Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of His godly ones.
The dust returns to the earth where it was,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
The righteous man perishes,
and no man lays it to heart;
and merciful men are taken away
while no one understands,
for the righteous man is taken away
from the evil to come.
He shall enter into peace;
they shall rest in their beds,
each one walking in his uprightness.
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.
There was also a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores, who had been placed at his gate,
desiring to be fed the crumbs falling from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
“It came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s presence. The rich man also died and was buried.
In Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham from a distance and Lazarus in his presence.
So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am tormented in this flame.’
“But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things. But now he is comforted and you are tormented.
And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf, so that those who would pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
“He said, ‘Then I pray you, father, to send him to my father’s house,
for I have five brothers, to testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’
“Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. Let them hear them.’
“He said, ‘No, father Abraham. But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
“He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”
They stoned Stephen as he was calling on God, praying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.
We had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.
He delivered us from so great a death and does deliver us. In Him we trust that He will still deliver us,
Godly sorrow produces repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and arose again, so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who are asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall be forever with the Lord.
Therefore comfort one another with these words.
and deliver those who through fear of death were throughout their lives subject to bondage.
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love his brother remains in death.
Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their works follow them.”