Is the human soul mortal or immortal?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible affirms that humans are composed of both body and soul, and while the body returns to the dust, the soul persists eternally. Old Testament passages like Ecclesiastes 12:7 teach that the spirit returns to God at death, and Psalm 49:7–9 and Daniel 12:2 reveal that souls will ultimately face everlasting life or contempt. David also confidently claimed in 2 Samuel 12:23 and Psalm 23:6 that he would be reunited with his deceased son and dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

In the New Testament, Jesus taught that both reward and punishment are eternal (Matthew 25:46), and that the soul cannot be killed by man (Matthew 10:28). The parable of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:22–23) also depicts conscious existence after death. Paul looked forward to being with Christ (Philippians 1:23), and John described souls speaking and receiving robes in heaven (Revelation 6:9–11). Finally, Hebrews 9:27 and Revelation 20:11–15 warn of eternal judgment following resurrection, confirming the soul’s continued existence.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Humans are a combination of body (physical) and soul (immaterial) parts. While the physical body dies, Scripture says that the soul is immortal, never dying.
• We see this when David expressed confidence that he would eternally dwell with God, saying, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalms 23:6; c.f. Psalm 22:26; 49:7–9).
• In fact, even after he sinned greatly, resulting in God taking his son’s life, David continued to express confidence in life after death saying, “But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:23). David knew that, even though his son’s earthly life had been brief, he would be reunited with his son after death.
• For his part, Solomon noted that when a man or woman dies, “the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7). God gave the soul for us to live (Genesis 2:7) and receives it back when our physical bodies die.
• Because the soul is immortal, one day each person will be raised back to physical life again, reunited with her or her soul to face judgement. Daniel 12:2 talks about the end of time, saying, “many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Jesus spoke about some having eternal life while others, eternal punishment. That is possible because the soul never dies. For example, judgement is pictured in Matthew 25 as sheep (righteous) on one side and goats (unrighteous) on the other. At the end of the illustration, Jesus said, “these [the goats] will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous [sheep] into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46).
• Elsewhere he taught to “not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). He was saying that physical death is not the end because our souls are immortal. Therefore, we should not fear dying at the hands of unrighteous men and women but should fear dying as unrighteous men and women who will face a holy God who will judge us and our immortal souls for eternity.
• Jesus also gave a clear example of our souls living on after we die in Luke 16:19–31. There, he described the fate of two people, Lazurus and a rich man. We learn that the “poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side” (Luke 16:22–23). In this story we learn that not only did these two men continue to live after death, but that they were recognizable and that they each entered into their final eternal state (good and bad) immediately after their physical death.
• Paul expressed confidence in this fact, saying, “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account” (Philippians 1:23–24). It was not that he was suicidal, but that he understood that if he was to be executed while in prison, it would be a better thing because then he would finally be living with Jesus.
• In Revelation, we learn about a group of living souls. John said, “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been” (Revelation 6:9–11). Notice that they are aware of what is going on, talking, and even wearing robes.
• Because we have eternal souls, the author Hebrews offered this sober warning: “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Judgement comes after death because our soul lives on.
• Jesus told us that we can escape that eternal judgement, however, saying, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25–26). As other Bible passages attest, everyone will be resurrected again. But what Jesus was saying was that those who are saved by Him will not experience the second, eternal death (Revelation 20:11–15).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Our souls are immortal. This means that when our body dies, our souls continue on forever. However, we were created as both body and soul. This means that there will be a time when everyone’s dead body will be resurrected and reunited with his or her immortal soul. At that time, God will bring either their eternal judgement or eternal reward. After that point, the human body will also be immortal (1 Corinthians 15:53), living together with its soul for eternity in agony (Matthew 25:46) or joy (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Some people have proposed that the soul is not eternal in an attempt to deny the reality of a future judgment. Others talk about “soul sleep” for the unrighteous to downplay the eternal torment of hell. However, Scripture is clear that your soul will never die, nor will it sleep.

Note that the soul is not an abstract, nebulous “thing.” Instead, your soul is the conscious, immaterial part of you that thinks and feels. In short—it is you. Because your soul continues to live, this means that you will continue to live for eternity.

For the believer, that’s incredibly great news. This life can be miserable, but this “mortal coil” will be replaced with a new heavens and earth (2 Peter 3:13) filled with unending joy.

For the unbeliever, this is horrific news. God is eternal and He will remember your sin for eternity. This means that your torment will continue forever. It is because of this truth that we beg you to consider your soul now, before your body dies and your eternity is sealed. Repent and believe in Jesus!

UNDERSTAND

• The soul is immortal and survives physical death.
• Every soul will face eternal judgment or reward.
• Scripture teaches conscious existence after death.

REFLECT

• How does knowing your soul will live forever affect the way you approach your daily life?
• How have you prepared your soul for the judgment or reward that Scripture describes?
• What does your relationship with God today reveal about where your eternal soul is headed?

ENGAGE

• How do different parts of Scripture work together to reveal the soul’s immortality?
• What role does the resurrection of the body play in God's plan for eternity?
• How should the reality of eternal life shape the way we talk to others about faith and salvation?