The Bible says a lot about heaven, but what exactly does eternal life mean for Christian believers in Jesus? These scriptures will build your faith as you look forward to the promise of eternal life in the Word of God.
Scriptures on Eternal Life
- Romans 6:23 Eternal life is the free gift of God
- John 3:16 Belief in Jesus grants eternal life Bible verse
- John 3:36 Believes in the Son has eternal life scripture
- John 17:3 Eternal life means you know Jesus Christ
- Matthew 25:46 Jesus will bring the righteous to eternal life
- John 5:24 Pass from death to life Bible verse on eternal life
- Romans 10:13 Calls on the name of the Lord will be saved
- 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins scripture quote
- Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus Christ explains who will gain eternal life in this scripture passage.
- Galatians 6:7-8 Sows to the spirit will reap eternal life
- 1 John 2:25 The promise of God is eternal life Bible verse
- Luke 23:43 Today you will be with me in paradise
- FAQ about Immortality in the Bible
- More Bible Study Resources from God’s Word on Eternal Life
Romans 6:23 Eternal life is the free gift of God
Romans 6:23
(ESV) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(KJV) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(MSG) Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.
(NIV) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(NLT) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 3:16 Belief in Jesus grants eternal life Bible verse
John 3:16
(ESV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
(KJV) 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.
(MSG) “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
(NIV) 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.
(NLT) “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:36 Believes in the Son has eternal life scripture
John 3:36
(ESV) Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
(KJV) He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
(MSG) That is why whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever! And that is also why the person who avoids and distrusts the Son is in the dark and doesn’t see life. All he experiences of God is darkness, and an angry darkness at that.”
(NIV) Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
(NLT) And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”
John 17:3 Eternal life means you know Jesus Christ
John 17:3
(ESV) And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
(KJV) And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
(MSG) And this is the real and eternal life: That they know you, The one and only true God, And Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
(NIV) Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
(NLT) And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.
Matthew 25:46 Jesus will bring the righteous to eternal life
Matthew 25:46
(ESV) And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
(KJV) And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
(MSG) “Then those ‘goats’ will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep’ to their eternal reward.”
(NIV) “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
(NLT) “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”
John 5:24 Pass from death to life Bible verse on eternal life
John 5:24
(ESV) Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
(KJV) 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.
(MSG) “It’s urgent that you listen carefully to this: Anyone here who believes what I am saying right now and aligns himself with the Father, who has in fact put me in charge, has at this very moment the real, lasting life and is no longer condemned to be an outsider. This person has taken a giant step from the world of the dead to the world of the living.
(NIV) “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.
(NLT) “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.
Romans 10:13 Calls on the name of the Lord will be saved
Romans 10:13
(ESV) For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
(KJV) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(MSG) “Everyone who calls, ‘Help, God!’ gets help.”
(NIV) for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
(NLT) For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins scripture quote
1 John 1:9
(ESV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(KJV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(MSG) On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing.
(NIV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
(NLT) But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus Christ explains who will gain eternal life in this scripture passage.
Matthew 7:21
(ESV) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
(KJV) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
(MSG) “Knowing the correct password—saying ‘Master, Master,’ for instance—isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills.
(NIV) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
(NLT) “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.
Matthew 7:22
(ESV) On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
(KJV) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
(MSG) I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’
(NIV) Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’
(NLT) On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’
Matthew 7:23
(ESV) And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
(KJV) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
(MSG) And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.’
(NIV) Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
(NLT) But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
Galatians 6:7-8 Sows to the spirit will reap eternal life
Galatians 6:7
(ESV) Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
(KJV) Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
(MSG) Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—
(NIV) Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
(NLT) Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.
Galatians 6:8
(ESV) For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
(KJV) For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
(MSG) harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.
(NIV) Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
(NLT) Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
1 John 2:25 The promise of God is eternal life Bible verse
1 John 2:25
(ESV) And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.
(KJV) And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
(MSG) This is exactly what Christ promised: eternal life, real life!
(NIV) And this is what he promised us—eternal life.
(NLT) And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us.
Luke 23:43 Today you will be with me in paradise
Luke 23:43
(ESV) And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
(KJV) And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
(MSG) He said, “Don’t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.”
(NIV) Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
(NLT) And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
FAQ about Immortality in the Bible
Eternal life is not just lenght of days, it is quality of life. It is life without end. And that’s what Jesus offers us. He said, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish” (John 10:28). 🙏🏾 This kind of life begins the moment we come to Christ and put our trust in Him for our salvation. We receive His forgiveness and new life begins. But then one day, death will come for each one of us. For the believer in Christ, however, death is not the end. It is actually the beginning of eternal life!
There is no question that eternal life is one of the central promises of Christianity. In John 3:16, Jesus Christ himself said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Later on in John 14:6, he reiterated this promise, saying “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 📖 There can be no mistaking it: for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ, eternal life is assured. But what does this promise actually mean? What is eternal life like?
The scriptures tell us that eternal life is a gift from God (John 3:16). It cannot be earned or merited in any way, but is given graciously to those who trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Because we are fallen creatures with a sinful nature, we are unable to save ourselves; it is only through the death and resurrection of Christ that we can receive this free gift of eternal life. 💌 Once we repent of our sin and put our faith in Jesus, He imparts to us His own righteousness and LIFE—this is what enables us to stand before God holy and blameless. To all who believe, Jesus promises an eternity spent in His presence, where there will be fullness of joy and pleasures forever
Answer: Eternal life is not just about going to heaven when you die. It’s about living a life that is full of purpose and meaning, and that brings happiness and fulfillment. 👀 Jesus said that the most important commandment is to love God with all your heart, mind, and soul. And he said that the second most important commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. So eternal life is really about living a life of love and compassion, and being at peace with yourself and with others.
There’s a lot of debate on this topic, but the Bible is clear that no one can earn or deserve eternal life. It’s a free gift from God, and we receive it through faith in Jesus Christ. That said, God does expect us to obey His commandments and live according to His will. And those who do will certainly reap the rewards in this life as well as the next.
Answer:
The Apostles Creed is one of the most popular and well-known Christian creeds. It is a declaration of faith that summarizes some of the core beliefs of Christianity. Among other things, it affirms our belief in the existence of heaven and hell, and in the promise of eternal life for those who believe in Jesus Christ. ⛪ Specifically, the creed states: “I believe in the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.” This illustrates our belief that after we die, our souls will live on forever either in heaven or hell. Those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior will spend eternity in heaven with God, while those who have rejected Him will suffer eternal punishment in hell.
Answer:
The Old Testament scriptures are actually quite clear on the subject of eternal life. In the book of Genesis, we see that God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden, telling them that they would live forever if they obey His commandments. 🙃 But after they sinned, they were banned from the Garden and told that they would die. So it’s clear that God intended for us to live forever, but because of sin, we will all die one day. But there is good news! The book of Isaiah tells us that even though we have sinned, God will still allow us to dwell in His presence forever.
At the second coming of Jesus Christ, we will see Him face to face and be with Him forever. We will be transformed into His likeness, and sin will be no more. It will be a time of great joy and glory!
Answer:
The resurrection of the dead is related to eternal life in theology because it is through the resurrection that we are given new life in Christ. As St. Paul wrote, “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:13-14). ✝️ It is only through the resurrection that we can be forgiven of our sins and enter into eternal life with God. As Jesus Himself said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die”
Throughout history, the quest for eternal life has been a recurring theme in many religious beliefs, reflecting a deep human desire for longevity and living a long life. The pursuit of immortality has not only been a spiritual journey but also an inspiration for modern science and lifestyle choices. Today, more and more people are seeking ways on how to live longer and healthier lives. Advances in research and technology have provided us with valuable insights into the secrets of longevity. By applying these findings we can optimize our health and well-being, bridging the gap between the religious aspiration for eternal life and our quest for a longer, more fulfilling existence on Earth.
More Bible Study Resources from God’s Word on Eternal Life
Christian eschatology is can be complicated and some Christian groups have different ways of understanding the second coming of Jesus Christ. The Bible is quite clear that immortality is a divine gift that God grants to believers in Jesus Christ. In John 5:28-29, Jesus said, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.” This speaks of the immortality of the soul—the fact that we will exist forever, either in heaven or hell. And in 1 Corinthians 15:53-54, Paul says, “For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.