Easter is the heart of our Christian faith, it’s the ultimate celebration of Jesus’ victory over death. As we reflect on His resurrection, we’re reminded of God’s incredible love and the promise of eternal life. And what better way to prepare our hearts than by meditating on powerful Easter scriptures?
These verses will deepen your faith, fill you with hope, and inspire gratitude for the sacrifice Jesus made for us. Whether you’re looking for encouragement, preparing an Easter prayer, or simply seeking to understand the significance of the resurrection, these Bible verses will bless your heart.
Let’s dive into 40 of the best Easter scriptures that will help us celebrate this glorious season!
I. Old Testament Easter scriptures
Long before Jesus walked the earth, God had already promised a Savior. The Old Testament is filled with prophecies about His suffering, death, and resurrection. These verses remind us that Jesus’ victory was part of God’s perfect plan all along.
1. Isaiah 53:5-6
“But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all.”
2. Psalm 22:16-18
“For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”
3. Zechariah 12:10
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”
4. Hosea 6:2
“After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.”
5. Psalm 16:10
“For you will not abandon me to Sheol; you will not allow your faithful one to see decay.”
Easter scriptures For Kids
Easter is a wonderful time to teach children about Jesus’ love and His victory over death. These simple yet powerful verses will help kids understand the meaning of the resurrection in a way that’s easy to grasp.
6. Matthew 28:5-6
“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.’”
7. Mark 16:6
“And he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.’”
8. Luke 24:6-7
“He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”
9. John 20:1-2
“The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, ‘They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.’”
10. John 20:19-20
“When it was evening on that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because they feared the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ Having said this, he showed them his hands and his side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.”
Jesus’ Teachings on His Death and Resurrection
11. Matthew 12:40
“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
12. John 2:19
“All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
13. Matthew 16:21
“From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day God would raise him from the dead.”
14. Luke 9:22
“Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.”
15. Mark 9:31
“For he was teaching his disciples and telling them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after he is killed, he will rise three days later.’”
Easter Story Scriptures
16. Romans 6:4 (New International Version – NIV)
“For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as God raised Christ from the dead by His glorious power, now we also may live new lives.”
17. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (New Living Translation – NLT)
“I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.”
18. Romans 8:11 (English Standard Version – ESV)
“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”
19. Colossians 2:12 (King James Version – KJV)
“Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”
20. Ephesians 2:4-6 (Christian Standard Bible – CSB)
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus.”
Easter Scriptures About Resurrection
21. 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.”
22. John 14:19
“Since I live, you also will live.”
23. 2 Timothy 2:11
“The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him.”
24. Philippians 3:10-11
“I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!”
25. 1 Corinthians 6:14
“And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.”
The Great Commission and the Resurrection
26. Matthew 28:18-20
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
27. Mark 16:15-16
“And then he told them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.’”
28. Luke 24:46-47
“And said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.’”
29. Acts 1:8
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
30. Romans 10:9
“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Hope and Victory Through the Resurrection
31. 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.”
32. Revelation 1:17-18
“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.’”
33. Hebrews 7:25
“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”
34. Romans 4:25
“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
35. Colossians 3:1-4
“So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Final Encouragement and Rejoicing in the Resurrection
36. Psalm 118:24
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
37. Philippians 4:4
“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!”
38. 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
39. Isaiah 25:8
“He 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 all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.”
40. Revelation 21:4
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.”
Easter Prayer: A Prayer of Gratitude and Victory in Christ
Heavenly Father, Thank You for this glorious day of victory! I praise You for Your love and the gift of salvation through Christ.
Fill my heart with joy and renew my spirit. Help me to walk in the power of the resurrection daily, living in faith and sharing Your love with others. May the light of Christ shine through me, and may my life glorify You. Hallelujah! Jesus is alive! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Conclusion
The resurrection of Jesus is the greatest miracle in history. It proves that He is the Son of God, that God has forgiven our sins, and that He has given us eternal life through Him. These Easter scriptures remind us of the power of the resurrection and fill us with hope, joy, and faith.
As we celebrate Easter, let’s hold onto these truths:
- Jesus defeated death.
- His resurrection means God has forgiven us and made us new.
- The same power that raised Jesus lives in us today.
- Because He lives, we have hope and eternal life.
I encourage you to reflect on these easter scriptures, share them with family and friends, and even use them in your Easter prayer as you thank God for the gift of His Son.