The concept of zombies, or reanimated corpses, appears to have roots in ancient texts, including the Bible. While zombies as we know them from modern pop culture are not explicitly mentioned, the scriptures contain accounts of resurrections and the supernatural that sometimes echo zombie-like imagery. In exploring these narratives, we glimpse into a world where life and death blur, raising questions about mortality, resurrection, and divine power.
Bible Verses About Zombies
1. Ezekiel 37:10 – The Valley of Dry Bones
“So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.” – Ezekiel 37:10
Cross-References
Ezekiel 37:5 – “This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.”
Revelation 20:12 – “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.”
1 Corinthians 15:52 – “In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”
2. Matthew 27:52-53 – The Resurrection of Many
“The tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.” – Matthew 27:52-53
Cross-References
1 Thessalonians 4:16 – “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”
3. John 11:25-26 – The Resurrection and the Life
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’” – John 11:25-26
Cross-References
Revelation 21:4 – “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Matthew 22:31-32 – “But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”
1 Corinthians 15:21 – “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.”
4. Revelation 20:5 – The First Resurrection
“(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.” – Revelation 20:5
Cross-References
Philippians 3:11 – “and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.”
5. 1 Corinthians 15:42 – The Resurrection of the Dead
“So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable.” – 1 Corinthians 15:42
Cross-References
Romans 6:5 – “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.”
1 Thessalonians 4:14 – “For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”
6. Daniel 12:2 – Awakening From the Dust
“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” – Daniel 12:2
Cross-References
Job 19:26 – “And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.”
7. Isaiah 26:19 – The Earth Giving Birth
“But your dead will live, LORD; their bodies will rise—let those who dwell in the dust wake up and shout for joy—your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.” – Isaiah 26:19
Cross-References
Revelation 1:5 – “and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.”
8. 2 Kings 13:21 – The Resurrection Through Elisha’s Bones
“Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.” – 2 Kings 13:21
Cross-References
Acts 20:10 – “Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. ‘Don’t be alarmed,’ he said. ‘He’s alive!'”
9. Revelation 11:11 – The Two Witnesses
“But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them.” – Revelation 11:11
Cross-References
Acts 2:24 – “But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.”
Luke 8:55 – “Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.”
10. John 5:28-29 – The Voice of Resurrection
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.” – John 5:28-29
Cross-References
Ecclesiastes 12:7 – “and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”
Matthew 24:31 – “And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”
Psalm 49:15 – “But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.”
11. Acts 24:15 – A Hope in Resurrection
“and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.” – Acts 24:15
Cross-References
Romans 2:6-7 – “God ‘will repay each person according to what they have done.’ To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.”
1 Peter 1:3 – “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”
John 6:39 – “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.”
12. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 – The Call of Resurrection
“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:16
Cross-References
1 Samuel 2:6 – “The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.”
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 – “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”
2 Corinthians 4:14 – “because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself.”
13. Matthew 11:5 – The Raised Dead
“The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” – Matthew 11:5
Cross-References
John 12:1 – “Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.”
14. Acts 26:8 – Resurrection Wonder
“Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?” – Acts 26:8
Cross-References
Galatians 1:1 – “Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—”
Philippians 3:10 – “I want to know Christ— yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,”
15. Romans 8:11 – Life to Mortal Bodies
“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” – Romans 8:11
Cross-References
2 Corinthians 3:6 – “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”
John 6:63 – “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.”
Colossians 2:12 – “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.”
16. Luke 7:14-15 – The Widow’s Son
“Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, get up!’ The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.” – Luke 7:14-15
Cross-References
John 11:25 – “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;'”
Mark 5:41-42 – “He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha koum!’ (which means ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.”
17. Job 14:14 – A Question of Resurrection
“If someone dies, will they live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come.” – Job 14:14
Cross-References
Psalm 71:20 – “Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.”
John 5:21 – “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.”
Isaiah 26:14 – “They are now dead, they live no more; their spirits do not rise. You punished them and brought them to ruin; you wiped out all memory of them.”
18. Hebrews 11:35 – Women’s Faith and Resurrection
“Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.” – Hebrews 11:35
Cross-References
1 Kings 17:23 – “Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, ‘Look, your son is alive!'”
2 Kings 4:36 – “Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, ‘Call the Shunammite.’ And he did. When she came, he said, ‘Take your son.'”
Matthew 22:30 – “At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.”
19. John 11:43-44 – Raising of Lazarus
“When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’” – John 11:43-44
Cross-References
Acts 9:39-41 – “Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.”
Matthew 9:24 – “He said, ‘Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.’ But they laughed at him.”
20. Matthew 10:8 – Command of Life
“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” – Matthew 10:8
Cross-References
Luke 10:9 – “Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’”
James 5:15 – “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.”
1 Corinthians 12:9 – “to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,”
21. Genesis 2:7 – The Breath of Life
“Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” – Genesis 2:7
Cross-References
Job 33:4 – “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”
Isaiah 42:5 – “This is what God the LORD says— the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:”
Ecclesiastes 3:19 – “Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless.”
22. Luke 8:54-55 – Raised with a Command
“But he took her by the hand and said, ‘My child, get up!’ Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.” – Luke 8:54-55
Cross-References
John 12:17 – “Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word.”
Matthew 9:25 – “After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.”
23. Revelation 1:18 – The Living One
“I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” – Revelation 1:18
Cross-References
John 14:19 – “Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.”
Hebrews 7:25 – “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”
Romans 14:9 – “For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.”
24. Acts 9:40 – Tabitha, Arise
“Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.” – Acts 9:40
Cross-References
1 Kings 17:22 – “The LORD heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived.”
2 Kings 4:35 – “Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.”
25. Romans 2:7 – Immortality through Perseverance
“To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.” – Romans 2:7
Cross-References
1 Timothy 6:19 – “In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
Galatians 6:8 – “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
Titus 1:2 – “in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,”
26. Mark 5:41 – The Command to Rise
“He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha koum!’ (which means ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’).” – Mark 5:41
Cross-References
Matthew 9:18 – “While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, ‘My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.'”
John 5:8 – “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.'”
1 Thessalonians 4:17 – “After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”
27. Hosea 13:14 – Ransom from the Grave
“I will deliver this people from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction?” – Hosea 13:14
Cross-References
1 Corinthians 15:55 – “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
Isaiah 25:8 – “he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.”
Romans 6:9 – “For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.”
28. John 6:54 – Spirit and Life
“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” – John 6:54
Cross-References
Matthew 26:26 – “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.'”
1 Corinthians 11:24-25 – “and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.'”
John 6:40 – “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
29. 1 Samuel 28:14-15 – The Spirit of Samuel
“He said to her, ‘What do you see?’ ‘An old man wearing a robe is coming up,’ she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?’” – 1 Samuel 28:14-15
Cross-References
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 – “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.”
Leviticus 19:31 – “‘Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.”
Isaiah 8:19 – “When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?”
30. 2 Corinthians 5:1 – Heavenly Bodies
“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.” – 2 Corinthians 5:1
Cross-References
Philippians 3:20-21 – “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
1 Corinthians 15:44 – “It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.”
Romans 8:23 – “Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.”
31. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 – Caught Up in the Clouds
“After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:17
Cross-References
Matthew 24:30-31 – “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”
John 14:3 – “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
Revelation 14:14 – “I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.”
32. Revelation 14:13 – Blessed Are the Dead
“Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.’” – Revelation 14:13
Cross-References
Isaiah 57:2 – “Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.”
Philippians 1:21 – “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Ecclesiastes 7:1 – “A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth.”
Final Thoughts
While the notion of zombies as portrayed in popular culture is absent from biblical narratives, the scriptures do offer intriguing insights into concepts of resurrection and life beyond death. Accounts of the dead rising, prophetic visions, and promises of eternal life provide fertile ground for imaginative interpretations. These verses remind believers of the profound mystery and power inherent in the resurrection, a cornerstone of the Christian faith. The Bible assures that physical death is not the end for those who are in Christ. Instead, it is a transition into an imperishable life. Through this exploration, we find reassurance in the promise of God’s power over life and death, assuring us of hope, renewal, and unyielding faith in the eternal life promised by God. Reality and mystery intertwine to inspire believers toward a deeper understanding of divine power, resurrected life, and everlasting hope. So, though untraditional zombies may not roam the biblical narrative, the essence of overcoming death remains central to its teachings.