Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
Parallel translations
- WEB For they can’t die any more, for they are like the angels, and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.
- BSB In fact, they can no longer die, because they are like the angels. And since they are sons of the resurrection, they are sons of God.
- NKJV nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
- NASB for they cannot even die anymore, for they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
- NLT And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.
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
The resurrected cannot die again; like the angels, they are immortal children of God and children of the resurrection.
Overview
Because death is abolished, the earthly need for marriage to continue the human line is gone. Believers become 'like the angels' in their deathlessness, not in becoming sexless or losing identity. Their status as 'children of God' is confirmed and consummated in resurrection, secured by Christ who is the firstfruits of those who rise.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Rev 21:4And 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.
- Phil 3:21Who 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.
- Matt 22:30For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
- 1 Cor 15:42So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
- Rev 20:6Blessed 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.
- Rev 22:9Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
- Rom 8:17–23And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
- Mark 12:25For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
- 1 Jn 3:1–2Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
- 1 Cor 15:26The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
- Isa 25:8He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
- Rev 7:9–12After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
- Rev 22:2–5In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
- Hos 13:14I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
- 1 Th 4:13–17But 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.
- Rev 5:6–14And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
- Zech 3:7Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.
- 1 Cor 15:49And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
- 1 Cor 15:52–54In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 20:36 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.