What does the Bible say about consciousness after death?

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

• Ecclesiastes 9:5

  For the living know that they will die, but the dead don't know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

• Luke 16:19-31

  [19] "Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. [20] A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, full of sores, [21] and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. [22] It happened that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. [23] In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. [24] He cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.' [25] "But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in like manner, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish. [26] Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that none may cross over from there to us.' [27] "He said, 'I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house; [28] for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won't also come into this place of torment.' [29] "But Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' [30] "He said, 'No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' [31] "He said to him, 'If they don't listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.'"

• Psalms 6:5

  For in death there is no memory of you. In Sheol, who shall give you thanks?

• Ecclesiastes 12:7

  And the dust returns to the earth as it was, And the spirit returns to God who gave it.

• Genesis 2:17

  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."

• Acts 2:27

  Because you will not leave my soul in Hades, Neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.

• 1 Corinthians 15:51

  Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

• Revelation 6:9-11

  [9] When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had. [10] They cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" [11] A long white robe was given to each of them. They were told that they should rest yet for a while, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would also be killed even as they were, should complete their course.

• Luke 20:37-38

  [37] But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord 'The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' [38] Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him."

• Hebrews 9:27

  Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,

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