etc-03: Verse Texts -- "What Does Death Mean in the Bible?"¶

All texts KJV, retrieved via Grep on kjv.txt. Cross-testament parallels via cross_testament_parallels_v2.py.

A. Origin of Death (Genesis 2-3)¶

Gen 2:7 (Context)¶

"And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

Gen 2:16-17¶

"And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." - Hebrew: "mot tamut" (dying thou shalt die) -- H4191 x2 (emphatic construction) - Parallels OT: Gen 2:9 (0.507 -- tree of knowledge/good/evil), Gen 3:22 (0.458 -- eat/evil/good/tree), Gen 3:3 (0.424 -- die/eat/tree) - Parallels NT: Matt 7:17 (0.377 -- good/tree), John 6:50 (0.350 -- die/eat), 1 Cor 15:32 (0.346 -- die/eat)

Gen 3:3-4¶

"But of the fruit of the tree which [is] in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:"

Gen 3:17-19¶

"And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed [is] the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat [of] it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou [art], and unto dust shalt thou return." - Parallels OT: Ps 102:10 (0.447 -- bread/dust/eat), Job 10:9 (0.357 -- dust/return) - Parallels NT: John 6:31 (0.352 -- bread/eat)

Gen 3:22-24¶

"And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."

B. Death as Reversal of Creation / Nature of Death¶

Ecc 12:7¶

"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."

Ecc 3:19-20¶

"For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all [is] vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again."

Ecc 9:5-6¶

"For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any [thing] that is done under the sun."

Ecc 9:10¶

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."

Ps 146:4¶

"His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish."

Ps 104:29¶

"Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust."

Ps 6:5¶

"For in death [there is] no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?"

Ps 115:17¶

"The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence."

Ps 88:10-12¶

"Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise [and] praise thee? Selah. Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? [or] thy faithfulness in destruction? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?"

Ps 30:9¶

"What profit [is there] in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?"

Job 14:2,5-12¶

"He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. ... Seeing his days [are] determined, the number of his months [are] with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day. For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; [Yet] through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where [is] he? [As] the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens [be] no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep."

Job 14:14,21¶

"If a man die, shall he live [again]? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. ... His sons come to honour, and he knoweth [it] not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth [it] not of them."

Job 3:13-19¶

"For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest, With kings and counsellers of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves; Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver: Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants [which] never saw light. There the wicked cease [from] troubling; and there the weary be at rest. [There] the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor. The small and great are there; and the servant [is] free from his master."

Job 34:14-15¶

"If he set his heart upon man, [if] he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust."

Isa 38:18-19¶

"For the grave cannot praise thee, death can [not] celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I [do] this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth."

James 2:26¶

"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

C. Death Entered Through Sin (NT Theological Framework)¶

Rom 5:12¶

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" - Parallels OT: Ezek 33:14 (0.372 -- iniquity), Ezek 18:21 (0.370 -- iniquity), Isa 28:15 (0.362 -- death/pass/world) - Parallels NT: Rom 5:21 (0.461 -- death/iniquity/through), Rom 5:17 (0.426), James 1:15 (0.401 -- death/iniquity), John 5:24 (0.387 -- death/into/pass)

Rom 5:14¶

"Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come."

Rom 5:17¶

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)"

Rom 5:21¶

"That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

Rom 6:23¶

"For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." - Parallels OT: Prov 10:16 (0.395 -- alive/iniquity), Ps 68:21 (0.357 -- death), Ezek 3:18 (0.340 -- alive/iniquity) - Parallels NT: Rom 5:21 (0.522 -- age/alive/christ/death), Rom 8:2 (0.500 -- alive/christ/death/iniquity), Rom 5:17 (0.481 -- alive/christ/death/gift), 1 Pet 3:18 (0.444)

1 Cor 15:21-22¶

"For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." - Parallels OT: Ps 68:21 (0.379 -- death), Prov 14:12 (0.376 -- death), Prov 16:25 (0.376 -- death) - Parallels NT: Rev 20:5 (0.427 -- dead/resurrection), 1 Cor 15:42 (0.424 -- dead/resurrection), Phil 3:10 (0.398 -- death/resurrection), Rom 6:5 (0.380 -- death/resurrection)

1 Cor 15:26¶

"The last enemy [that] shall be destroyed [is] death."

1 Cor 15:54-57¶

"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. O death, where [is] thy sting? O grave, where [is] thy victory? The sting of death [is] sin; and the strength of sin [is] the law. But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Heb 2:14-15¶

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

Heb 9:27¶

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"

2 Tim 1:10¶

"But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:"

Isa 25:8¶

"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]."

D. Death as Sleep¶

Deut 31:16¶

"And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go [to be] among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them."

Job 7:21¶

"And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I [shall] not [be]."

Job 14:12¶

"So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens [be] no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep."

Dan 12:2¶

"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt."

John 11:11-14¶

"These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead."

Acts 7:60¶

"And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep."

Acts 13:36¶

"For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:"

1 Cor 15:6,18,51¶

"After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. ... Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. ... Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,"

1 Thess 4:13-16¶

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 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:"

E. Spiritual Death¶

Luke 1:79¶

"To give light to them that sit in darkness and [in] the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

John 5:24-26¶

"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. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;" - Parallels OT: Ps 119:93 (0.385 -- age/alive), Isa 55:3 (0.381 -- age/alive/hear), Ps 56:14 (0.377 -- alive/death) - Parallels NT: John 6:47 (0.556 -- age/alive/believe/truly), John 8:51 (0.463 -- age/death/truly), 1 John 3:14 (0.426 -- alive/death/pass), Rev 2:11 (0.413 -- death/hear)

John 6:50-51,53¶

"This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. ... Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you."

John 11:26¶

"And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

Rom 5:12,15¶

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: ... But not as the offence, so also [is] the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, [which is] by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many."

Rom 7:11¶

"For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew [me]."

Rom 8:5-6,13¶

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace. ... For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." - Parallels OT: Ps 56:14 (0.404 -- alive/death), Ps 33:19 (0.394 -- alive/death), Prov 18:21 (0.360 -- alive/death) - Parallels NT: Rom 8:5 (0.480 -- flesh/mind/spirit), Rom 8:13 (0.479 -- alive/death/flesh/spirit), John 6:63 (0.468 -- alive/flesh/spirit), Gal 6:8 (0.444 -- alive/flesh/spirit)

Eph 2:1,5-6¶

"And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins; ... Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:" - Parallels OT: Ezek 33:9 (0.379 -- iniquity), Ezek 3:19 (0.370 -- iniquity) - Parallels NT: Col 2:13 (0.487 -- dead/iniquity/trespass), Eph 2:5 (0.415 -- dead/trespass), Rom 6:11 (0.396 -- dead/iniquity), 1 Pet 2:24 (0.348 -- dead/iniquity)

Eph 4:18¶

"Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:"

Col 2:13¶

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;"

1 Tim 5:6¶

"But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth."

1 Pet 2:24¶

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."

1 John 3:14¶

"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [his] brother abideth in death."

1 John 5:12¶

"He that hath the Son hath life; [and] he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."

F. The Second Death¶

Rev 2:11¶

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death."

Rev 20:6¶

"Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."

Rev 20:14¶

"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." - Parallels OT: Isa 43:2 (0.325 -- burn), Song 8:6 (0.302 -- burn/death) - Parallels NT: Rev 20:15 (0.472 -- burn/cast/into/lake), Rev 21:8 (0.464 -- burn/death/lake/second), Rev 20:10 (0.429 -- burn/cast/into/lake), Rev 1:18 (0.383 -- death/hades)

Rev 21:8¶

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." - Parallels OT: Prov 14:32 (0.328 -- death), Isa 53:9 (0.325 -- death) - Parallels NT: Rev 20:14 (0.464 -- burn/death/lake/second), Rev 22:15 (0.456 -- idolater/immoral/murderer/sorcerer), Rev 2:11 (0.354 -- death/second), 2 Thess 1:8 (0.342 -- burn)

Rev 19:20¶

"And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."

Rev 20:10¶

"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

Prov 14:12¶

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death."

Ezek 18:4,20-21,23-24¶

"Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. ... The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. ... Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: [and] not that he should return from his ways, and live? But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, [and] doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked [man] doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die."

Matt 10:28¶

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

Matt 25:41,46¶

"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: ... And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

Mark 9:43-44¶

"And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."

Rom 1:32¶

"Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."

Rom 8:13¶

"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."

2 Thess 1:9¶

"Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;"

James 1:15¶

"Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

2 Pet 2:12¶

"But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;"

G. Death Figurative of Regeneration¶

Rom 6:2-11¶

"God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Col 2:20¶

"Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,"

H. Key Additional Death Passages¶

1 Sam 2:6¶

"The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up."

Deut 32:39¶

"See now that I, [even] I, [am] he, and [there is] no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither [is there any] that can deliver out of my hand."

Ps 68:20¶

"[He that is] our God [is] the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord [belong] the issues from death."

Ps 89:48¶

"What man [is he that] liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah."

Ps 90:3¶

"Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men."

Ps 49:7,9,14-15¶

"None [of them] can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: ... That he should still live for ever, [and] not see corruption. ... Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah."

Hos 13:14¶

"I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes."

Deut 30:15,19¶

"See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; ... I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:"

Rev 1:18¶

"[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."

Rev 6:8¶

"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth."

Rev 21:4¶

"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."

~85 verses retrieved. All texts KJV from kjv.txt. Cross-testament parallels run via cross_testament_parallels_v2.py (--hybrid-ot and --hybrid-nt) for key verses.

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