What Does the Bible Say About Reincarnation?
Here are 18 Bible verses about reincarnation, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #1Hebrews 9:27
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
BSBJust as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,
- #2Ecclesiastes 12:7
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
BSBbefore the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
- #3Job 14:10-12
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.
BSBBut a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he? As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry, so a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, he will not be awakened or roused from sleep.
- #4Psalms 78:39
For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
BSBHe remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.
- #5Luke 16:19-31
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And 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; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And 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. …
BSBNow there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor. And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side. 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.’ …
- #6Job 14:14
If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
BSBWhen a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes.
- #7Matthew 25:46
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
BSBAnd they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
- #82 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.
BSBBut 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.”
- #9Job 16:22
When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
BSBFor when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.
- #10Job 7:9-10
As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
BSBAs a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up. He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no more.
- #11Luke 23:43
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
BSBAnd Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
- #122 Corinthians 5:8
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
BSBWe are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
- #132 Samuel 14:14
For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.
BSBFor surely we will die and be like water poured out on the ground, which cannot be recovered. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises ways that the banished one may not be cast out from Him.
- #14John 3:1-36
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus 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? Jesus 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. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. …
BSBNow there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “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?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit. …
- #15John 5:28-29
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
BSBDo not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
- #16Luke 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.
BSBAnd 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.”
- #17Job 10:21
Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;
BSBbefore I go—never to return— to a land of darkness and gloom,
- #18John 9:1-41
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, …
BSBNow as Jesus was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth, and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him. While it is daytime, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When Jesus had said this, He spit on the ground, made some mud, and applied it to the man’s eyes. …
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).