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In the xxth chapter of St. Luke we have the following clear exposition 
of the state of departed souls. “ Afterwards some of the Sadducees, who 
deny a future state, came to him with this question: ‘ Rabbi, Moses hath 
enjoined in his writings that a man whose brother dieth childless outlived 
by his wife, shall marry the widow, in order to continue the family. Now 
there were seven brothers, the eldest of whom having taken a wife, died 
childless; the second married the widow, and also died childless; the third 
married her, as did likewise the rest; and all the seven died without children. 
Last of all the woman died. To which of them, at the resurrection, shall 
she be the wife?’ Jesus answered to them, ‘ The people of this world marry; 
but amongst them who shall be accounted worthy of the resurrection in 
heaven, there will be no marrying, neither can they die any more, being 
children of the resurrection. That the dead are raised, Moses hath shewn, 
calling the Lord, who appeared to him in a bush, ‘ The God of Abraham, 
of Isaac, and of Jacob.’ For God is not the God of the dead, but of the 
living; for they that are dead to us, are alive * to him.” 
In the gospel of St. John we have an exclusive account of Lazarus being 
raised from death. “ Now one Lazarus of Bethany, the brother of Mary 
and her sister Martha, was sick. They sent to acquaint Jesus of it. 
‘ Master, lo, he whom thou lovest is sick.’ Jesus hearing this, said, “ This 
sickness shall not occasion his loss to them, but shall conduce to the glory 
of God, that the Son of man may be glorified thereby.’ After a few days, 
Jesus addressed his disciples, and said, Our friend Lazarus is dead; but I 
shall go to awake him. Then said his disciples, If he sleep, he will awake, 
and recover. Jesus spake of his death, but they thought he only spoke of 
the repose of sleep. Then Jesus told them in plain terms, Lazarus is dead, 
and on your accounts I am glad I was not there at the time of his departure, 
that ye may have the more faith: but let us go to him. When Jesus 
arrived Lazarus had been dead already four days. Now Bethany being 
two miles from Jerusalem, many of its inhabitants had come to Martha and 
Mary to console with them on the death of their brother Martha hearing 
that Jesus was approaching went out to him; but Mary remained in the 
house. Then Martha said to Jesus, ‘ Master, if thou hadst been here, my 
brother had not died. But I know that even now whatsoever thou shaft 
ask of God, God will give it/ Jesus replied, ‘ Thy brother shall rise 
Alluding to the intermediate state, or state of the departed soul in Paradise . 
