20 Of The Best Bible Verses About Death

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We all choose the path on which we want to walk on. There are many roads that we can take as we journey through life. But despite those differences, we all have the same finish line. Death. However, our fate differs from one another. Some may reach their finish line a little later, some arrive earlier. It comes anytime and in any circumstance unprecedented. The thought of dying might be terrifying for many as it comes mostly unannounced and painful. But the Bible says that the day of death is better than the day of birth. Through the Bible verses about death that we compiled in this article, let’s get to know what happens after death and why it is needed.

What Does The Bible Say About Death?

• 2 Corinthians 4:17-18  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

The Bible is called the Book of Life as it teaches us things about life. Not just physical life but also about our spiritual lives. There are various philosophical books that claim to unfold the secret of how to properly live life. But, the Bible engages us with things beyond this world. It holds the information of the unseen and unknown destiny of humans after their lifetime. And that very topic sparks endless questions about life after death and even about the credibility of the accounts written in the Bible.

Our faith in God’s word makes us see things that can’t be seen by the naked eye. Everything that we can see will perish when their time ends. The physical world that we’re standing on is incomparable to the eternal life promised in the Bible. And the mysteries of death gives us the idea that there’s more to what the eye can see. The limited capacity of our thoughts might trick us into believing that this is what it is. We might think that the physical world that we see is everything and that death is the end. But no, it is not.

The Bible and Its Declarations About Death

• Hebrews 9:27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment
• Ecclesiastes 8:8 No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it.

Even if there is no way to prove the existence of spirits or life after death, we can prove the authenticity of the Bible. In the Book of Hebrews, it is declared to be an impregnable truth. Even with all the advances in science, no man can repute that everyone is destined to die once. The medical misconceptions in the past were proven wrong after decades of studies. Even the diseases that were once declared impossible to be cured can now be cured. But to this day, no one can cheat death.

Another fact that can not be disputed is that no one has the power to reverse death nor say exactly when it will come. No amount of science or technology can predict the exact date that a person will die. A doctor can say that someone is terminally ill and has a few months or years to live. But there are circumstances where the patient outlived the time in which the doctor declared his remaining time.

Bible Verses About Death and Life

For many, death is the end. For those who believe in God, it is the start of another life. Pain and sadness envelopes those who are left behind in this world after a loved one dies. But we should also bear in mind that those who die with faith in God are starting their eternity with Him. Like the day of our birth is written, so is the day when we return to our creator. Everything happens in accordance with God’s plan for us. And these bible verses about death confirms it.

• Ecclesiastes 3:2  A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
• Revelation 14:13  And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”
• Psalm 68:20 Our God is a God of salvation, and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.
• Revelation 12:11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death
• Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
• Genesis 3:19 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.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.

Life Beyond Death

• Job 14:14  If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my renewal should come.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

There are many beliefs about what happens to our spirit after we die. And the term “life after death” is often associated with it. But the term itself is not right. When the flesh dies, the spirit does not die with it. The spirit just separates from the body. And after the death of the flesh, no life will exist. Hence, there is no life after death, only life beyond death. When a person dies, he or she will not live again. There’s no reincarnation into another body nor taking the form of animals or plants.

The day of the renewal mentioned in the Book of Matthew is the same day mentioned in the Book of Revelation. When the day of judgment comes, all who have died will be called to wake up. Those who died believing in Jesus Christ will be resurrected for eternal life with God. However, those who lived in sin will face the eternal doom that the Bible warns about.

Bible Verses About Death And What Happens After It

What happens to our spirit after the death of the body? Will the spirit immediately go to heaven or hell after to departed its shell? Here’s a list of Bible verses about death below that will shed light on the common question surrounding the mysteries of death.

• Psalm 49:17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away; His glory will not descend after him.
• Revelation 21:8 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.
• James 2:26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
• Ezekiel 18:20  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.
• Revelation 20:5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.

Preparing for Eternal Life

• Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth.
• Revelation 21:4 “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.”

It is said that it’s better to have a bad life than a good death. This saying is meant to encourage people to have hope for as long as we live. But in another sense, living a “bad life” rather than preparing for a “good death” is not what the Bible advised. For Christians, the day of death is the day that we start waiting for the eternal life that God promised. The life where there’s no pain, sickness, and every bad thing that we experience on earth will disappear.

We are all destined to hell but Jesus’ sacrifice has saved us. Hence, our salvation is promised as long as we choose to obey the teachings of Jesus. So instead of trying to live a good life here on earth, we should prepare for the eternal life that is to come. A 100 years in this world is incomparable to the eternal suffering that waits for those who choose to give in to the desires of the world.

The Day of Judgment

• 1 Corinthians 15:26  The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
• 1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

It was mentioned at the beginning of this article that death is unconquerable by man. But God has promised to destroy death. When the day of judgment is over, those who will come with Jesus to be with the Father forever and those that choose the lake of fire will start their journies to eternity. Though those who will receive eternal punishment will, at some point, try to die to end it, death won’t be found anywhere.

The flesh that dies will be replaced by something incorruptible. A body that will last an eternity. What that body will experience, may it be pain and punishment or happiness and unending joy is up to the decisions we make on earth. Instead of trying to acquire riches, we should strive to store treasures in heaven. Our limitations as humans dictate our flesh to sin against God and we should win against it. A moment of control against sin will be better than being thrown in the lake of fire and staying there forever.

The Teachings Of Jesus About Death And Heaven

Christians are not promised a good life here on earth. The apostles, after Jesus who have gone to heaven, were tortured and killed because of their beliefs. However, throwing away our faith to gain the acceptance of this world should never be a choice. As we follow Jesus, the world that is living in sin will turn against us. The Book of Revelation said that people of the last days will be lovers of sins. And those who choose not to accept this form of life will experience discrimination and threats of death. But God is greater than all these things. All the suffering that we went through because of Him will soon be paid if we will be patient to bear all the things for Him.

• John 11:25-26  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
• Matthew 10:28 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.
• John 5:28-29  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.
• Luke 20:36  For they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
• Matthew 25:46 These people will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”

Common Myths And Misconceptions About Death That Is Not Biblical

Movies, books, and other fictional works have depicted deaths in many different ways. Together with ancient beliefs and words passed down through generations,  our views about death and spirit differ from what the Bible says. If we want to learn about a subject, we consult a book that specializes in it. God holds the time from the beginning to the end, the start and the death of every living and non-living creatures. Hence, spiritual things like what happens after death should be consulted through bible verses about death. We have listed some of the common myths and misconceptions about death that even some Christians are swayed by.

1. Spirits of Dead People Can Stay On Earth

• Ecclesiastes 12:8 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Vengeful ghosts, a kind ghost who helps the people they left behind, and many more stories have been around since ancient times. Some even believe that it takes a certain number of days for a soul to go where it’s supposed to go. However, it is clearly stated that after our body dies, our spirits return to God. It is not left to wander alone nor wait until tit finishes it’s unfinished business.

2. Praying for the Dead

• Psalm 115:17 The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence.

Some of the common practices in most funerals are praying for the dead. The said prayers are said to help ensure that the soul of the person will safely arrive at its destination. But even the belief that dead people go on a journey after death is false. After the body dies, no prayer or pleading can redeem the soul. It is all up to God on our judgment day where our spirit will reside forever.

3.  The Dead Carries All Their Feelings After Death

• Ecclesiastes 9:5-6  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.

Stated in Ecclesiastes, all sorts of feelings vanish upon death. This fact also corresponds to the fact(#2), praying for the dead, mentioned above. Because the dead does not carry any longing, love, hate, and other types of feelings, there would be no reason to remain on earth even if they can. All that happened to them on earth has been left behind and they don’t have anything to do with it anymore except for the good and bad deeds that they did when they were alive.

4. We Can Talk to the Dead

• Deuteronomy 18:10-12 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, 12 for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you.

The dead does not have anything to do with the world of the living. Hence, any form of communication that is done through mediums, shamans, and others that claim to talk to the dead is false. They cannot communicate with the dead. In fact, trying to communicate with spirits is an abomination in front of God (Isaiah 8:19-20). It is prohibited. Why? Because the only spirit that we should talk to is the Holy Spirit.

There are only two types of spirits; the good and the bad. Since the Holy Spirit is the good spirit, we know what the other is and who it comes from. As Christians, we should avoid being fooled by Satan into thinking that it is the dead we are talking to.

What Does God Say About Funerals?

• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 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.
• Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

It is human nature to grieve for losses. That is why funerals are held; not for the dead, but those they left behind. It gives the bereaved people a little more time to be with the person who means a lot for them.  The thought that our loved one is now already on the arms of God where no pain or affliction is present. And although it may take a little while to be with them, their good deeds out of faith will ensure us that we will meet them again.

When someone dies, there’s no best way to comfort grief than to remember that death is not the end. Bible verses about death command us to grieve with people who grieve. Therefore, we should comfort them through the words of God. The promise of eternal life for the children of God will give them the hope that they will meet their loved ones again. And when that time came, there will no goodbyes anymore.

The Irony of Life

• Psalm 39:4  “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!

To live a meaningful and fulfilling life is acknowledging death. More than the awareness that death will come to all of us one day, we should let that acceptance of our immortality sink in. In that way, we will live doing what can be done now, knowing that tomorrow is not promised. At the same time, our ways should be in line with what God wants us to follow to prepare for our death. These bible verses about death teach us to live life to the fullest and to live a life pleasing to God. A life that depends and trusts in God, and doesn’t fear death.