Is there a second chance after death?

¹⁹“Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day.

²⁰A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, full of sores,

²¹and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores.

²²The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried.

²³In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom.

²⁴He cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.’

²⁵“But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish.

²⁶Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that no one may cross over from there to us.’

²⁷“He said, ‘I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house;

²⁸for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won’t also come into this place of torment.’

²⁹“But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’

³⁰“He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’

³¹“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.’”

²⁴For Christ hasn’t entered into holy places made with hands, which are representations of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;

²⁵nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place year by year with blood not his own,

²⁶or else he must have suffered often since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

²⁷Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,

²⁸so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, without sin, to those who are eagerly waiting for him for salvation.

³²There were also others, two criminals, led with him to be put to death.

³³When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.

³⁴Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.

³⁵The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!”

³⁶The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar,

³⁷and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”

³⁸An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

³⁹One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!”

⁴⁰But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?

⁴¹And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.”

⁴²He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

⁴³Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

¹Working together, we entreat also that you not receive the grace of God in vain,

²for he says, “At an acceptable time I listened to you, in a day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.

³We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed,

⁴but in everything commending ourselves, as servants of God, in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,

⁵in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;

⁶in pureness, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love,

⁷in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

⁸by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;

⁹as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and not killed;

¹⁰as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

¹¹Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged.

¹²You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.

¹³Now in return, I speak as to my children, you also be open wide.

¹⁴Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

¹⁵What agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever?

¹⁶What agreement has a temple of God with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

¹⁷Therefore “‘Come out from among them, and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing. I will receive you.

¹⁸I will be to you a Father. You will be to me sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty.”