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What Is the Resurrection? — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY
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</div> </div> </div> <div id="documentCitationInformation"> <div>Bible Questions Answered</div> <div><strong>ijwbq article 77</strong></div> </div> <div id="content" class="content"> <div class="articlePositioner" lang="en" data-lang="E" dir="ltr"> <div id="banner" class="documentBanner showRuby ml-E ms-ROMAN dir-ltr" lang="en" data-lang="E" dir="ltr"> </div> <article id="article" class="article document html5 pub- docId-502014163 pub-ijwbq pub- pub-ijwbq docClass-133 jwac showRuby ml-E ms-ROMAN dir-ltr includeSecondaryNav" lang="en" data-lang="E" dir="ltr" role="article"> <div class="scalableui"> <div id="f1" class="north_center"> <figure> <img src="/en/wol/mp/r1/lp-e/ijwbq/2023/790" data-img-small-src="/en/wol/mp/r1/lp-e/ijwbq/2023/796" alt="In the future resurrection, people welcoming friends and loved ones back to life on a paradise earth" width="600" height="300" class="north_center" /> </figure> </div> <header> <h1 id="p1" data-pid="1"><span id="page77" class="pageNum" aria-hidden="true" data-no="77" data-before-text="77"></span><strong>What Is the Resurrection?</strong></h1> </header> <div class="bodyTxt"> <div id="section1" class="section"> <h2 id="p2" data-pid="2"><strong>The Bible’s answer</strong></h2> <div class="pGroup"> <p id="p3" data-pid="3" class="sb"><span class="parNum" data-pnum="1"></span>In the Bible, the word translated as “resurrection” comes from the Greek <em>a·naʹsta·sis,</em> which means “raising up” or “standing up again.” A person who is resurrected is raised up from death and restored to life as the person he was before.—<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/0/0" data-bid="1-1" class="b">1 Corinthians 15:12, 13</a>.</p> <p id="p4" data-pid="4" class="sb"><span class="parNum" data-pnum="2"></span>Although the word “resurrection” is not in the Hebrew Scriptures, often called the Old Testament, the teaching appears there. Through the prophet Hosea, for example, God promised: “From the power of the Grave I will redeem them; from death I will recover them.”—<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/1/0" data-bid="2-1" class="b">Hosea 13:14;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/1/1" data-bid="2-2" class="b"> Job 14:13-15;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/1/2" data-bid="2-3" class="b"> Isaiah 26:19;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/1/3" data-bid="2-4" class="b"> Daniel 12:2,</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/1/4" data-bid="2-5" class="b"> 13</a>.</p> <p id="p5" data-pid="5" class="sb"><span class="parNum" data-pnum="3"></span><strong>Where will people be resurrected?</strong> Some people are resurrected to life in heaven to rule as kings with Christ. (<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/2/0" data-bid="3-1" class="b">2 Corinthians 5:1;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/2/1" data-bid="3-2" class="b"> Revelation 5:9, 10</a>) The Bible calls this “the first resurrection” and “the earlier resurrection,” both expressions implying that there is another resurrection to follow. (<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/3/0" data-bid="4-1" class="b">Revelation 20:6;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/3/1" data-bid="4-2" class="b"> Philippians 3:11</a>) This later resurrection will be to life on earth, which the vast majority of those brought back to life will enjoy.—<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/4/0" data-bid="5-1" class="b">Psalm 37:29</a>.</p> <p id="p6" data-pid="6" class="sb"><span class="parNum" data-pnum="4"></span><strong>How are people resurrected?</strong> God grants Jesus the power to raise the dead. (<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/5/0" data-bid="6-1" class="b">John 11:25</a>) Jesus will restore “all those in the memorial tombs” to life, each one with his unique identity, personality, and memories. (<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/6/0" data-bid="7-1" class="b">John 5:28, 29</a>) Those resurrected to heaven receive a spirit body, while those resurrected to life on earth receive a healthy physical body, completely sound.—<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/7/0" data-bid="8-1" class="b">Isaiah 33:24;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/7/1" data-bid="8-2" class="b"> 35:5, 6;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/7/2" data-bid="8-3" class="b"> 1 Corinthians 15:42-44,</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/7/3" data-bid="8-4" class="b"> 50</a>.</p> <p id="p7" data-pid="7" class="sb"><span class="parNum" data-pnum="5"></span><strong>Who will be resurrected?</strong> The Bible says that “there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” (<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/8/0" data-bid="9-1" class="b">Acts 24:15</a>) The righteous include faithful people, such as Noah, Sarah, and Abraham. (<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/9/0" data-bid="10-1" class="b">Genesis 6:9;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/9/1" data-bid="10-2" class="b"> Hebrews 11:11;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/9/2" data-bid="10-3" class="b"> James 2:21</a>) The unrighteous include those who failed to meet God’s standards but did not have the opportunity to learn and follow them.</p> <p id="p8" data-pid="8" class="sb"><span class="parNum" data-pnum="6"></span>However, those who become so wicked that they are beyond reform will not be resurrected. When such ones die, they suffer permanent destruction with no hope of a return to life.—<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/10/0" data-bid="11-1" class="b">Matthew 23:33;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/10/1" data-bid="11-2" class="b"> Hebrews 10:26, 27</a>.</p> <p id="p9" data-pid="9" class="sb"><span class="parNum" data-pnum="7"></span><strong>When will the resurrection take place?</strong> The Bible foretold that the resurrection to heaven would take place during Christ’s presence, which <a class="it" href="/en/wol/tc/r1/lp-e/502014163/0">began in 1914</a>. (<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/11/0" data-bid="12-1" class="b">1 Corinthians 15:21-23</a>) The resurrection to life on earth will occur during the Thousand Year Reign of Jesus Christ, when the earth will be transformed into a paradise.—<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/12/0" data-bid="13-1" class="b">Luke 23:43;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/12/1" data-bid="13-2" class="b"> Revelation 20:6,</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/12/2" data-bid="13-3" class="b"> 12, 13</a>.</p> <p id="p10" data-pid="10" class="sb"><span class="parNum" data-pnum="8"></span><strong>Why is belief in the resurrection reasonable?</strong> The Bible provides detailed accounts of nine resurrections, each confirmed by eyewitnesses. (<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/13/0" data-bid="14-1" class="b">1 Kings 17:17-24;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/13/1" data-bid="14-2" class="b"> 2 Kings 4:32-37;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/13/2" data-bid="14-3" class="b"> 13:20, 21;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/13/3" data-bid="14-4" class="b"> Luke 7:11-17;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/13/4" data-bid="14-5" class="b"> 8:40-56;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/13/5" data-bid="14-6" class="b"> John 11:38-44;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/13/6" data-bid="14-7" class="b"> Acts 9:36-42;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/13/7" data-bid="14-8" class="b"> Acts 20:7-12;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/13/8" data-bid="14-9" class="b"> 1 Corinthians 15:3-6</a>) Jesus’ resurrection of Lazarus is especially noteworthy, since Lazarus had been dead for four days and Jesus performed the miracle before a crowd of people. (<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/14/0" data-bid="15-1" class="b">John 11:39,</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/14/1" data-bid="15-2" class="b"> 42</a>) Even those who opposed Jesus could not deny the facts of the matter, so instead they plotted to kill both Jesus and Lazarus.—<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/15/0" data-bid="16-1" class="b">John 11:47,</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/15/1" data-bid="16-2" class="b"> 53;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/15/2" data-bid="16-3" class="b"> 12:9-11</a>.</p> <div id="f2" class="south_left"> <figure> <img src="/en/wol/mp/r1/lp-e/ijwbq/2023/797" data-img-small-src="/en/wol/mp/r1/lp-e/ijwbq/2023/798" alt="Three resurrections as recorded in the Bible: a widow’s child, a Christian woman, and Jesus’ friend Lazarus" width="600" height="200" class="south_left" /> </figure> </div> <p id="p11" data-pid="11" class="sb"><span class="parNum" data-pnum="9"></span>The Bible shows that God has both the ability and the desire to bring back the dead. He keeps in his limitless memory a detailed record of each person he will resurrect by means of his almighty power. (<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/16/0" data-bid="17-1" class="b">Job 37:23;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/16/1" data-bid="17-2" class="b"> Matthew 10:30;</a><a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/16/2" data-bid="17-3" class="b"> Luke 20:37, 38</a>) God is able to restore the dead to life, and he <em>wants</em> to! Describing the coming resurrection, the Bible says of God: “You will long for the work of your hands.”—<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/17/0" data-bid="18-1" class="b">Job 14:15</a>.</p> <h3 id="p12" data-pid="12"><strong>Misconceptions about the resurrection</strong></h3> <p id="p13" data-pid="13" class="sb"><span class="parNum" data-pnum="10"></span><strong>Myth:</strong> The resurrection is a reuniting of the soul with the body.</p> <p id="p14" data-pid="14" class="sb"><span class="parNum" data-pnum="11"></span><strong>Fact:</strong> The Bible teaches that <a class="it" href="/en/wol/tc/r1/lp-e/502014163/1">the soul is the entire person</a>, not some part that survives death. (<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/18/0" data-bid="19-1" class="b">Genesis 2:7</a>, footnote; <a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/19/0" data-bid="20-1" class="b">Ezekiel 18:4</a>) A person who is resurrected is not reunited with his soul; he is recreated as a living soul.</p> <p id="p15" data-pid="15" class="sb"><span class="parNum" data-pnum="12"></span><strong>Myth:</strong> Some people are resurrected and then immediately destroyed.</p> <p id="p16" data-pid="16" class="sb"><span class="parNum" data-pnum="13"></span><strong>Fact:</strong> The Bible says that “those who practiced vile things” will receive “a resurrection of judgment.” (<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/20/0" data-bid="21-1" class="b">John 5:29</a>) However, they will be judged based on what they do after they are resurrected, not before. Jesus said: “The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who have paid attention will live.” (<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/21/0" data-bid="22-1" class="b">John 5:25</a>) Those who ‘pay attention’ to, or obey, the things they learn after they are resurrected will have their names recorded in “<a class="it" href="/en/wol/tc/r1/lp-e/502014163/2">the scroll of life</a>.”—<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/22/0" data-bid="23-1" class="b">Revelation 20:12, 13</a>.</p> <p id="p17" data-pid="17" class="sb"><span class="parNum" data-pnum="14"></span><strong>Myth:</strong> When resurrected, a person receives exactly the same body that he had before he died.</p> <p id="p18" data-pid="18" class="sb"><span class="parNum" data-pnum="15"></span><strong>Fact:</strong> After death, a person’s body would likely have broken down and disintegrated.—<a href="/en/wol/bc/r1/lp-e/502014163/23/0" data-bid="24-1" class="b">Ecclesiastes 3:19, 20</a>.</p> </div> </div> </div> <!-- Root 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