55 Comforting Bible Verses About Loss and the Death of a Loved One
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
Posted 2/20/2025
Family
While loss is a natural part of life, losing friends, family and loved ones is a kind of heartbreak that you can't prepare for—or swiftly grieve. While there are certain *adulting* muscles that you can strengthen (like being patient during one of your kids' long jokes or making everything fit into the freezer), losing a loved one is not something that gets easier. The death of a friend or family member (pets included) can leave you in a lot of pain that takes time to heal. But if faith and God are important parts of your life, scripture can provide comfort during a time of grief. That’s why we’ve collected 40 of the best Bible verses about loss to help heal a broken heart.
Scriptures for Dealing with Grief
Grief can feel overwhelming, but the Bible offers comfort and strength during life’s hardest moments. These Bible verses for grief remind us that God is near to the brokenhearted, offering peace, hope, and healing. Whether you’re mourning a loved one or navigating personal loss, these quotes provide reassurance that you are not alone:
- Romans 12:15 "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."
- 1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."
- Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
- John 16:22 “So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”
- Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
- Revelation 21:4 “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.”
- Romans 8:18 “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.”
- Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
- Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.”
- Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”
Comforting Scriptures
In times of sorrow and uncertainty, God’s Word provides reassurance and peace. These comforting Bible verses remind us of His unwavering presence, offering strength and hope when we need it most. No matter what you’re facing, these quotes can help restore faith and bring a sense of calm to your heart:
- Psalm 42:11 "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."
- John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me."
- Romans 12:2 "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
- Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
- Isaiah 53:4-6 “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
- Joshua 1:9 “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.”
- Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
- John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
- James 1:2-3 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
- Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
- 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Losing a friend is a heartbreaking experience, but scripture offers solace in times of mourning. These Bible verses for a lost friend remind us that God understands our pain and provides comfort in our grief.
Through His Word, we can find peace, hope, and the assurance that our loved ones are in His eternal care:
- 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; and it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.”
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 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. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 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. 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. Therefore encourage one another with these words."
- 2 Corinthians 5:8 “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
- Romans 8:38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
- Psalm 116:15 “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”
Scripture About Losing a Child
The loss of a child is an unimaginable sorrow, but God’s Word offers comfort and hope in the midst of grief. These Bible verses about losing a child remind us that God is close to the brokenhearted and carries us through our deepest pain. Even in loss, His love and promises bring reassurance that we are never alone.
- Matthew 19:14 “But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.'”
- Matthew 18:14 “So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”
- Psalm 127:3 “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”
- Matthew 18:1-4 “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
- Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Scriptures for Mourning the Loss of a Spouse
Losing a husband or wife is a profound and life-altering loss, leaving a void that feels impossible to fill. These Bible verses about the loss of a spouse offer comfort, reminding us that God walks with us through grief and provides strength in our sorrow. His Word reassures us that love endures beyond this life, offering hope and healing in the midst of heartache.
- Psalm 48:14 “For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.”
- Psalm 9:9 “The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble.”
- 1 John 3:2 “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”
- John 11:25 “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”
- Psalm 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
- Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
- Jeremiah 31:3 “Love yesterday, today and forever.”
- Mark 10:9 “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
- Luke 23:43 “And he said to him, 'Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.'”
Sympathy Bible Quotes For Giving Someone Your Condolences
Expressing condolences may feel heavy, but sharing scripture about losing a friend can help. When you feel at a loss, Bible quotes about death may help you find meaning through His Word.
- Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance."
- 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."
- Lamentations 3:31-32 "For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love."
- Deuteronomy 31:8 "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
- 2 Samuel 12:23 "But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."
- Job 19:25-26 "I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God."
- Psalm 30:5 "For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."
- Psalm 55:22 "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken."
Other Quotes About Death & Grief
Scripture about death and grief may help to make sense of a loss that may feel unfair, devastating or confusing.
- Isaiah 57:1-2 "The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death."
- Luke 6:21 "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh."
- 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
- Revelation 14:13 "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.'"
- Hebrews 4:16 "Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
- 2 Timothy 4:7-8 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
- Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."
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