Limitless Word
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Hebrews 9:27 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,
  • BSB Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,
  • NKJV And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
  • NASB And just as it is destined for people to die once, and after this comes judgment,
  • NLT And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Just as people die once and then face judgment, so the pattern of human destiny is fixed. This sets up a parallel with Christ.

Overview

This sober verse states the universal human reality: one death, followed by judgment. It is often cited against ideas of reincarnation or second chances after death. Here its primary purpose is to form an analogy, our once-for-all death parallels Christ's once-for-all death, leading into the hope of his return.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 24

  • 2 Cor 5:10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
  • Eccl 12:7Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
  • Eccl 12:14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
  • Acts 17:31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
  • 2 Sam 14:14For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.
  • John 5:26–29For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
  • Eccl 9:5For 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.
  • Jude 1:15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
  • Matt 25:31–46When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
  • Eccl 11:9Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
  • 2 Tim 4:1I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
  • Eccl 3:20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
  • 1 Cor 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
  • Rom 5:12Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
  • Job 14:5Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
  • Rom 14:9–12For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
  • Ps 89:48What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
  • Gen 3:19In 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.
  • Job 30:23For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.
  • Heb 6:2Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
  • Rev 20:11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
  • Rom 2:5But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
  • Job 19:25For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
  • Eccl 9:10Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (7)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Hebrews videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Hebrews 9:27YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on HebrewsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.

How Hebrews 9:27 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.