What Does the Bible Say About the Resurrection?

As a confirmation of Jesus’ divinity, Jesus rose from the dead. The body of Jesus after the resurrection was a real body of flesh and blood, but still different in that the disciples sometimes had difficulty recognizing Jesus and he could suddenly and miraculously appear in a locked room. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples and then ascended into heaven. At the end of this age, Jesus will come back and resurrect all people. This resurrection is different from the dead being “brought back to life” because they come back to life in their former bodies and will eventually die again, while those who are “resurrected” are given a new eternal body. Those who believe in Jesus will be resurrected with new bodies to eternal life with God, and those who do not belong to Jesus will be resurrected to judgment.

Bible Verses

“³For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁴that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,” (1 Co 15:3–4)

“³He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” (Ac 1:3)

“³⁷But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. ³⁸And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”” (Lk 24:37–39)

“²⁹But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. ³⁰For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. ³¹And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: ³²‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”” (Mt 22:29–32)

“¹⁴And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. ¹⁵We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.” (1 Co 15:14–15)

“²⁰But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. ²²For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. ²³But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.” (1 Co 15:20–23)

“²⁸Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice ²⁹and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” (Jn 5:28–29)

“⁵²in 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.” (1 Co 15:52)

“¹⁶For 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.” (1 Th 4:16)

“²⁵Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, ²⁶and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”” (Jn 11:25–26)

“⁵For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Ro 6:5)

“¹³But 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. ¹⁴For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Th 4:13–14)

Study Questions

1. What is the difference between being brought back to life and being resurrected?
2. Have you seen someone get their life back?
3. What would have happened if Jesus had not risen?
4. What will our new body be like?
5. What is the symbolism between baptism and resurrection?

Additional Bible Verses

Luke 24:45-46, Ps 16:8-11, Heb 11:35, 1 Cor 15:6, Matt 28:16-17, Rom 4:24-25, Rom 8:11, Dan 12:2, Rev 20:12-13, Acts 17:31, Acts 24:15, John 6:39, John 6:44, 1 Cor 15:19, 2 Tim 2:11-12, Rom 1:4