα]
An old word from χαινω — chainō to yawn, our chasm, a gaping opening. Only here in the N.T. [source]
Is fixed [εστηρικται]
Perfect passive indicative of στηριζω — stērizō old verb (See note on Luke 9:51). Permanent chasm.May not be able (μη δυνωνται — mē dunōntai). Present middle subjunctive of δυναμαι — dunamai The chasm is there on purpose (that not, οπως μη — hopōs mē) to prevent communication. [source]
May not be able [μη δυνωνται]
Present middle subjunctive of δυναμαι — dunamai The chasm is there on purpose (that not, οπως μη — hopōs mē) to prevent communication. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 16:26

Hebrews 11:29 Passed through [διέβησαν]
Only three times in N.T. See Luke 16:26; Acts 16:9. The simple Βαίνην does not occur in N.T. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 16:26 mean?

And besides all these things between us you a chasm great has been fixed so that those desiring to pass from here to you not are able nor from there us can they pass
καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις μεταξὺ ἡμῶν ὑμῶν χάσμα μέγα ἐστήρικται ὅπως οἱ θέλοντες διαβῆναι ἔνθεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς μὴ δύνωνται μηδὲ ἐκεῖθεν ἡμᾶς διαπερῶσιν

ἐν  besides 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐν 
Sense: in, by, with etc.
τούτοις  these  things 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Dative Neuter Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
μεταξὺ  between 
Parse: Preposition
Root: μεταξύ  
Sense: between.
ἡμῶν  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
χάσμα  a  chasm 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: χάσμα  
Sense: a gaping opening, a chasm, a gulf.
μέγα  great 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: μέγας  
Sense: great.
ἐστήρικται  has  been  fixed 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: στηρίζω  
Sense: to make stable, place firmly, set fast, fix.
ὅπως  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅπως  
Sense: how, that.
οἱ  those 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
θέλοντες  desiring 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: θέλω  
Sense: to will, have in mind, intend.
διαβῆναι  to  pass 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: διαβαίνω  
Sense: to pass through, cross over.
ἔνθεν  from  here 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἐνθάδε  
Sense: here.
δύνωνται  are  able 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: δύναμαι  
Sense: to be able, have power whether by virtue of one’s own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favourable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom.
μηδὲ  nor 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: μηδέ  
Sense: and not, but not, nor, not.
ἐκεῖθεν  from  there 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἐκεῖθεν  
Sense: thence, from that place.
ἡμᾶς  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
διαπερῶσιν  can  they  pass 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: διαπεράω  
Sense: to pass over, cross over, i.