Rich and Poor

In Rich and Poor, J.C. Ryle delivers one of his most penetrating and pastoral examinations of the human heart. Drawing from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16, Ryle contrasts two men whose earthly circumstances could not have been more different—one clothed in luxury, the other covered in sores—yet whose eternal destinies reveal the true measure of a person before God.

With the vivid imagery and plain, forceful style for which he is known, Ryle exposes the spiritual dangers that wealth can bring, the deceptive comfort of outward prosperity, and the often-overlooked dignity and hope given to the poor in Christ. Yet Rich and Poor is not a denunciation of riches nor a glorification of poverty. Instead, it is a compassionate call to examine the state of one’s soul, to humble the proud, to comfort the afflicted, and to awaken readers to the urgent realities of eternity.

Profoundly convicting yet full of gospel hope, Rich and Poor invites every reader—whether high or low in this world—to consider what truly matters, to heed the warnings of Scripture, and to seek the riches that cannot perish. Ryle’s message, though written in the 19th century, speaks with remarkable relevance today, reminding us that heaven and hell are real, death comes to all, and only those who cling to Christ will find rest that lasts forever.