29 Bible Verses About Death (NIV & KJV)

Death is the one certainty every human being faces, yet for those who trust in God it carries a promise far greater than the grave. Scripture meets us in our sorrow and points us beyond it, declaring that death has been swallowed up in victory through the resurrection of Christ.

These Bible verses about death gather the clearest passages in both the NIV and KJV on eternal life, the resurrection, the comfort God gives the grieving, and the living hope that awaits believers. Whether you are mourning a loved one, preparing a funeral, or wrestling with your own mortality, these words speak peace.

Let these verses remind you that for the child of God, death is not a door slammed shut but a threshold into eternal life with the One who conquered the grave.

✝️ Victory Over Death

These verses proclaim that Christ has defeated death once and for all.

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;”— John 11:25 (NIV)“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:”— John 11:25 (KJV)

““Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?””— 1 Corinthians 15:55 (NIV)“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”— 1 Corinthians 15:55 (KJV)

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”— 1 Corinthians 15:57 (NIV)“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”— 1 Corinthians 15:57 (KJV)

“When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.””— 1 Corinthians 15:54 (NIV)“So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”— 1 Corinthians 15:54 (KJV)

“I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”— Revelation 1:18 (NIV)“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”— Revelation 1:18 (KJV)

🕊️ The Promise of Eternal Life

Scripture assures believers of life that never ends.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”— John 3:16 (NIV)“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”— John 3:16 (KJV)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”— Romans 6:23 (NIV)“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”— Romans 6:23 (KJV)

“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”— 1 John 5:11 (NIV)“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”— 1 John 5:11 (KJV)

““Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”— John 5:24 (NIV)“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”— John 5:24 (KJV)

“and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?””— John 11:26 (NIV)“And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”— John 11:26 (KJV)

🛡️ Comfort in the Valley

These verses promise God's nearness when death draws close.

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”— Psalm 23:4 (NIV)“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”— Psalm 23:4 (KJV)

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.”— Psalm 116:15 (NIV)“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”— Psalm 116:15 (KJV)

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”— Psalm 34:18 (NIV)“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”— Psalm 34:18 (KJV)

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”— Matthew 5:4 (NIV)“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”— Matthew 5:4 (KJV)

“he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.”— Isaiah 25:8 (NIV)“He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.”— Isaiah 25:8 (KJV)

🌅 The Hope of Resurrection

These verses point to the rising of the dead and the life to come.

“For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”— 1 Thessalonians 4:14 (NIV)“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”— 1 Thessalonians 4:14 (KJV)

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”— 1 Thessalonians 4:16 (NIV)“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”— 1 Thessalonians 4:16 (KJV)

“in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”— 1 Corinthians 15:52 (NIV)“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”— 1 Corinthians 15:52 (KJV)

““Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice”— John 5:28 (NIV)“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,”— John 5:28 (KJV)

“Therefore encourage one another with these words.”— 1 Thessalonians 4:18 (NIV)“Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”— 1 Thessalonians 4:18 (KJV)

🏠 To Be With the Lord

Scripture promises that death ushers believers into God's presence.

“We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”— 2 Corinthians 5:8 (NIV)“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”— 2 Corinthians 5:8 (KJV)

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”— Philippians 1:21 (NIV)“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”— Philippians 1:21 (KJV)

“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”— John 14:2 (NIV)“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”— John 14:2 (KJV)

“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.””— Revelation 21:4 (NIV)“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”— Revelation 21:4 (KJV)

🌿 Life and Death in God's Hands

These verses remind us that our times rest with the Lord.

“If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”— Romans 14:8 (NIV)“For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.”— Romans 14:8 (KJV)

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:”— Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”— Ecclesiastes 3:1 (KJV)

““The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.”— 1 Samuel 2:6 (NIV)“The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.”— 1 Samuel 2:6 (KJV)

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”— Psalm 90:12 (NIV)“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”— Psalm 90:12 (KJV)

“Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.”— Psalm 37:37 (NIV)“Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.”— Psalm 37:37 (KJV)

What Does the Bible Say About Death?

The Bible says that death entered the world through sin, but it does not have the final word for those who belong to Christ. Because Jesus died and rose again, death has been defeated, and its sting has been removed. Scripture describes the death of a believer as falling asleep, a temporary rest from which they will be raised to eternal life when the Lord returns.

For the faithful, death is a passage rather than an ending. The Bible promises that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, and that a day is coming when God will wipe away every tear and abolish death entirely. This is why believers grieve with hope, knowing that the grave is not their final home but the doorway to everlasting life in God's presence.

May these verses bring you peace in the face of loss and renew your hope in life eternal. For more Scripture to strengthen your heart, explore our Bible verses about grief, Bible verses about comfort, and Bible verses about heaven.