Complete Bible Study Guide

What Does the Bible Say About Cremation?

10 Scripture references with full text and commentary

Understanding Cremation in the Bible

Explore what the Bible says about cremation. This collection of 15 key Scripture passages reveals God's wisdom and guidance on this important theme.

10
Total Verses
6
Old Testament
4
New Testament

Top 10 Verses About Cremation

  1. 1
    Genesis 3:19
    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.
    KJV
  2. 2
    Joshua 7:25
    And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
    KJV
  3. 3
    Job 34:14
    If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; man: Heb. him
    KJV
  4. 4
    Ecclesiastes 12:7
    Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
    KJV
  5. 5
    Amos 2:1
    Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:
    KJV
  6. 6
    Amos 6:10
    And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD. we: or, they will not, or, have not
    KJV
  7. 7
    Mark 13:27
    And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
    KJV
  8. 8
    John 19:41
    Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.
    KJV
  9. 9
    Romans 8:38
    For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
    KJV
  10. 10
    Philippians 3:21
    Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
    KJV

Subtopics of Cremation

being cremation
cremations
General scriptures concerning
General references

Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Cremation? (6 Verses)

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.
And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; man: Heb. him
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:
And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD. we: or, they will not, or, have not

New Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Cremation? (4 Verses)

And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

How to Study What the Bible Says About Cremation

  1. 1

    Begin by reading through every verse listed on this page, noting which ones speak most directly to your current season of life. Write them down and revisit them throughout the week.

  2. 2

    Use a concordance or the search tools on this site to find additional passages about cremation. Look for patterns across both the Old and New Testaments to gain a complete picture of what God reveals on this subject.

  3. 3

    Study the context of each verse. Read the surrounding chapter to understand who was speaking, who the audience was, and what circumstances prompted the passage. Context prevents misapplication.

  4. 4

    Memorise at least one key verse about cremation and meditate on it daily. Scripture memory transforms thinking and equips you to apply God's Word in real-time situations.

Practical Application

Studying what the Bible says about cremation is only the beginning. Scripture is meant to be lived out in daily obedience and faith. Here are practical steps to apply these truths:

  • Identify one area of your life where the biblical teaching on cremation needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.

  • Share what you have learned about cremation with a fellow believer or in a small group setting. Teaching others solidifies your own understanding and encourages mutual growth.

  • Pray through the key verses about cremation, asking God to reveal how His Word applies to your relationships, decisions, and daily habits.

How Well Do You Know What the Bible Says About Cremation?

You have studied 10 verses about cremation. Now test your knowledge with chapter-by-chapter quizzes covering the books where these verses appear.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Bible say about cremation?
Explore what the Bible says about cremation. This collection of 15 key Scripture passages reveals God's wisdom and guidance on this important theme. The Bible contains 10 key verses about cremation spanning both Old and New Testaments.
How many Bible verses about cremation are there?
There are 10 key Bible verses about cremation compiled in this study guide, drawn from books across both the Old and New Testaments.
What is the best verse about cremation?
One of the most well-known and frequently cited verses about cremation is Genesis 3:19 — "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..."
Where in the Bible does it talk about cremation?
Cremation is discussed throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. You can find 10 references to this topic across multiple books including the Psalms, Proverbs, the Gospels, and the Epistles.

Continue Studying Cremation

Topics Included

This page consolidates Bible verses from 2 related topics:

cremation