Reincarnation

Reincarnation, the belief that a soul is reborn into a new body after death, is not taught in the Bible. This page lists the verses that speak to dying once, the judgment after death, and the resurrection of the dead.

Once to die

• Hebrews 9:27
  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,
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• 2 Samuel 12:23
  But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
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• Job 7:9-10
  ⁹As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up. ¹⁰He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no more.
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• Job 14:10-12
  ¹⁰But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he? ¹¹As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry, ¹²So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.so a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, he will not be awakened or roused from sleep.
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• Ecclesiastes 12:7
  Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
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After death

• Luke 16:22-26
  ²²And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried. ²³And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴And 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 tormented in this flame.So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’ ²⁵But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony. ²⁶And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’
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• Luke 23:43
  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
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• 2 Corinthians 5:8
  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.We are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
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• Philippians 1:23
  For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed.
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The resurrection of the dead

• John 5:28-29
  ²⁸Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice ²⁹And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
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• 1 Corinthians 15:42-44
  ⁴²So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:So will it be with the resurrection of the dead: What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable. ⁴³It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. ⁴⁴It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
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• 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
  ⁵¹Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ⁵²In 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.in an instant, 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.
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• Daniel 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.And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt.
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• 1 Thessalonians 4:16
  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:For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise.
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Born again

• John 3:3-7
  ³Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” ⁴Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time to be born?” ⁵Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. ⁶That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit. ⁷Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’
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• 1 Peter 1:23
  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
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Elijah and John the Baptist

• Matthew 17:10-13
  ¹⁰And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?The disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” ¹¹And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.Jesus replied, “Elijah does indeed come, and he will restore all things. ¹²But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him whatever they wished. In the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.” ¹³Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them about John the Baptist.
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• Luke 1:17
  And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
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• John 1:21
  And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.“Then who are you?” they inquired. “Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
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See also

• Death
• Resurrection of the dead
• Judgment
• Eternal life
• Born again

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.