What Does the Bible Say About Life After Death?

The Bible addresses life after death across both Old and New Testaments. These verses are organized by biblical era — from the patriarchs to the apostles — letting Scripture speak for itself.

40 verses·7 eras·20 promises

Exodus (~1400 BC)

Divided Kingdom (~930 BC)

He has swallowed up death forever! The Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears from off all faces. He will take the reproach of his people away from off all the earth, for Yahweh has spoken it.
Isaiah 25:8· IsaiahPromise
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who lived in the land of the shadow of death, on them the light has shined.
Isaiah 9:2· IsaiahPromise

Exile (~586 BC)

I will put my Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land: and you shall know that I, Yahweh, have spoken it and performed it, says Yahweh.
Ezekiel 37:14· GodPromise

Life of Jesus (~30 AD)

"Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn't come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
John 5:24· JesusPromise
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
John 14:6· JesusPromise
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.
John 11:25· JesusPromise
Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 8:12· JesusPromise
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
John 6:35· JesusPromise
Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" Having said this, he breathed his last.
Luke 23:46· JesusPrayer
Whoever doesn't bear his own cross, and come after me, can't be my disciple.
For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.
Mark 8:35· JesusPromise
These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Matthew 25:46· JesusPromise
He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 10:39· JesusPromise
He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men."
Matthew 4:19· JesusPromise
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Most certainly, I tell you, he who believes in me has eternal life.
John 6:47· JesusPromise
but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."
John 4:14· JesusPromise
For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?
This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
John 17:3· JesusPrayer
I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
John 10:28· JesusPromise
He said to them, "Don't be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him!
Mark 16:6· NarratorPromise

Early Church (~50 AD)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23· PaulPromise
knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no more has dominion over him!

United Kingdom (~1000 BC)

Precious in the sight of Yahweh is the death of his saints.
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.
For with you is the spring of life. In your light shall we see light.
Psalms 36:9· DavidPrayer
Yahweh will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forth, and forevermore. A Song of Ascents. By David.
Psalms 121:8· DavidPromise
Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in Yahweh's house forever. A Psalm by David.
As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God.
Psalms 42:1· Sons of KorahPrayer

patriarchs

By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die."
Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for, he said, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."

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