100 Bible Verses about What Happens When You Die

Ecclesiastes 12:7 ESV / 449 helpful votes

And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ESV / 418 helpful votes

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. ...

Daniel 12:2 ESV / 370 helpful votes

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Ecclesiastes 9:5 ESV / 292 helpful votes

For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.

2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV / 264 helpful votes

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

John 5:24 ESV / 255 helpful votes

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 11:25 ESV / 253 helpful votes

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

Ezekiel 18:4 ESV / 230 helpful votes

Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.

Romans 6:23 ESV / 228 helpful votes

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:51 ESV / 200 helpful votes

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Romans 2:6-8 ESV / 195 helpful votes

He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

Hebrews 9:27 ESV / 188 helpful votes

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

Revelation 21:4 ESV / 183 helpful votes

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Matthew 10:28 ESV / 181 helpful votes

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Luke 23:43 ESV / 169 helpful votes

And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

John 3:16 ESV / 163 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Psalm 146:4 ESV / 160 helpful votes

When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.

Revelation 20:15 ESV / 144 helpful votes

And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

John 5:28-29 ESV / 141 helpful votes

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Genesis 3:19 ESV / 135 helpful votes

By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

John 6:50-71 ESV / 125 helpful votes

This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. ...

2 Corinthians 5:8 ESV / 124 helpful votes

Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Revelation 20:14 ESV / 119 helpful votes

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 ESV / 103 helpful votes

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

James 4:14 ESV / 93 helpful votes

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

Philippians 1:21 ESV / 87 helpful votes

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

James 2:26 ESV / 79 helpful votes

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Genesis 2:7 ESV / 79 helpful votes

Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

Isaiah 26:19 ESV / 74 helpful votes

Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.

Ezekiel 18:20 ESV / 72 helpful votes

The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

Philippians 1:23 ESV / 71 helpful votes

I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

Revelation 20:11-13 ESV / 68 helpful votes

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.

Revelation 20:11-15 ESV / 64 helpful votes

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

1 Peter 1:3 ESV / 64 helpful votes

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Ecclesiastes 3:19-20 ESV / 64 helpful votes

For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.

Psalm 1:1-6 ESV / 64 helpful votes

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; ...

John 14:2-3 ESV / 62 helpful votes

In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Psalm 6:5 ESV / 62 helpful votes

For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?

John 11:11-14 ESV / 61 helpful votes

After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died,

1 Thessalonians 4:13 ESV / 59 helpful votes

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

Revelation 20:5 ESV / 58 helpful votes

The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.

John 5:29 ESV / 54 helpful votes

And come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Psalm 16:10 ESV / 54 helpful votes

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.

Revelation 1:18 ESV / 53 helpful votes

And the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

Romans 14:10 ESV / 52 helpful votes

Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;

1 Peter 4:6 ESV / 51 helpful votes

For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

John 5:25 ESV / 51 helpful votes

“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

Luke 16:22-31 ESV / 51 helpful votes

The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ ...

Psalm 23:1-6 ESV / 51 helpful votes

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ...

Psalm 13:3 ESV / 49 helpful votes

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,

1 John 5:12 ESV / 48 helpful votes

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Revelation 20:6 ESV / 45 helpful votes

Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Romans 2:7 ESV / 43 helpful votes

To those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;

Philippians 3:20-21 ESV / 42 helpful votes

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

John 20:1-31 ESV / 42 helpful votes

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. ...

1 Timothy 6:16 ESV / 40 helpful votes

Who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

1 Corinthians 15:22 ESV / 40 helpful votes

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

1 Corinthians 15:1-58 ESV / 40 helpful votes

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. ...

Luke 16:19-31 ESV / 40 helpful votes

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. ...

1 Thessalonians 4:17 ESV / 39 helpful votes

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

Mark 16:16 ESV / 39 helpful votes

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

John 14:1-3 ESV / 38 helpful votes

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 ESV / 38 helpful votes

For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.

Luke 23:42-43 ESV / 35 helpful votes

And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Colossians 3:3 ESV / 34 helpful votes

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Romans 3:23 ESV / 34 helpful votes

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

1 Thessalonians 4:14 ESV / 33 helpful votes

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

Acts 2:34 ESV / 32 helpful votes

For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand,

Ecclesiastes 9:10 ESV / 32 helpful votes

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

Genesis 2:17 ESV / 32 helpful votes

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Philippians 3:10 ESV / 31 helpful votes

That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Philippians 1:21-23 ESV / 31 helpful votes

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

Acts 2:27 ESV / 30 helpful votes

For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.

Revelation 21:8 ESV / 29 helpful votes

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Romans 8:28 ESV / 29 helpful votes

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Acts 24:15 ESV / 29 helpful votes

Having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 28 helpful votes

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 ESV / 28 helpful votes

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

Romans 5:12 ESV / 28 helpful votes

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Acts 2:29 ESV / 28 helpful votes

“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

1 Corinthians 11:1-2 ESV / 27 helpful votes

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.

John 11:1-57 ESV / 27 helpful votes

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ...

Revelation 2:11 ESV / 26 helpful votes

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

Revelation 2:7 ESV / 25 helpful votes

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

1 John 3:1-24 ESV / 24 helpful votes

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. ...

Romans 8:38-39 ESV / 24 helpful votes

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Acts 2:31 ESV / 24 helpful votes

He foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

John 14:6 ESV / 24 helpful votes

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 14:1-4 ESV / 24 helpful votes

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 ESV / 23 helpful votes

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

John 11:25-27 ESV / 23 helpful votes

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

John 10:9 ESV / 23 helpful votes

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV / 22 helpful votes

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

Matthew 27:52 ESV / 22 helpful votes

The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised,

Mark 10:17-21 ESV / 21 helpful votes

And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

Psalm 115:17 ESV / 20 helpful votes

The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence.

John 3:16-17 ESV / 18 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Genesis 3:4 ESV / 17 helpful votes

But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.

Romans 1:24 ESV / 16 helpful votes

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,

Psalm 98:2 ESV / 16 helpful votes

The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

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