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What does the Bible say about soul sleep?

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The Bible teaches that death is a temporary state awaiting bodily resurrection, while believers who die are safely with the Lord rather than conscious in earthly life. Ecclesiastes and the Psalms describe the dead as no longer participating in this world, using sleep-like language to express death’s stillness and the end of earthly thought and praise. Daniel 12:2 and John 5:28-29 promise that all who are in the graves will rise for judgment, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 comforts Christians that those who have fallen asleep in Christ will be raised at his return. Ecclesiastes 12:7 also affirms that the spirit returns to God who gave it.

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

  • Psalms 115:17

    The dead don't praise Yah, Neither any who go down into silence;

  • John 3:13

    No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.

  • John 5:28-29

    [28] Don't marvel at this, for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs will hear his voice, [29] and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.

  • Daniel 12:2

    Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

  • Ecclesiastes 12:7

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

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

    [13] But we don't want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don't grieve like the rest, who have no hope. [14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so those who have fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. [15] For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left to the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep. [16] For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God's trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, [17] then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever. [18] Therefore comfort one another with these words.

  • 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.

  • Psalms 146:4

    His spirit departs, and he returns to the earth. In that very day, his thoughts perish.

  • Psalms 6:5

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

  • 1 Corinthians 15:51-55

    [51] Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, [52] in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. [53] For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. [54] But when this corruptible will have put on incorruption, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: "Death is swallowed up in victory." [55] "Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?"

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