People do not like to talk about death – yet it affects everyone. The Bible does not shy away from the subject. It calls death by its name honestly and offers a great hope in contrast to it. Here you will find 20 Bible verses about death: verses that put death in perspective and verses that take away fear – for reflection, for end-of-life care, or for people who have just lost someone. For sympathy cards and funerals, there is a separate selection under Bible verses for grief and funerals.
What the Bible says about death
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If we live, we live for the LORD; if we die, we die for the LORD. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the LORD's.
Romans 14:8Eternal LifeGrief
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Teach us to number our days, that we may gain wisdom.
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For Christ is my life, and death is my gain.
Philippians 1:21Life
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But we know that when our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not made with hands.
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Jesus said to her: I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though he dies.
John 11:25ResurrectionLife
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Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your sting? Hell, where is your victory?
1 Corinthians 15:55Easter
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And as it is appointed for men to die once, and then comes judgment.
Hebrews 9:27End Times
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For dust must return to the earth as it was, and spirit must return to God who gave it.
Ecclesiastes 12:7Soul
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The death of his saints is treasured before the LORD.
Psalm 116:15Faithfulness
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And I heard a voice from heaven saying: Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the LORD from now on. Yes, the Spirit says, they rest from their work; for their deeds follow them.
Revelation 14:13RewardBeatitudes
Without fear of the end
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And 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 comfort me.
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And he said to his disciples: Do not let your hearts be troubled! Believe in God and believe in me! In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, I would have told you: I go to prepare a place for you. And when I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, that you may be where I am.
John 14:1-3Heaven
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For I am sure that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither things present nor things to come, neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our LORD.
Romans 8:38-39God's LoveBaptismal Verses
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He who has taken away the power of death and brought to light life and immortality through the gospel.
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Now that the children have flesh and blood, he has made them partakers of the same, so that through death he might take away the one who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver those who through the fear of death had to be slaves to him throughout their whole life.
Hebrews 2:14-15Freedom
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He will swallow up death forever.
Isaiah 25:8aEaster
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Yet I will always remain with you; for you hold me with your right hand, you guide me according to your counsel, and you finally take me into your honor.
Psalm 73:23-24God's Hand
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And Jesus said to him: Truly, truly, I say to you: Today you will be with me in paradise.
Luke 23:43HeavenGood Friday
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Truly, truly, I say to you: Whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me, has eternal life and will not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
John 5:24Eternal LifeGospel
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For just as we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so God will also bring those who have fallen asleep through Jesus to life with him.
1 Thessalonians 4:14Resurrection
Bible texts: Luther Bible 1912 (public domain), carefully adapted to modern spelling.
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Honest About Death
The Bible does not sugarcoat death. Psalm 90:12 even asks us to reflect on our own mortality – not out of fear, but so that we may live wisely. Ecclesiastes 12:7 soberly describes how man returns to the earth. At the same time, in the New Testament, death is not the end: Paul compares the body to a tent that will be taken down, while an eternal house awaits with God (2 Corinthians 5:1). And Jesus promises the criminal beside him on the cross: "Today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).
Verses for End-of-Life Care
Those who accompany a dying person often read familiar words: Psalm 23, John 14:1-3, or Psalm 73:23-24 ("You hold me with your right hand"). Short sentences are often better than long passages. Many older people still know Psalm 23 by heart and speak it aloud. For the time after, you will find verses under Bible verses for grief, and the great hope under Bible verses about eternal life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Bible say about death?
It honestly calls death part of human life (Psalm 90:12; Ecclesiastes 12:7), but promises that it does not have the last word. John 11:25, Romans 8:38-39, and 1 Corinthians 15:55 are central.
Which psalm is prayed for the dying?
Psalm 23 ("The LORD is my shepherd") is the most common. Psalm 91, Psalm 121, and Psalm 139 are also often read in end-of-life care.
