Complete Bible Study Guide
What Does the Bible Say About The First Resurrection?
15 Scripture references with full text and commentary
Understanding The First Resurrection in the Bible
Discover 20 powerful Bible verses about the first resurrection. Study what Scripture teaches about this essential theology & doctrine topic.
Top 10 Verses About The First Resurrection
- 1Isaiah 26:19
“Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”
KJV - 2Daniel 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.”
KJV - 3Matthew 20:18
“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,”
KJV - 4
- 5Matthew 28:5
“And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.”
KJV - 6John 5:28
“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,”
KJV - 7John 6:50
“This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof , and not die.”
KJV - 8John 11:25
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:”
KJV - 9John 20:8
“Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.”
KJV - 10Acts 3:26
“Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”
KJV
Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About The First Resurrection? (2 Verses)
“Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”
“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.”
New Testament: What Does the Bible Say About The First Resurrection? (13 Verses)
“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,”
“And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,”
“And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.”
“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,”
“This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof , and not die.”
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:”
“Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.”
“Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”
“And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.”
“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”
“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.”
“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.”
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
How to Study What the Bible Says About The First Resurrection
- 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
Use a concordance or the search tools on this site to find additional passages about the first resurrection. Look for patterns across both the Old and New Testaments to gain a complete picture of what God reveals on this subject.
- 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
Memorise at least one key verse about the first resurrection 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 the first resurrection 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 the first resurrection needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.
Share what you have learned about the first resurrection 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 the first resurrection, 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 The First Resurrection?
You have studied 15 verses about the first resurrection. Now test your knowledge with chapter-by-chapter quizzes covering the books where these verses appear.