25 Comforting KJV Bible Verses for the Death of a Loved One

'Death is cruel' is a statement we hear every other day; it robs us of our loved ones and leaves grieving in hopelessness.

There are many scripture passages that speak about what death is and how to get through in time of grief, and our Bible verses for comfort in grief gather more of them.

I trust that as you read these comforting Bible verses you will find comfort in the Lord as you hope for a future where there will be no more dying (see these Bible verses about the hope of heaven).

Bible verses about death of a loved one

1. 2 Samuel 12:18 KJV

“And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?”

Before the child died he fasted, but after the child died David acknowledged that there was nothing else he could do; he anointed himself, worshiped God, and ate. He also said of his son, “I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:23 KJV), a quiet hope that he would see the child again. Years later the same David wept aloud for his son Absalom (2 Samuel 18:33), so his calm here was not a lack of love.

2. John 11:11 KJV

“These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.”

There is great hope knowing that when our loved ones pass away, they are only sleeping. One day, all our loved ones who are sleeping in Christ Jesus will be awakened in the resurrection of life.

3. Isaiah 57:1 KJV

“The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.”

Why did God allow my child to die? Why didn't God heal my mother? Why me Lord?

Isaiah does not answer every “why,” and it admits that people rarely stop to notice when the righteous die. But it does say that for the righteous, death can be a release from evil to come, and the next verse adds, “He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds” (Isaiah 57:2 KJV). God is not asking you to stop asking why while you grieve.

4. 1 Corinthians 15:55 KJV

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

Jesus laid down His life and took it up again to conquer the power of death. Like Paul you can say, "...thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57).

5. Romans 8:18 KJV

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Losing a loved one may bring grief and suffering (see this Scripture for when you are suffering). Have faith as you wait patiently for that wonderful day when the Lord appears in His glory when you will be united with your loved ones to dwell in our Father's house, where there will be no more death, crying, or sorrow.

Bible verses to cope with death

6. Psalm 34:18 KJV

“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”

When your heart is broken, the Lord does not keep His distance. He comes near. Psalm 147:3 says, "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds".

7. Joshua 1:9 KJV

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

As children of God, we don't have to live in fear of death, since God is with us (see these Bible verses for when you are afraid), for when we are weak we are able to rely on and find strength in Him.

8. Matthew 5:4 KJV

“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”

The Lord has promised in His word that He will comfort those who are mourning (more Bible verses about God's comfort). In 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul says that there is glory that awaits us after this "momentary affliction".

9. John 14:27 KJV

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

The peace of Christ brings comfort and hope amid our darkest trials. When death and all the pain that accompanies it brings worry, fear, and grief we should embrace the peace that the Lord God has promised (see the meaning of John 14:27).

10. Revelation 21:4 KJV

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away”

God Himself will dry the tears from our eyes. When the old order of things is gone, death, sorrow, crying, pain, and the hurt we endure now will be no more.

Bible verses about seeing dead loved ones

11. Matthew 14:26 KJV

“And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.”

The disciples caught sight of the Lord and were fearful because they thought they had seen a ghost. If you are terrified because of dreams (these prayers for bad dreams may help) or other experiences with a dead loved one, remember the words that Jesus spoke to His disciples. In the verse that follows He told the disciples, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid".

12. Job 7:9-10 KJV

“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.”

Job is describing death from the earth’s side: the one who dies does not come home again or take their place in the house. That is why the Bible warns against trying to contact the dead (Deuteronomy 18:10-11). Christians understand the time before the resurrection in different ways, since Scripture speaks both of death as “sleep” and of believers being “present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV), but the hope is the same: the trumpet call of God and the resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

13. Ecclesiastes 9:5 KJV

“For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.”

This scripture passage provides a similar explanation to Job 7:9 and Psalm 146:4 on what happens to someone after death. Ecclesiastes looks at life “under the sun,” and from that view the dead no longer have “a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 9:6 KJV). They cannot take part in this world anymore, which is another reason not to seek them out.

14. Isaiah 8:19 KJV

“And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?”

This Bible verse is a direct warning, not to seek out familiar spirits. As followers of God we should have faith in His guidance and leading in our lives rather than trusting in the dead.

15. 1 John 4:1 KJV

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

As followers of Christ we have to ask God to help us to discern between good spirits and bad/evil spirits. Be mindful of evil spirits that may take the form of a loved one to lure and deceive you.

Bible verses about life after death

16. Hebrews 9:27 KJV

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

Each person is destined to a certain reality-death. After death each person will be judged based on the life he/she lived. Those whose actions condemn them will face eternal punishment while the righteous will spend eternity with their Lord in the New Jerusalem.

17. John 5:24 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.”

The key to experiencing life after death lies in believing in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice. Eternal life is a gift received by faith (Romans 6:23; see these Bible verses about the gift of salvation), and it starts now: Jesus says the believer “is passed from death unto life.”

18. John 11:25,26 KJV

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

This scripture passage speaks about the reward that will be granted to all those who are faithful and true. If they are alive at the time of Jesus' second return they will be transformed then live with Him eternally. If they should pass away before His second return, the good news is that they will sleep for awhile until the Lord resurrects them (see a prayer based on John 11:25-26).

19. John 5:28,29 KJV

“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.”

There are only two possible outcomes for those who are not alive at the time of Christ's return. One outcome is the 'resurrection of life' for those who have done good and remained faithful. The other outcome is the 'resurrection of damnation' for those who have done evil.

20. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 KJV

“So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.”

The 'lowly body' of a deceased is buried in one state but will be raised in a spiritual state bearing the eternal weight of glory.

Bible verses about heaven after death

21. Philippians 3:20,21 KJV

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 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.”

The NIV translation of this text states, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ". Our thoughts and actions should reflect that we are children of heaven. Death cannot cancel that citizenship.

22. 1 Thessalonians 4:13,14 KJV

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”

In believing that Jesus died and rose again we believe that those who on the day of death were in Christ will also be resurrected. This provides comfort in knowing that our loved ones are only sleeping for a while and that one day the Lord himself will summon them from that sleep.

23. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 KJV

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”

This scripture passage is a vivid representation of what will take place at the coming of the Lord. The dead in Christ will rise and be caught up with our Lord and Savior in the air at the last trumpet.

24. John 14:3 KJV

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

These words of comfort assured us that though we die, we have a dwelling place in the holy city, a hope that many true-story movies about heaven try to picture.

25. Matthew 25:34 KJV

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:”

In this story Jesus describes the final judgment. Those on His right are people whose faith showed itself in compassion for the hungry, the stranger and the sick (Matthew 25:35-40), and the King welcomes them into a kingdom prepared for them from the beginning.

Is it wrong to grieve if they are with the Lord?

No. Jesus knew He was about to raise Lazarus, and still “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Paul does not tell grieving Christians not to sorrow, only not to sorrow “even as others which have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13 KJV). The Psalms give grief its own words: “How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD?” (Psalm 13:1 KJV). Tears are not a lack of faith.

What happens when a Christian dies?

Jesus told the thief on the cross, “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43 KJV), and Paul said he would rather be “absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV), calling it “far better” (Philippians 1:23 KJV). The New Testament also calls death “sleep” (John 11:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:14), a gentle word for a body that will wake. Christians read these passages in different ways, but all agree on where it ends: the resurrection of the body when Christ returns (1 Corinthians 15:52).

Short comforting KJV verses for a sympathy card

When you are writing a card or a message to someone who is grieving, a short verse often says more than a long paragraph. These are all from the King James Version:

• “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)
• “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart.” (Psalm 34:18)
• “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)
• “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)
• “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15)
• “I am the resurrection, and the life.” (John 11:25)
• “Let not your heart be troubled.” (John 14:1)

The God of all comfort

Based on God's word, death is a part of life that destroys the 'earthly tent' and ushers us into the dwelling place of God. May the God of all comfort continue to show you His great mercy as we eagerly await the kingdom of heaven.