Bible Verses About the Intermediate State

Luke 23:43

ESV	And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
KJV	And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
NASB	And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
NIV	Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
NLT	And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Philippians 1:23

ESV	I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
KJV	For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
NASB	But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;
NIV	I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
NLT	I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.

Ecclesiastes 9:10

ESV	Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
KJV	Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
NASB	Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.
NIV	Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
NLT	Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

“We pilgrims walk the tightrope between earth and heaven, feeling trapped in time, yet with eternity beating in our hearts. Our unsatisfied sense of exile is not to be solved or fixed while here on earth. Our pain and longings make sure we will never be content, but that’s good: it is to our benefit that we do not grow comfortable in a world destined for decay.” ~ Joni Eareckson Tada

2 Peter 2:4

ESV	For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;
KJV	For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
NASB	For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;
NIV	For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
NLT	For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment.

“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” ~ C.S. Lewis

John 11:11

ESV	After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”
KJV	These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
NASB	This He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.”
NIV	After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”
NLT	Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”

Luke 16:23

ESV	and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
KJV	And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
NASB	“In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
NIV	In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
NLT	and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.

Matthew 10:28

ESV	And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
KJV	And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
NASB	“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
NIV	Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
NLT	“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Ecclesiastes 12:7

ESV	And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
KJV	Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
NASB	then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
NIV	and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
NLT	For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Revelation 20:15

ESV	And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
KJV	And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
NASB	And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
NIV	Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
NLT	And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

1 Thessalonians 4:13

ESV	But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
KJV	But 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.
NASB	But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
NIV	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.
NLT	And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.

Acts 2:27

ESV	For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.
KJV	Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
NASB	BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES, NOR ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.
NIV	because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay.
NLT	For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.