🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 104 (from laksa157)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa104.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/what-happens-when-we-die/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/what-happens-when-we-die/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/what-happens-when-we-die\/","crawl_time":1773790840,"first_indexed_time":1570923355,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"org,jw!www,\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/what-happens-when-we-die\/ s443","src_root_hash":"2355325355361461504","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"What Happens When We Die? Is There Life After Death?","meta_descriptions":["Why do we die? Will we ever see our dead loved ones again? The simple Bible truth about death can comfort and protect you."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"1-3. What questions do people ask about death, and how do some religions answer them?\n \nTHE Bible promises us that one day “death will be no more.” (\nRevelation 21:4\n) In\nChapter 5\n, we learned that the ransom makes it possible for us to have everlasting life. But people still die. (\nEcclesiastes 9:5\n) So one of the big questions we ask is, What happens to us when we die?\n2\nThe answer to that question is especially important when someone we love dies. We may wonder: ‘Where has he gone? Is he watching us? Can he help us? Will we ever see him again?’\n3\nReligions answer those questions in different ways. Some teach that if you are a good person, you go to heaven and that if you are a bad person, you burn in hell. Some say that when you die you become a spirit and live with your family members who have already died. And others say that after you have died and are judged, you will be reborn, or come back to life with a different body, perhaps as another person or even an animal.\n4. What basic idea do religions teach about death?\n4\nReligions seem to teach very different things. But almost all of them teach one basic idea. They teach that when a human dies, a part of him keeps on living. Is that true?\n5, 6. What happens to us when we die?\n5\nJehovah knows what happens to us when we die, and he has told us that\nwhen a person dies, his life ends.\nDeath is the opposite of life. So when someone dies, his feelings and memories\ndo not\nkeep on living somewhere else.\n \na\nWhen we die we can’t see, we can’t hear, and we can’t think anymore.\n6\nKing Solomon wrote that “the dead know\nnothing at all.”\nThe dead cannot love or hate, and “there is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave.”\n(Read\nEcclesiastes 9:5, 6,\n \n10\n.)\nAnd at\nPsalm 146:4\n, the Bible tells us that when someone dies, “his thoughts” die.\nJehovah created humans to live forever on earth\n7. What did Jesus say about death?\n7\nWhen his good friend Lazarus died, Jesus said to his disciples: “Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep.” But Jesus didn’t mean that Lazarus was resting. Jesus further said: “Lazarus has died.” (\nJohn 11:11-14\n) So Jesus compared death to sleep. He didn’t say that Lazarus was in heaven or with his family members who had died. And he didn’t say that Lazarus was suffering in hell or being\nreborn as another human or an animal\n. No, it was as if Lazarus were in a deep sleep. Other scriptures compare death to a deep sleep. The Bible says that when Stephen was killed, “he fell asleep in death.” (\nActs 7:60\n) The apostle Paul\nalso wrote that some Christians had “fallen asleep in death.”—\n1 Corinthians 15:6\n.\n8. How do we know that God did not create humans to die?\n8\nDid God create Adam and Eve so that they would eventually die? No! Jehovah created them to enjoy life forever with perfect health. When Jehovah made humans, he gave them the desire to live forever. (\nEcclesiastes 3:11\n) Parents do not want to see their children grow old and die, and Jehovah feels the same way about us. But if God created us to live forever, why do we die?\n9. Why was the command that Jehovah gave to Adam and Eve reasonable?\n9\nIn the garden of Eden, Jehovah told Adam: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die.” (\nGenesis 2:9,\n16, 17\n) That clear command was not difficult to obey, and Jehovah had the right to tell Adam and Eve what is good and what is bad. By obeying Jehovah, they would show him that they respected his authority. They would also show him just how thankful they were for everything he had given them.\n10, 11. (a) How did Satan mislead Adam and Eve? (b) Why is there no excuse for what Adam and Eve did?\n10\nSadly, Adam and Eve chose to disobey Jehovah. Satan said to Eve: “Did God really say that you must not eat from every tree of the garden?” Eve replied: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But God has said about the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden: ‘You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it; otherwise you will die.’”—\nGenesis 3:1-3\n.\n11\nThen Satan said: “You certainly will not die. For God knows that in the very day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and bad.” (\nGenesis 3:4-6\n) Satan wanted Eve to think that she could decide for herself what was good and what was bad. At the same time, he lied\nabout what would happen if she disobeyed. Satan said that Eve wouldn’t die, so Eve ate some of the fruit and then gave some to her husband. Adam and Eve knew that Jehovah had told them\nnot\nto eat the fruit. When they ate it, they chose to disobey a clear and reasonable command. By eating, they showed that they did not respect their loving heavenly Father. There is no excuse for what they did!\n12. Why is it so disappointing that Adam and Eve disobeyed Jehovah?\n12\nHow disappointing that our first parents had such disrespect for their Creator! How would you feel if you worked hard to raise a son and a daughter and then they rebelled against you and did the opposite of what you asked them to do? Wouldn’t it break your heart?\nAdam came from the dust, and he returned to the dust\n13. What did Jehovah mean when he said “to dust you will return”?\n13\nWhen they disobeyed, Adam and Eve lost the opportunity to live forever. Jehovah had told Adam: “For dust you are and to dust you will return.”\n(Read\nGenesis 3:19\n.)\nThat meant that Adam would become dust again, as if he had never been created. (\nGenesis 2:7\n) After Adam sinned, he died and no longer existed.\n14. Why do we die?\n14\nIf Adam and Eve had obeyed God, they would still be alive today. But when they disobeyed him, they sinned, and eventually they died. Sin is like a terrible disease that we have inherited from our first parents. All of us are born as sinners, and that is why we die. (\nRomans 5:12\n) But that is not God’s purpose for humans. God never wanted humans to die, and the Bible calls death an “enemy.”—\n1 Corinthians 15:26\n.\n15. How does the truth about death set us free?\n15\nThe truth about death sets us free from many wrong ideas. The Bible teaches us that the dead don’t feel pain or sadness. We can’t speak to them, and they can’t speak to us. We can’t help the dead, and the dead can’t help us. They can’t harm us, so we don’t need to be afraid of them. However, many religions tell us that the dead are alive somewhere and that we can help them if we pay money to priests or those viewed as holy men. But when we know the truth about death, we are not fooled by those lies.\n16. What lie do many religions teach about the dead?\n16\nSatan uses false religion to lie to us and make us think that the dead are still alive. For example, some religions teach that when we die, a\npart of us keeps on living\nsomewhere else. Does your religion teach you that, or does it teach you what the Bible says about the dead? Satan uses lies to turn people away from Jehovah.\n17. Why does the idea of people burning in hell insult Jehovah?\n17\nWhat many religions teach is shocking. For example, some teach that bad people will\nburn forever in hell\n. That lie is an insult to Jehovah. He would never allow people to suffer that way!\n(Read\n1 John 4:8\n.)\nHow would you feel about someone who punishes a child by burning the child’s hands in a fire? You would think he is very cruel. You would not want to get to know him. And that is exactly how Satan wants us to feel about Jehovah!\n18. Why shouldn’t we fear the dead?\n18\nSome religions tell us that when people die,\nthey become spirits\n. Such religions teach that we must respect and even be afraid of those spirits because they can become either powerful friends or terrible enemies. Many people believe that lie. They fear the dead, so they worship them instead of Jehovah. Remember that the dead cannot feel or sense anything, so we don’t have to be afraid of them. Jehovah is our Creator. He is the true God, and we should worship only him.—\nRevelation 4:11\n.\n19. How does knowing the truth about death help us?\n19\nWhen we know the truth about death, we are set free from religious lies. And this truth helps us to understand the wonderful promises that Jehovah has made about our life and our future.\n20. What will we learn in the\nnext chapter\n?\n20\nA long time ago, a servant of God named Job asked: “If a man dies, can he live again?” (\nJob 14:14\n)\nIs it really possible for a person who is dead to live again?\nThe answer God gives us in the Bible is very exciting. We will see it in the next chapter.","attrs_markdown":"### Privacy Settings\nTo provide you with the best possible experience, we use cookies and similar technologies. Some cookies are necessary to make our website work and cannot be refused. You can accept or decline the use of additional cookies, which we use only to improve your experience. None of this data will ever be sold or used for marketing. To learn more, read the [Global Policy on Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/open?wtlocale=E&docid=1014903&prefer=content). 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[Library](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/ \"Library\")\n2. [Books](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/ \"Books\")\n3. [What Can the Bible Teach Us?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/ \"What Can the Bible Teach Us?\")\n4. Where Do We Go When We Die?\n\nWould you like to read this article in %%?\n\nYes\n\nNo\n\n**CHAPTER SIX**\n\n# Where Do We Go When We Die?\n\nPLAY\n\nMedia is loading\n\nPlay video\n\nCHAPTER 06—Where Do We Go When We Die?\n\nLoaded: 0%\n\nCurrent time 0:00\n\n\/\n\nDuration \\-:-\n\nPlay\n\nBack 5 seconds\n\nForward 15 seconds\n\nPrevious\n\nNext\n\nMute\n\nSettings\n\nClose\n\nThis is a modal window.\n\nBeginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.\n\nText\n\nColor\n\nTransparency\n\nBackground\n\nColor\n\nTransparency\n\nWindow\n\nColor\n\nTransparency\n\nFont Size\n\nText Edge Style\n\nFont Family\n\nReset restore all settings to the default values\n\nDone\n\nClose Modal Dialog\n\nEnd of dialog window.\n\nBack\n\nSpeed\n\nClose\n\n- 2x\n- 1\\.8x\n- 1\\.6x\n- 1\\.4x\n- 1\\.2x\n- 1\\.1x\n- 1x · Normal, selected\n- 0\\.9x\n- 0\\.8x\n- 0\\.7x\n- 0\\.6x\n\nBack\n\nSettings\n\nClose\n\n- Share\n- Speed\n  1x · Normal\n- Cast\n- Download\n- AirPlay\n\nWhere Do We Go When We Die?\n\n1-3. What questions do people ask about death, and how do some religions answer them?\n\nTHE Bible promises us that one day “death will be no more.” ([Revelation 21:4](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/revelation\/21\/#v66021004)) In [Chapter 5](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/meaning-jesus-ransom-sacrifice\/), we learned that the ransom makes it possible for us to have everlasting life. But people still die. ([Ecclesiastes 9:5](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/ecclesiastes\/9\/#v21009005)) So one of the big questions we ask is, What happens to us when we die?\n\n**2** The answer to that question is especially important when someone we love dies. We may wonder: ‘Where has he gone? Is he watching us? Can he help us? Will we ever see him again?’\n\n**3** Religions answer those questions in different ways. Some teach that if you are a good person, you go to heaven and that if you are a bad person, you burn in hell. Some say that when you die you become a spirit and live with your family members who have already died. And others say that after you have died and are judged, you will be reborn, or come back to life with a different body, perhaps as another person or even an animal.\n\n4\\. What basic idea do religions teach about death?\n\n**4** Religions seem to teach very different things. But almost all of them teach one basic idea. They teach that when a human dies, a part of him keeps on living. Is that true?\n\n## WHERE DO WE GO WHEN WE DIE?\n5, 6. What happens to us when we die?\n\n**5** Jehovah knows what happens to us when we die, and he has told us that **when a person dies, his life ends.** Death is the opposite of life. So when someone dies, his feelings and memories **do not** keep on living somewhere else. [a](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/what-happens-when-we-die\/#footnote1) When we die we can’t see, we can’t hear, and we can’t think anymore.\n\n**6** King Solomon wrote that “the dead know **nothing at all.”** The dead cannot love or hate, and “there is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave.” **(Read** [**Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6,**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/ecclesiastes\/9\/#v21009005-v21009006) [**10**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/ecclesiastes\/9\/#v21009010)**.)** And at [Psalm 146:4](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/psalms\/146\/#v19146004), the Bible tells us that when someone dies, “his thoughts” die.\n\n## WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT DEATH\n[![A husband and wife sit in a garden and admire a flower](https:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/1102015146\/univ\/art\/1102015146_univ_cnt_1_md.jpg)](https:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/1102015146\/univ\/art\/1102015146_univ_cnt_1_xl.jpg)\n\nJehovah created humans to live forever on earth\n\n7\\. What did Jesus say about death?\n\n**7** When his good friend Lazarus died, Jesus said to his disciples: “Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep.” But Jesus didn’t mean that Lazarus was resting. Jesus further said: “Lazarus has died.” ([John 11:11-14](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/john\/11\/#v43011011-v43011014)) So Jesus compared death to sleep. He didn’t say that Lazarus was in heaven or with his family members who had died. And he didn’t say that Lazarus was suffering in hell or being [reborn as another human or an animal](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/magazines\/wp20121201\/have-you-lived-before\/). No, it was as if Lazarus were in a deep sleep. Other scriptures compare death to a deep sleep. The Bible says that when Stephen was killed, “he fell asleep in death.” ([Acts 7:60](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/acts\/7\/#v44007060)) The apostle Paul  also wrote that some Christians had “fallen asleep in death.”—[1 Corinthians 15:6](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/1-corinthians\/15\/#v46015006).\n\n8\\. How do we know that God did not create humans to die?\n\n**8** Did God create Adam and Eve so that they would eventually die? No! Jehovah created them to enjoy life forever with perfect health. When Jehovah made humans, he gave them the desire to live forever. ([Ecclesiastes 3:11](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/ecclesiastes\/3\/#v21003011)) Parents do not want to see their children grow old and die, and Jehovah feels the same way about us. But if God created us to live forever, why do we die?\n\n## WHY DO WE DIE?\n9\\. Why was the command that Jehovah gave to Adam and Eve reasonable?\n\n**9** In the garden of Eden, Jehovah told Adam: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die.” ([Genesis 2:9,](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/genesis\/2\/#v1002009) [16, 17](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/genesis\/2\/#v1002016-v1002017)) That clear command was not difficult to obey, and Jehovah had the right to tell Adam and Eve what is good and what is bad. By obeying Jehovah, they would show him that they respected his authority. They would also show him just how thankful they were for everything he had given them.\n\n10, 11. (a) How did Satan mislead Adam and Eve? (b) Why is there no excuse for what Adam and Eve did?\n\n**10** Sadly, Adam and Eve chose to disobey Jehovah. Satan said to Eve: “Did God really say that you must not eat from every tree of the garden?” Eve replied: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But God has said about the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden: ‘You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it; otherwise you will die.’”—[Genesis 3:1-3](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/genesis\/3\/#v1003001-v1003003).\n\n**11** Then Satan said: “You certainly will not die. For God knows that in the very day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and bad.” ([Genesis 3:4-6](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/genesis\/3\/#v1003004-v1003006)) Satan wanted Eve to think that she could decide for herself what was good and what was bad. At the same time, he lied  about what would happen if she disobeyed. Satan said that Eve wouldn’t die, so Eve ate some of the fruit and then gave some to her husband. Adam and Eve knew that Jehovah had told them **not** to eat the fruit. When they ate it, they chose to disobey a clear and reasonable command. By eating, they showed that they did not respect their loving heavenly Father. There is no excuse for what they did\\!\n\n12\\. Why is it so disappointing that Adam and Eve disobeyed Jehovah?\n\n**12** How disappointing that our first parents had such disrespect for their Creator! How would you feel if you worked hard to raise a son and a daughter and then they rebelled against you and did the opposite of what you asked them to do? Wouldn’t it break your heart?\n\n[![Adam at the time of creation](https:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/1102015146\/univ\/art\/1102015146_univ_cnt_2_md.jpg)](https:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/1102015146\/univ\/art\/1102015146_univ_cnt_2_xl.jpg)\n\nAdam came from the dust, and he returned to the dust\n\n13\\. What did Jehovah mean when he said “to dust you will return”?\n\n**13** When they disobeyed, Adam and Eve lost the opportunity to live forever. Jehovah had told Adam: “For dust you are and to dust you will return.” **(Read** [**Genesis 3:19**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/genesis\/3\/#v1003019)**.)** That meant that Adam would become dust again, as if he had never been created. ([Genesis 2:7](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/genesis\/2\/#v1002007)) After Adam sinned, he died and no longer existed.\n\n14\\. Why do we die?\n\n**14** If Adam and Eve had obeyed God, they would still be alive today. But when they disobeyed him, they sinned, and eventually they died. Sin is like a terrible disease that we have inherited from our first parents. All of us are born as sinners, and that is why we die. ([Romans 5:12](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/romans\/5\/#v45005012)) But that is not God’s purpose for humans. God never wanted humans to die, and the Bible calls death an “enemy.”—[1 Corinthians 15:26](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/1-corinthians\/15\/#v46015026).\n\n## THE TRUTH SETS US FREE\n15\\. How does the truth about death set us free?\n\n**15** The truth about death sets us free from many wrong ideas. The Bible teaches us that the dead don’t feel pain or sadness. We can’t speak to them, and they can’t speak to us. We can’t help the dead, and the dead can’t help us. They can’t harm us, so we don’t need to be afraid of them. However, many religions tell us that the dead are alive somewhere and that we can help them if we pay money to priests or those viewed as holy men. But when we know the truth about death, we are not fooled by those lies.\n\n16\\. What lie do many religions teach about the dead?\n\n**16** Satan uses false religion to lie to us and make us think that the dead are still alive. For example, some religions teach that when we die, a [part of us keeps on living](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/magazines\/wp20091101\/myth-the-soul-is-immortal\/) somewhere else. Does your religion teach you that, or does it teach you what the Bible says about the dead? Satan uses lies to turn people away from Jehovah.\n\n17\\. Why does the idea of people burning in hell insult Jehovah?\n\n**17** What many religions teach is shocking. For example, some teach that bad people will [burn forever in hell](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/magazines\/wp20091101\/myth-the-wicked-suffer-in-hell\/). That lie is an insult to Jehovah. He would never allow people to suffer that way! **(Read** [**1 John 4:8**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/1-john\/4\/#v62004008)**.)** How would you feel about someone who punishes a child by burning the child’s hands in a fire? You would think he is very cruel. You would not want to get to know him. And that is exactly how Satan wants us to feel about Jehovah\\!\n\n18\\. Why shouldn’t we fear the dead?\n\n**18** Some religions tell us that when people die, [they become spirits](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/magazines\/wp20091101\/myth-all-good-people-go-to-heaven\/). Such religions teach that we must respect and even be afraid of those spirits because they can become either powerful friends or terrible enemies. Many people believe that lie. They fear the dead, so they worship them instead of Jehovah. Remember that the dead cannot feel or sense anything, so we don’t have to be afraid of them. Jehovah is our Creator. He is the true God, and we should worship only him.—[Revelation 4:11](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/revelation\/4\/#v66004011).\n\n19\\. How does knowing the truth about death help us?\n\n**19** When we know the truth about death, we are set free from religious lies. And this truth helps us to understand the wonderful promises that Jehovah has made about our life and our future.\n\n20\\. What will we learn in the [next chapter](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/there-will-be-a-resurrection\/)?\n\n**20** A long time ago, a servant of God named Job asked: “If a man dies, can he live again?” ([Job 14:14](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/job\/14\/#v18014014)) [Is it really possible for a person who is dead to live again?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/there-will-be-a-resurrection\/) The answer God gives us in the Bible is very exciting. We will see it in the next chapter.\n\n[a](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/what-happens-when-we-die\/#footnotesource1) Some people believe that a soul or spirit keeps living after someone dies. For more information, see [Endnotes 17 and 18](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/glossary\/#p57-p66).\n\n## SUMMARY\n## TRUTH 1: WHEN A PERSON DIES, HIS LIFE ENDS\n“The dead know nothing at all.”—[Ecclesiastes 9:5](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/ecclesiastes\/9\/#v21009005)\n\nWhat happens to us when we die?\n\n- [**Psalm 146:3, 4;**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/psalms\/146\/#v19146003-v19146004) [**Ecclesiastes 9:6,**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/ecclesiastes\/9\/#v21009006) [**10**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/ecclesiastes\/9\/#v21009010)\n  When we die we cannot see, we cannot hear, and we cannot think.\n- [**John 11:11-14**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/john\/11\/#v43011011-v43011014)\n  Jesus compared death to sleep.\n\n## TRUTH 2: JEHOVAH NEVER WANTED HUMANS TO DIE\n“As for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die.”—[Genesis 2:17](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/genesis\/2\/#v1002017)\n\nWhy do we die?\n\n- [**Genesis 3:1-6**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/genesis\/3\/#v1003001-v1003006)\n  Satan lied about what would happen to Eve if she disobeyed God’s command. When Adam and Eve disobeyed Jehovah, they sinned and eventually died.\n- [**Genesis 3:19**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/genesis\/3\/#v1003019)\n  After Adam died, he no longer existed.\n- [**Romans 5:12**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/romans\/5\/#v45005012)\n  Sin is like a terrible disease that we have inherited from our first parents. We are all born as sinners, and that is why we die.\n- [**1 Corinthians 15:26**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/1-corinthians\/15\/#v46015026)\n  The Bible calls death an enemy.\n\n## TRUTH 3: THE TRUTH ABOUT DEATH SETS US FREE\n“If a man dies, can he live again? I will wait . . . until my relief comes.”—[Job 14:14](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/job\/14\/#v18014014)\n\nHow does knowing the truth about death set us free from wrong ideas?\n\n- [**1 John 4:8**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/1-john\/4\/#v62004008)\n  The teaching of hellfire is an insult to Jehovah. He would never allow people to suffer that way.\n- [**Revelation 4:11**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/revelation\/4\/#v66004011)\n  Many people fear the dead, so they fear and worship them instead of Jehovah. Jehovah is the true God, and we should worship only him.\n\n[Previous](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/meaning-jesus-ransom-sacrifice\/ \"The Ransom—God’s Greatest Gift\")\n\n[Next](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/there-will-be-a-resurrection\/ \"There Will Be a Resurrection!\")\n\n## Study Guides\n[![](https:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/502015174\/univ\/art\/502015174_univ_sqs_lg.jpg)](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/bible-teachings\/teenagers\/study-guides\/where-are-the-dead-part-1\/)\n\n### [Where Are the Dead? (Part 1)](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/bible-teachings\/teenagers\/study-guides\/where-are-the-dead-part-1\/)\n[Download](webpubdl:\/\/?docid=502015174&track=1&fileformat=PDF)\n\n[![](https:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/502015182\/univ\/art\/502015182_univ_sqs_lg.jpg)](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/bible-teachings\/teenagers\/study-guides\/where-are-the-dead-part-2\/)\n\n### [Where Are the Dead? (Part 2)](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/bible-teachings\/teenagers\/study-guides\/where-are-the-dead-part-2\/)\n[Download](webpubdl:\/\/?docid=502015182&track=1&fileformat=PDF)\n\n## You May Also Like\n[![](https:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/2013927\/univ\/art\/2013927_univ_sqs_lg.jpg)](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/magazines\/w20131215\/facing-loss-of-mate\/)\n\nTHE WATCHTOWER—STUDY EDITION\n\n### [Facing the Loss of Your Mate](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/magazines\/w20131215\/facing-loss-of-mate\/)\nThe pain of losing a mate is both cruel and long lasting. Consider how the resurrection hope in God’s Word is a source of comfort.\n\n[![A father having a conversation with his young son](https:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/102015047\/univ\/art\/102015047_univ_sqs_lg.jpg)](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/magazines\/g201502\/child-asks-about-death\/)\n\nAWAKE\\!\n\n### [When Your Child Asks About Death](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/magazines\/g201502\/child-asks-about-death\/)\nFour steps can help you answer their questions and show them how to cope with the loss of a loved one.\n\n[![Lazarus is resurrected from death and called out from the burial tomb by Jesus.](https:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/2014004\/univ\/art\/2014004_univ_sqs_lg.jpg)](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/magazines\/wp20140101\/death-is-not-the-end\/)\n\nTHE WATCHTOWER\n\n### [Death Does Not End It All\\!](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/magazines\/wp20140101\/death-is-not-the-end\/)\nWhy did Jesus compare death to sleep? What can we learn from resurrections recorded in the Bible?\n\nPrint\n\nShare  Share Where Do We Go When We Die?\n\nWHAT CAN THE BIBLE TEACH US?\n\n### [Where Do We Go When We Die?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/what-happens-when-we-die\/)\n\nEnglish\n\nWhere Do We Go When We Die?\n\nhttps:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/1102015146\/univ\/art\/1102015146\\_univ\\_sqr\\_xl.jpg\n\nbhs chap. 6 pp. 62-70\n\nShow Table of Contents\n\n[Previous](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/meaning-jesus-ransom-sacrifice\/ \"The Ransom—God’s Greatest Gift\")\n\n##### [TABLE OF CONTENTS](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/ \"What Can the Bible Teach Us?\")\n[Next](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/there-will-be-a-resurrection\/ \"There Will Be a Resurrection!\")\n\n- [What Is God’s Purpose for Us?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/gods-purpose-for-us\/)\n- [CHAPTER 1 Who Is God?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/who-is-god\/)\n- [CHAPTER 2 The Bible—A Book From God](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/the-bible-a-book-from-god\/)\n- [CHAPTER 3 What Is God’s Purpose for Humans?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/gods-promises-for-humans\/)\n- [CHAPTER 4 Who Is Jesus Christ?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/who-is-jesus-christ\/)\n- [CHAPTER 5 The Ransom—God’s Greatest Gift](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/meaning-jesus-ransom-sacrifice\/)\n- [CHAPTER 6 Where Do We Go When We Die?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/what-happens-when-we-die\/)\n- [CHAPTER 7 There Will Be a Resurrection\\!](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/there-will-be-a-resurrection\/)\n- [CHAPTER 8 What Is God’s Kingdom?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/what-is-gods-kingdom\/)\n- [CHAPTER 9 Is the End of the World Near?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/end-of-the-world\/)\n- [CHAPTER 10 The Truth About the Angels](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/angels-in-the-bible\/)\n- [CHAPTER 11 Why So Much Suffering?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/why-does-god-allow-suffering\/)\n- [CHAPTER 12 How Can You Become God’s Friend?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/friend-of-god\/)\n- [CHAPTER 13 Respect the Gift of Life](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/respect-gods-gift-of-life-blood\/)\n- [CHAPTER 14 Your Family Can Be Happy](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/how-to-have-a-happy-family\/)\n- [CHAPTER 15 The Right Way to Worship God](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/how-to-worship-god\/)\n- [CHAPTER 16 Choose to Worship God](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/choose-to-worship-god\/)\n- [CHAPTER 17 The Privilege of Prayer](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/how-to-pray-to-god\/)\n- [CHAPTER 18 Should I Dedicate My Life to God and Be Baptized?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/what-is-baptism\/)\n- [CHAPTER 19 Stay Close to Jehovah](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/personal-relationship-with-god\/)\n- [Endnotes](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/glossary\/)\n\n![What Can the Bible Teach Us?](https:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/bhs\/E\/pt\/bhs_E_lg.jpg)\n\n![What Can the Bible Teach Us?](https:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/bhs\/E\/pt\/bhs_E_lg.jpg)\n\n##### DOWNLOAD OPTIONS\nWhere Do We Go When We Die?\n\n[Text Publication download options What Can the Bible Teach Us?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/download\/?output=html&pub=bhs&fileformat=PDF%2CEPUB%2CJWPUB%2CRTF%2CTXT%2CBRL%2CBES%2CDAISY&alllangs=0&langwritten=E&txtCMSLang=E&isBible=0)\n\n- [PDF](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/download\/?output=html&pub=bhs&fileformat=PDF%2CEPUB%2CJWPUB%2CRTF%2CTXT%2CBRL%2CBES%2CDAISY&alllangs=0&langwritten=E&txtCMSLang=E&isBible=0 \"Download\")\n- [EPUB](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/download\/?output=html&pub=bhs&fileformat=PDF%2CEPUB%2CJWPUB%2CRTF%2CTXT%2CBRL%2CBES%2CDAISY&alllangs=0&langwritten=E&txtCMSLang=E&isBible=0 \"Download\")\n- [JWPUB](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/download\/?output=html&pub=bhs&fileformat=PDF%2CEPUB%2CJWPUB%2CRTF%2CTXT%2CBRL%2CBES%2CDAISY&alllangs=0&langwritten=E&txtCMSLang=E&isBible=0 \"Download\")\n- [Screen Reader (RTF)](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/download\/?output=html&pub=bhs&fileformat=PDF%2CEPUB%2CJWPUB%2CRTF%2CTXT%2CBRL%2CBES%2CDAISY&alllangs=0&langwritten=E&txtCMSLang=E&isBible=0 \"Download\")\n- [Notetaker (BRL)](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/download\/?output=html&pub=bhs&fileformat=PDF%2CEPUB%2CJWPUB%2CRTF%2CTXT%2CBRL%2CBES%2CDAISY&alllangs=0&langwritten=E&txtCMSLang=E&isBible=0 \"Download\")\n\n[Audio Audio download options What Can the Bible Teach Us?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/download\/?output=html&pub=bhs&fileformat=MP3%2CAAC&alllangs=0&langwritten=E&txtCMSLang=E&isBible=0)\n\n- [MP3](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/download\/?output=html&pub=bhs&fileformat=MP3%2CAAC&alllangs=0&langwritten=E&txtCMSLang=E&isBible=0 \"Download\")\n\n[Previous](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/meaning-jesus-ransom-sacrifice\/ \"The Ransom—God’s Greatest Gift\")\n\n##### [TABLE OF CONTENTS](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/ \"What Can the Bible Teach Us?\")\n[Next](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/there-will-be-a-resurrection\/ \"There Will Be a Resurrection!\")\n\n- [What Is God’s Purpose for Us?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/gods-purpose-for-us\/)\n- [CHAPTER 1 Who Is God?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/who-is-god\/)\n- [CHAPTER 2 The Bible—A Book From God](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/the-bible-a-book-from-god\/)\n- [CHAPTER 3 What Is God’s Purpose for Humans?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/gods-promises-for-humans\/)\n- [CHAPTER 4 Who Is Jesus Christ?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/who-is-jesus-christ\/)\n- [CHAPTER 5 The Ransom—God’s Greatest Gift](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/meaning-jesus-ransom-sacrifice\/)\n- [CHAPTER 6 Where Do We Go When We Die?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/what-happens-when-we-die\/)\n- [CHAPTER 7 There Will Be a Resurrection\\!](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/there-will-be-a-resurrection\/)\n- [CHAPTER 8 What Is God’s Kingdom?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/what-is-gods-kingdom\/)\n- [CHAPTER 9 Is the End of the World Near?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/end-of-the-world\/)\n- [CHAPTER 10 The Truth About the Angels](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/angels-in-the-bible\/)\n- [CHAPTER 11 Why So Much Suffering?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/why-does-god-allow-suffering\/)\n- [CHAPTER 12 How Can You Become God’s Friend?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/friend-of-god\/)\n- [CHAPTER 13 Respect the Gift of Life](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/respect-gods-gift-of-life-blood\/)\n- [CHAPTER 14 Your Family Can Be Happy](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/how-to-have-a-happy-family\/)\n- [CHAPTER 15 The Right Way to Worship God](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/how-to-worship-god\/)\n- [CHAPTER 16 Choose to Worship God](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/choose-to-worship-god\/)\n- [CHAPTER 17 The Privilege of Prayer](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/how-to-pray-to-god\/)\n- [CHAPTER 18 Should I Dedicate My Life to God and Be Baptized?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/what-is-baptism\/)\n- [CHAPTER 19 Stay Close to Jehovah](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/personal-relationship-with-god\/)\n- [Endnotes](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/glossary\/)\n\n##### JW.ORG® **\/ OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES**\nAppearance Settings\n\n###### [Bible Teachings](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/bible-teachings\/)\n- [Bible Questions Answered](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/bible-teachings\/questions\/)\n- [Bible Verses Explained](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/bible-teachings\/bible-verses\/)\n- [Bible Study Course](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/bible-teachings\/guided-bible-study-course\/)\n- [Bible Study Tools](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/bible-teachings\/bible-study-tools\/)\n- [Peace & Happiness](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/bible-teachings\/peace-happiness\/)\n- [Marriage & Family](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/bible-teachings\/family\/)\n- [Teens & Young 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[TERMS OF USE](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/open?docid=1011511&prefer=content) \\| [PRIVACY POLICY](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/open?docid=1011512&prefer=content) \\| [PRIVACY SETTINGS](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/open?docid=1011512&prefer=content)\n\n# Select Your Language\nLanguages:\n\n# Share\n![]()\n\n###\n\nCopied\n\nCopy Link\n\n[Share Via Email]()","attrs_readable_markdown":"1-3. What questions do people ask about death, and how do some religions answer them?\n\nTHE Bible promises us that one day “death will be no more.” ([Revelation 21:4](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/revelation\/21\/#v66021004)) In [Chapter 5](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/meaning-jesus-ransom-sacrifice\/), we learned that the ransom makes it possible for us to have everlasting life. But people still die. ([Ecclesiastes 9:5](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/ecclesiastes\/9\/#v21009005)) So one of the big questions we ask is, What happens to us when we die?\n\n**2** The answer to that question is especially important when someone we love dies. We may wonder: ‘Where has he gone? Is he watching us? Can he help us? Will we ever see him again?’\n\n**3** Religions answer those questions in different ways. Some teach that if you are a good person, you go to heaven and that if you are a bad person, you burn in hell. Some say that when you die you become a spirit and live with your family members who have already died. And others say that after you have died and are judged, you will be reborn, or come back to life with a different body, perhaps as another person or even an animal.\n\n4\\. What basic idea do religions teach about death?\n\n**4** Religions seem to teach very different things. But almost all of them teach one basic idea. They teach that when a human dies, a part of him keeps on living. Is that true?\n\n5, 6. What happens to us when we die?\n\n**5** Jehovah knows what happens to us when we die, and he has told us that **when a person dies, his life ends.** Death is the opposite of life. So when someone dies, his feelings and memories **do not** keep on living somewhere else. [a](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/what-happens-when-we-die\/#footnote1) When we die we can’t see, we can’t hear, and we can’t think anymore.\n\n**6** King Solomon wrote that “the dead know **nothing at all.”** The dead cannot love or hate, and “there is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave.” **(Read** [**Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6,**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/ecclesiastes\/9\/#v21009005-v21009006) [**10**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/ecclesiastes\/9\/#v21009010)**.)** And at [Psalm 146:4](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/psalms\/146\/#v19146004), the Bible tells us that when someone dies, “his thoughts” die.\n\n[![A husband and wife sit in a garden and admire a flower](https:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/1102015146\/univ\/art\/1102015146_univ_cnt_1_md.jpg)](https:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/1102015146\/univ\/art\/1102015146_univ_cnt_1_xl.jpg)\n\nJehovah created humans to live forever on earth\n\n7\\. What did Jesus say about death?\n\n**7** When his good friend Lazarus died, Jesus said to his disciples: “Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep.” But Jesus didn’t mean that Lazarus was resting. Jesus further said: “Lazarus has died.” ([John 11:11-14](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/john\/11\/#v43011011-v43011014)) So Jesus compared death to sleep. He didn’t say that Lazarus was in heaven or with his family members who had died. And he didn’t say that Lazarus was suffering in hell or being [reborn as another human or an animal](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/magazines\/wp20121201\/have-you-lived-before\/). No, it was as if Lazarus were in a deep sleep. Other scriptures compare death to a deep sleep. The Bible says that when Stephen was killed, “he fell asleep in death.” ([Acts 7:60](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/acts\/7\/#v44007060)) The apostle Paul also wrote that some Christians had “fallen asleep in death.”—[1 Corinthians 15:6](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/1-corinthians\/15\/#v46015006).\n\n8\\. How do we know that God did not create humans to die?\n\n**8** Did God create Adam and Eve so that they would eventually die? No! Jehovah created them to enjoy life forever with perfect health. When Jehovah made humans, he gave them the desire to live forever. ([Ecclesiastes 3:11](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/ecclesiastes\/3\/#v21003011)) Parents do not want to see their children grow old and die, and Jehovah feels the same way about us. But if God created us to live forever, why do we die?\n\n9\\. Why was the command that Jehovah gave to Adam and Eve reasonable?\n\n**9** In the garden of Eden, Jehovah told Adam: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die.” ([Genesis 2:9,](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/genesis\/2\/#v1002009) [16, 17](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/genesis\/2\/#v1002016-v1002017)) That clear command was not difficult to obey, and Jehovah had the right to tell Adam and Eve what is good and what is bad. By obeying Jehovah, they would show him that they respected his authority. They would also show him just how thankful they were for everything he had given them.\n\n10, 11. (a) How did Satan mislead Adam and Eve? (b) Why is there no excuse for what Adam and Eve did?\n\n**10** Sadly, Adam and Eve chose to disobey Jehovah. Satan said to Eve: “Did God really say that you must not eat from every tree of the garden?” Eve replied: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But God has said about the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden: ‘You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it; otherwise you will die.’”—[Genesis 3:1-3](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/genesis\/3\/#v1003001-v1003003).\n\n**11** Then Satan said: “You certainly will not die. For God knows that in the very day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and bad.” ([Genesis 3:4-6](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/genesis\/3\/#v1003004-v1003006)) Satan wanted Eve to think that she could decide for herself what was good and what was bad. At the same time, he lied about what would happen if she disobeyed. Satan said that Eve wouldn’t die, so Eve ate some of the fruit and then gave some to her husband. Adam and Eve knew that Jehovah had told them **not** to eat the fruit. When they ate it, they chose to disobey a clear and reasonable command. By eating, they showed that they did not respect their loving heavenly Father. There is no excuse for what they did\\!\n\n12\\. Why is it so disappointing that Adam and Eve disobeyed Jehovah?\n\n**12** How disappointing that our first parents had such disrespect for their Creator! How would you feel if you worked hard to raise a son and a daughter and then they rebelled against you and did the opposite of what you asked them to do? Wouldn’t it break your heart?\n\n[![Adam at the time of creation](https:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/1102015146\/univ\/art\/1102015146_univ_cnt_2_md.jpg)](https:\/\/cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org\/img\/p\/1102015146\/univ\/art\/1102015146_univ_cnt_2_xl.jpg)\n\nAdam came from the dust, and he returned to the dust\n\n13\\. What did Jehovah mean when he said “to dust you will return”?\n\n**13** When they disobeyed, Adam and Eve lost the opportunity to live forever. Jehovah had told Adam: “For dust you are and to dust you will return.” **(Read** [**Genesis 3:19**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/genesis\/3\/#v1003019)**.)** That meant that Adam would become dust again, as if he had never been created. ([Genesis 2:7](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/genesis\/2\/#v1002007)) After Adam sinned, he died and no longer existed.\n\n14\\. Why do we die?\n\n**14** If Adam and Eve had obeyed God, they would still be alive today. But when they disobeyed him, they sinned, and eventually they died. Sin is like a terrible disease that we have inherited from our first parents. All of us are born as sinners, and that is why we die. ([Romans 5:12](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/romans\/5\/#v45005012)) But that is not God’s purpose for humans. God never wanted humans to die, and the Bible calls death an “enemy.”—[1 Corinthians 15:26](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/1-corinthians\/15\/#v46015026).\n\n15\\. How does the truth about death set us free?\n\n**15** The truth about death sets us free from many wrong ideas. The Bible teaches us that the dead don’t feel pain or sadness. We can’t speak to them, and they can’t speak to us. We can’t help the dead, and the dead can’t help us. They can’t harm us, so we don’t need to be afraid of them. However, many religions tell us that the dead are alive somewhere and that we can help them if we pay money to priests or those viewed as holy men. But when we know the truth about death, we are not fooled by those lies.\n\n16\\. What lie do many religions teach about the dead?\n\n**16** Satan uses false religion to lie to us and make us think that the dead are still alive. For example, some religions teach that when we die, a [part of us keeps on living](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/magazines\/wp20091101\/myth-the-soul-is-immortal\/) somewhere else. Does your religion teach you that, or does it teach you what the Bible says about the dead? Satan uses lies to turn people away from Jehovah.\n\n17\\. Why does the idea of people burning in hell insult Jehovah?\n\n**17** What many religions teach is shocking. For example, some teach that bad people will [burn forever in hell](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/magazines\/wp20091101\/myth-the-wicked-suffer-in-hell\/). That lie is an insult to Jehovah. He would never allow people to suffer that way! **(Read** [**1 John 4:8**](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/1-john\/4\/#v62004008)**.)** How would you feel about someone who punishes a child by burning the child’s hands in a fire? You would think he is very cruel. You would not want to get to know him. And that is exactly how Satan wants us to feel about Jehovah\\!\n\n18\\. Why shouldn’t we fear the dead?\n\n**18** Some religions tell us that when people die, [they become spirits](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/magazines\/wp20091101\/myth-all-good-people-go-to-heaven\/). Such religions teach that we must respect and even be afraid of those spirits because they can become either powerful friends or terrible enemies. Many people believe that lie. They fear the dead, so they worship them instead of Jehovah. Remember that the dead cannot feel or sense anything, so we don’t have to be afraid of them. Jehovah is our Creator. He is the true God, and we should worship only him.—[Revelation 4:11](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/revelation\/4\/#v66004011).\n\n19\\. How does knowing the truth about death help us?\n\n**19** When we know the truth about death, we are set free from religious lies. And this truth helps us to understand the wonderful promises that Jehovah has made about our life and our future.\n\n20\\. What will we learn in the [next chapter](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/there-will-be-a-resurrection\/)?\n\n**20** A long time ago, a servant of God named Job asked: “If a man dies, can he live again?” ([Job 14:14](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/bible\/study-bible\/books\/job\/14\/#v18014014)) [Is it really possible for a person who is dead to live again?](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/library\/books\/bible-study\/there-will-be-a-resurrection\/) The answer God gives us in the Bible is very exciting. We will see it in the next chapter.","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	1-3. What questions do people ask about death, and how do some religions answer them? THE Bible promises us that one day “death will be no more.” ( Revelation 21:4 ) In Chapter 5 , we learned that the ransom makes it possible for us to have everlasting life. But people still die. ( Ecclesiastes 9:5 ) So one of the big questions we ask is, What happens to us when we die? 2 The answer to that question is especially important when someone we love dies. We may wonder: ‘Where has he gone? Is he watching us? Can he help us? Will we ever see him again?’ 3 Religions answer those questions in different ways. Some teach that if you are a good person, you go to heaven and that if you are a bad person, you burn in hell. Some say that when you die you become a spirit and live with your family members who have already died. And others say that after you have died and are judged, you will be reborn, or come back to life with a different body, perhaps as another person or even an animal. 4. What basic idea do religions teach about death? 4 Religions seem to teach very different things. But almost all of them teach one basic idea. They teach that when a human dies, a part of him keeps on living. Is that true? 5, 6. What happens to us when we die? 5 Jehovah knows what happens to us when we die, and he has told us that when a person dies, his life ends. Death is the opposite of life. So when someone dies, his feelings and memories do not keep on living somewhere else. a When we die we can’t see, we can’t hear, and we can’t think anymore. 6 King Solomon wrote that “the dead know nothing at all.” The dead cannot love or hate, and “there is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave.” (Read Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10 .) And at Psalm 146:4 , the Bible tells us that when someone dies, “his thoughts” die. Jehovah created humans to live forever on earth 7. What did Jesus say about death? 7 When his good friend Lazarus died, Jesus said to his disciples: “Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep.” But Jesus didn’t mean that Lazarus was resting. Jesus further said: “Lazarus has died.” ( John 11:11-14 ) So Jesus compared death to sleep. He didn’t say that Lazarus was in heaven or with his family members who had died. And he didn’t say that Lazarus was suffering in hell or being reborn as another human or an animal . No, it was as if Lazarus were in a deep sleep. Other scriptures compare death to a deep sleep. The Bible says that when Stephen was killed, “he fell asleep in death.” ( Acts 7:60 ) The apostle Paul also wrote that some Christians had “fallen asleep in death.”— 1 Corinthians 15:6 . 8. How do we know that God did not create humans to die? 8 Did God create Adam and Eve so that they would eventually die? No! Jehovah created them to enjoy life forever with perfect health. When Jehovah made humans, he gave them the desire to live forever. ( Ecclesiastes 3:11 ) Parents do not want to see their children grow old and die, and Jehovah feels the same way about us. But if God created us to live forever, why do we die? 9. Why was the command that Jehovah gave to Adam and Eve reasonable? 9 In the garden of Eden, Jehovah told Adam: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die.” ( Genesis 2:9, 16, 17 ) That clear command was not difficult to obey, and Jehovah had the right to tell Adam and Eve what is good and what is bad. By obeying Jehovah, they would show him that they respected his authority. They would also show him just how thankful they were for everything he had given them. 10, 11. (a) How did Satan mislead Adam and Eve? (b) Why is there no excuse for what Adam and Eve did? 10 Sadly, Adam and Eve chose to disobey Jehovah. Satan said to Eve: “Did God really say that you must not eat from every tree of the garden?” Eve replied: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But God has said about the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden: ‘You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it; otherwise you will die.’”— Genesis 3:1-3 . 11 Then Satan said: “You certainly will not die. For God knows that in the very day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and bad.” ( Genesis 3:4-6 ) Satan wanted Eve to think that she could decide for herself what was good and what was bad. At the same time, he lied about what would happen if she disobeyed. Satan said that Eve wouldn’t die, so Eve ate some of the fruit and then gave some to her husband. Adam and Eve knew that Jehovah had told them not to eat the fruit. When they ate it, they chose to disobey a clear and reasonable command. By eating, they showed that they did not respect their loving heavenly Father. There is no excuse for what they did! 12. Why is it so disappointing that Adam and Eve disobeyed Jehovah? 12 How disappointing that our first parents had such disrespect for their Creator! How would you feel if you worked hard to raise a son and a daughter and then they rebelled against you and did the opposite of what you asked them to do? Wouldn’t it break your heart? Adam came from the dust, and he returned to the dust 13. What did Jehovah mean when he said “to dust you will return”? 13 When they disobeyed, Adam and Eve lost the opportunity to live forever. Jehovah had told Adam: “For dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Read Genesis 3:19 .) That meant that Adam would become dust again, as if he had never been created. ( Genesis 2:7 ) After Adam sinned, he died and no longer existed. 14. Why do we die? 14 If Adam and Eve had obeyed God, they would still be alive today. But when they disobeyed him, they sinned, and eventually they died. Sin is like a terrible disease that we have inherited from our first parents. All of us are born as sinners, and that is why we die. ( Romans 5:12 ) But that is not God’s purpose for humans. God never wanted humans to die, and the Bible calls death an “enemy.”— 1 Corinthians 15:26 . 15. How does the truth about death set us free? 15 The truth about death sets us free from many wrong ideas. The Bible teaches us that the dead don’t feel pain or sadness. We can’t speak to them, and they can’t speak to us. We can’t help the dead, and the dead can’t help us. They can’t harm us, so we don’t need to be afraid of them. However, many religions tell us that the dead are alive somewhere and that we can help them if we pay money to priests or those viewed as holy men. But when we know the truth about death, we are not fooled by those lies. 16. What lie do many religions teach about the dead? 16 Satan uses false religion to lie to us and make us think that the dead are still alive. For example, some religions teach that when we die, a part of us keeps on living somewhere else. Does your religion teach you that, or does it teach you what the Bible says about the dead? Satan uses lies to turn people away from Jehovah. 17. Why does the idea of people burning in hell insult Jehovah? 17 What many religions teach is shocking. For example, some teach that bad people will burn forever in hell . That lie is an insult to Jehovah. He would never allow people to suffer that way! (Read 1 John 4:8 .) How would you feel about someone who punishes a child by burning the child’s hands in a fire? You would think he is very cruel. You would not want to get to know him. And that is exactly how Satan wants us to feel about Jehovah! 18. Why shouldn’t we fear the dead? 18 Some religions tell us that when people die, they become spirits . Such religions teach that we must respect and even be afraid of those spirits because they can become either powerful friends or terrible enemies. Many people believe that lie. They fear the dead, so they worship them instead of Jehovah. Remember that the dead cannot feel or sense anything, so we don’t have to be afraid of them. Jehovah is our Creator. He is the true God, and we should worship only him.— Revelation 4:11 . 19. How does knowing the truth about death help us? 19 When we know the truth about death, we are set free from religious lies. And this truth helps us to understand the wonderful promises that Jehovah has made about our life and our future. 20. What will we learn in the next chapter ? 20 A long time ago, a servant of God named Job asked: “If a man dies, can he live again?” ( Job 14:14 ) Is it really possible for a person who is dead to live again? The answer God gives us in the Bible is very exciting. We will see it in the next chapter.
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CLOSE 1. [Library](https://www.jw.org/en/library/ "Library") 2. [Books](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/ "Books") 3. [What Can the Bible Teach Us?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/ "What Can the Bible Teach Us?") 4. Where Do We Go When We Die? Would you like to read this article in %%? Yes No CHAPTER SIX # Where Do We Go When We Die? PLAY Media is loading Play video CHAPTER 06—Where Do We Go When We Die? Loaded: 0% Current time 0:00 / Duration \-:- Play Back 5 seconds Forward 15 seconds Previous Next Mute Settings Close This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Back Speed Close - 2x - 1\.8x - 1\.6x - 1\.4x - 1\.2x - 1\.1x - 1x · Normal, selected - 0\.9x - 0\.8x - 0\.7x - 0\.6x Back Settings Close - Share - Speed 1x · Normal - Cast - Download - AirPlay Where Do We Go When We Die? 1-3. What questions do people ask about death, and how do some religions answer them? THE Bible promises us that one day “death will be no more.” ([Revelation 21:4](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/revelation/21/#v66021004)) In [Chapter 5](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/meaning-jesus-ransom-sacrifice/), we learned that the ransom makes it possible for us to have everlasting life. But people still die. ([Ecclesiastes 9:5](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ecclesiastes/9/#v21009005)) So one of the big questions we ask is, What happens to us when we die? 2 The answer to that question is especially important when someone we love dies. We may wonder: ‘Where has he gone? Is he watching us? Can he help us? Will we ever see him again?’ 3 Religions answer those questions in different ways. Some teach that if you are a good person, you go to heaven and that if you are a bad person, you burn in hell. Some say that when you die you become a spirit and live with your family members who have already died. And others say that after you have died and are judged, you will be reborn, or come back to life with a different body, perhaps as another person or even an animal. 4\. What basic idea do religions teach about death? 4 Religions seem to teach very different things. But almost all of them teach one basic idea. They teach that when a human dies, a part of him keeps on living. Is that true? ## WHERE DO WE GO WHEN WE DIE? 5, 6. What happens to us when we die? 5 Jehovah knows what happens to us when we die, and he has told us that when a person dies, his life ends. Death is the opposite of life. So when someone dies, his feelings and memories do not keep on living somewhere else. [a](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/what-happens-when-we-die/#footnote1) When we die we can’t see, we can’t hear, and we can’t think anymore. 6 King Solomon wrote that “the dead know nothing at all.” The dead cannot love or hate, and “there is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave.” (Read [Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6,](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ecclesiastes/9/#v21009005-v21009006) [10](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ecclesiastes/9/#v21009010).) And at [Psalm 146:4](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/psalms/146/#v19146004), the Bible tells us that when someone dies, “his thoughts” die. ## WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT DEATH [![A husband and wife sit in a garden and admire a flower](https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/1102015146/univ/art/1102015146_univ_cnt_1_md.jpg)](https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/1102015146/univ/art/1102015146_univ_cnt_1_xl.jpg) Jehovah created humans to live forever on earth 7\. What did Jesus say about death? 7 When his good friend Lazarus died, Jesus said to his disciples: “Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep.” But Jesus didn’t mean that Lazarus was resting. Jesus further said: “Lazarus has died.” ([John 11:11-14](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/john/11/#v43011011-v43011014)) So Jesus compared death to sleep. He didn’t say that Lazarus was in heaven or with his family members who had died. And he didn’t say that Lazarus was suffering in hell or being [reborn as another human or an animal](https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/wp20121201/have-you-lived-before/). No, it was as if Lazarus were in a deep sleep. Other scriptures compare death to a deep sleep. The Bible says that when Stephen was killed, “he fell asleep in death.” ([Acts 7:60](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/acts/7/#v44007060)) The apostle Paul also wrote that some Christians had “fallen asleep in death.”—[1 Corinthians 15:6](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/1-corinthians/15/#v46015006). 8\. How do we know that God did not create humans to die? 8 Did God create Adam and Eve so that they would eventually die? No! Jehovah created them to enjoy life forever with perfect health. When Jehovah made humans, he gave them the desire to live forever. ([Ecclesiastes 3:11](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ecclesiastes/3/#v21003011)) Parents do not want to see their children grow old and die, and Jehovah feels the same way about us. But if God created us to live forever, why do we die? ## WHY DO WE DIE? 9\. Why was the command that Jehovah gave to Adam and Eve reasonable? 9 In the garden of Eden, Jehovah told Adam: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die.” ([Genesis 2:9,](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/genesis/2/#v1002009) [16, 17](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/genesis/2/#v1002016-v1002017)) That clear command was not difficult to obey, and Jehovah had the right to tell Adam and Eve what is good and what is bad. By obeying Jehovah, they would show him that they respected his authority. They would also show him just how thankful they were for everything he had given them. 10, 11. (a) How did Satan mislead Adam and Eve? (b) Why is there no excuse for what Adam and Eve did? 10 Sadly, Adam and Eve chose to disobey Jehovah. Satan said to Eve: “Did God really say that you must not eat from every tree of the garden?” Eve replied: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But God has said about the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden: ‘You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it; otherwise you will die.’”—[Genesis 3:1-3](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/genesis/3/#v1003001-v1003003). 11 Then Satan said: “You certainly will not die. For God knows that in the very day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and bad.” ([Genesis 3:4-6](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/genesis/3/#v1003004-v1003006)) Satan wanted Eve to think that she could decide for herself what was good and what was bad. At the same time, he lied about what would happen if she disobeyed. Satan said that Eve wouldn’t die, so Eve ate some of the fruit and then gave some to her husband. Adam and Eve knew that Jehovah had told them not to eat the fruit. When they ate it, they chose to disobey a clear and reasonable command. By eating, they showed that they did not respect their loving heavenly Father. There is no excuse for what they did\! 12\. Why is it so disappointing that Adam and Eve disobeyed Jehovah? 12 How disappointing that our first parents had such disrespect for their Creator! How would you feel if you worked hard to raise a son and a daughter and then they rebelled against you and did the opposite of what you asked them to do? Wouldn’t it break your heart? [![Adam at the time of creation](https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/1102015146/univ/art/1102015146_univ_cnt_2_md.jpg)](https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/1102015146/univ/art/1102015146_univ_cnt_2_xl.jpg) Adam came from the dust, and he returned to the dust 13\. What did Jehovah mean when he said “to dust you will return”? 13 When they disobeyed, Adam and Eve lost the opportunity to live forever. Jehovah had told Adam: “For dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Read [Genesis 3:19](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/genesis/3/#v1003019).) That meant that Adam would become dust again, as if he had never been created. ([Genesis 2:7](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/genesis/2/#v1002007)) After Adam sinned, he died and no longer existed. 14\. Why do we die? 14 If Adam and Eve had obeyed God, they would still be alive today. But when they disobeyed him, they sinned, and eventually they died. Sin is like a terrible disease that we have inherited from our first parents. All of us are born as sinners, and that is why we die. ([Romans 5:12](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/romans/5/#v45005012)) But that is not God’s purpose for humans. God never wanted humans to die, and the Bible calls death an “enemy.”—[1 Corinthians 15:26](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/1-corinthians/15/#v46015026). ## THE TRUTH SETS US FREE 15\. How does the truth about death set us free? 15 The truth about death sets us free from many wrong ideas. The Bible teaches us that the dead don’t feel pain or sadness. We can’t speak to them, and they can’t speak to us. We can’t help the dead, and the dead can’t help us. They can’t harm us, so we don’t need to be afraid of them. However, many religions tell us that the dead are alive somewhere and that we can help them if we pay money to priests or those viewed as holy men. But when we know the truth about death, we are not fooled by those lies. 16\. What lie do many religions teach about the dead? 16 Satan uses false religion to lie to us and make us think that the dead are still alive. For example, some religions teach that when we die, a [part of us keeps on living](https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/wp20091101/myth-the-soul-is-immortal/) somewhere else. Does your religion teach you that, or does it teach you what the Bible says about the dead? Satan uses lies to turn people away from Jehovah. 17\. Why does the idea of people burning in hell insult Jehovah? 17 What many religions teach is shocking. For example, some teach that bad people will [burn forever in hell](https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/wp20091101/myth-the-wicked-suffer-in-hell/). That lie is an insult to Jehovah. He would never allow people to suffer that way! (Read [1 John 4:8](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/1-john/4/#v62004008).) How would you feel about someone who punishes a child by burning the child’s hands in a fire? You would think he is very cruel. You would not want to get to know him. And that is exactly how Satan wants us to feel about Jehovah\! 18\. Why shouldn’t we fear the dead? 18 Some religions tell us that when people die, [they become spirits](https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/wp20091101/myth-all-good-people-go-to-heaven/). Such religions teach that we must respect and even be afraid of those spirits because they can become either powerful friends or terrible enemies. Many people believe that lie. They fear the dead, so they worship them instead of Jehovah. Remember that the dead cannot feel or sense anything, so we don’t have to be afraid of them. Jehovah is our Creator. He is the true God, and we should worship only him.—[Revelation 4:11](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/revelation/4/#v66004011). 19\. How does knowing the truth about death help us? 19 When we know the truth about death, we are set free from religious lies. And this truth helps us to understand the wonderful promises that Jehovah has made about our life and our future. 20\. What will we learn in the [next chapter](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/there-will-be-a-resurrection/)? 20 A long time ago, a servant of God named Job asked: “If a man dies, can he live again?” ([Job 14:14](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/job/14/#v18014014)) [Is it really possible for a person who is dead to live again?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/there-will-be-a-resurrection/) The answer God gives us in the Bible is very exciting. We will see it in the next chapter. [a](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/what-happens-when-we-die/#footnotesource1) Some people believe that a soul or spirit keeps living after someone dies. For more information, see [Endnotes 17 and 18](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/glossary/#p57-p66). ## SUMMARY ## TRUTH 1: WHEN A PERSON DIES, HIS LIFE ENDS “The dead know nothing at all.”—[Ecclesiastes 9:5](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ecclesiastes/9/#v21009005) What happens to us when we die? - [Psalm 146:3, 4;](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/psalms/146/#v19146003-v19146004) [Ecclesiastes 9:6,](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ecclesiastes/9/#v21009006) [10](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ecclesiastes/9/#v21009010) When we die we cannot see, we cannot hear, and we cannot think. - [John 11:11-14](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/john/11/#v43011011-v43011014) Jesus compared death to sleep. ## TRUTH 2: JEHOVAH NEVER WANTED HUMANS TO DIE “As for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die.”—[Genesis 2:17](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/genesis/2/#v1002017) Why do we die? - [Genesis 3:1-6](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/genesis/3/#v1003001-v1003006) Satan lied about what would happen to Eve if she disobeyed God’s command. When Adam and Eve disobeyed Jehovah, they sinned and eventually died. - [Genesis 3:19](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/genesis/3/#v1003019) After Adam died, he no longer existed. - [Romans 5:12](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/romans/5/#v45005012) Sin is like a terrible disease that we have inherited from our first parents. We are all born as sinners, and that is why we die. - [1 Corinthians 15:26](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/1-corinthians/15/#v46015026) The Bible calls death an enemy. ## TRUTH 3: THE TRUTH ABOUT DEATH SETS US FREE “If a man dies, can he live again? I will wait . . . until my relief comes.”—[Job 14:14](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/job/14/#v18014014) How does knowing the truth about death set us free from wrong ideas? - [1 John 4:8](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/1-john/4/#v62004008) The teaching of hellfire is an insult to Jehovah. He would never allow people to suffer that way. - [Revelation 4:11](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/revelation/4/#v66004011) Many people fear the dead, so they fear and worship them instead of Jehovah. Jehovah is the true God, and we should worship only him. [Previous](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/meaning-jesus-ransom-sacrifice/ "The Ransom—God’s Greatest Gift") [Next](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/there-will-be-a-resurrection/ "There Will Be a Resurrection!") ## Study Guides [![](https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/502015174/univ/art/502015174_univ_sqs_lg.jpg)](https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/teenagers/study-guides/where-are-the-dead-part-1/) ### [Where Are the Dead? (Part 1)](https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/teenagers/study-guides/where-are-the-dead-part-1/) [Download](webpubdl://?docid=502015174&track=1&fileformat=PDF) [![](https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/502015182/univ/art/502015182_univ_sqs_lg.jpg)](https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/teenagers/study-guides/where-are-the-dead-part-2/) ### [Where Are the Dead? (Part 2)](https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/teenagers/study-guides/where-are-the-dead-part-2/) [Download](webpubdl://?docid=502015182&track=1&fileformat=PDF) ## You May Also Like [![](https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/2013927/univ/art/2013927_univ_sqs_lg.jpg)](https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/w20131215/facing-loss-of-mate/) THE WATCHTOWER—STUDY EDITION ### [Facing the Loss of Your Mate](https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/w20131215/facing-loss-of-mate/) The pain of losing a mate is both cruel and long lasting. Consider how the resurrection hope in God’s Word is a source of comfort. [![A father having a conversation with his young son](https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/102015047/univ/art/102015047_univ_sqs_lg.jpg)](https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/g201502/child-asks-about-death/) AWAKE\! ### [When Your Child Asks About Death](https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/g201502/child-asks-about-death/) Four steps can help you answer their questions and show them how to cope with the loss of a loved one. [![Lazarus is resurrected from death and called out from the burial tomb by Jesus.](https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/2014004/univ/art/2014004_univ_sqs_lg.jpg)](https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/wp20140101/death-is-not-the-end/) THE WATCHTOWER ### [Death Does Not End It All\!](https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/wp20140101/death-is-not-the-end/) Why did Jesus compare death to sleep? What can we learn from resurrections recorded in the Bible? Print Share Share Where Do We Go When We Die? WHAT CAN THE BIBLE TEACH US? ### [Where Do We Go When We Die?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/what-happens-when-we-die/) English Where Do We Go When We Die? https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/1102015146/univ/art/1102015146\_univ\_sqr\_xl.jpg bhs chap. 6 pp. 62-70 Show Table of Contents [Previous](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/meaning-jesus-ransom-sacrifice/ "The Ransom—God’s Greatest Gift") ##### [TABLE OF CONTENTS](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/ "What Can the Bible Teach Us?") [Next](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/there-will-be-a-resurrection/ "There Will Be a Resurrection!") - [What Is God’s Purpose for Us?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/gods-purpose-for-us/) - [CHAPTER 1 Who Is God?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/who-is-god/) - [CHAPTER 2 The Bible—A Book From God](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/the-bible-a-book-from-god/) - [CHAPTER 3 What Is God’s Purpose for Humans?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/gods-promises-for-humans/) - [CHAPTER 4 Who Is Jesus Christ?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/who-is-jesus-christ/) - [CHAPTER 5 The Ransom—God’s Greatest Gift](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/meaning-jesus-ransom-sacrifice/) - [CHAPTER 6 Where Do We Go When We Die?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/what-happens-when-we-die/) - [CHAPTER 7 There Will Be a Resurrection\!](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/there-will-be-a-resurrection/) - [CHAPTER 8 What Is God’s Kingdom?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/what-is-gods-kingdom/) - [CHAPTER 9 Is the End of the World Near?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/end-of-the-world/) - [CHAPTER 10 The Truth About the Angels](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/angels-in-the-bible/) - [CHAPTER 11 Why So Much Suffering?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/why-does-god-allow-suffering/) - [CHAPTER 12 How Can You Become God’s Friend?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/friend-of-god/) - [CHAPTER 13 Respect the Gift of Life](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/respect-gods-gift-of-life-blood/) - [CHAPTER 14 Your Family Can Be Happy](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/how-to-have-a-happy-family/) - [CHAPTER 15 The Right Way to Worship God](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/how-to-worship-god/) - [CHAPTER 16 Choose to Worship God](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/choose-to-worship-god/) - [CHAPTER 17 The Privilege of Prayer](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/how-to-pray-to-god/) - [CHAPTER 18 Should I Dedicate My Life to God and Be Baptized?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/what-is-baptism/) - [CHAPTER 19 Stay Close to Jehovah](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/personal-relationship-with-god/) - [Endnotes](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/glossary/) ![What Can the Bible Teach Us?](https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/bhs/E/pt/bhs_E_lg.jpg) ![What Can the Bible Teach Us?](https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/bhs/E/pt/bhs_E_lg.jpg) ##### DOWNLOAD OPTIONS Where Do We Go When We Die? 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[Next](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/there-will-be-a-resurrection/ "There Will Be a Resurrection!") - [What Is God’s Purpose for Us?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/gods-purpose-for-us/) - [CHAPTER 1 Who Is God?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/who-is-god/) - [CHAPTER 2 The Bible—A Book From God](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/the-bible-a-book-from-god/) - [CHAPTER 3 What Is God’s Purpose for Humans?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/gods-promises-for-humans/) - [CHAPTER 4 Who Is Jesus Christ?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/who-is-jesus-christ/) - [CHAPTER 5 The Ransom—God’s Greatest Gift](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/meaning-jesus-ransom-sacrifice/) - [CHAPTER 6 Where Do We Go When We Die?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/what-happens-when-we-die/) - [CHAPTER 7 There Will Be a Resurrection\!](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/there-will-be-a-resurrection/) - [CHAPTER 8 What Is God’s Kingdom?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/what-is-gods-kingdom/) - [CHAPTER 9 Is the End of the World Near?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/end-of-the-world/) - [CHAPTER 10 The Truth About the Angels](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/angels-in-the-bible/) - [CHAPTER 11 Why So Much Suffering?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/why-does-god-allow-suffering/) - [CHAPTER 12 How Can You Become God’s Friend?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/friend-of-god/) - [CHAPTER 13 Respect the Gift of Life](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/respect-gods-gift-of-life-blood/) - [CHAPTER 14 Your Family Can Be Happy](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/how-to-have-a-happy-family/) - [CHAPTER 15 The Right Way to Worship God](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/how-to-worship-god/) - [CHAPTER 16 Choose to Worship God](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/choose-to-worship-god/) - [CHAPTER 17 The Privilege of Prayer](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/how-to-pray-to-god/) - [CHAPTER 18 Should I Dedicate My Life to God and Be Baptized?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/what-is-baptism/) - [CHAPTER 19 Stay Close to Jehovah](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/personal-relationship-with-god/) - [Endnotes](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/glossary/) ##### JW.ORG® / OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES Appearance Settings ###### [Bible Teachings](https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/) - [Bible Questions Answered](https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/) - [Bible Verses Explained](https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/bible-verses/) - [Bible Study Course](https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/guided-bible-study-course/) - [Bible Study Tools](https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/bible-study-tools/) - [Peace & Happiness](https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/peace-happiness/) - [Marriage & Family](https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/family/) - 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Readable Markdown	1-3. What questions do people ask about death, and how do some religions answer them? THE Bible promises us that one day “death will be no more.” ([Revelation 21:4](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/revelation/21/#v66021004)) In [Chapter 5](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/meaning-jesus-ransom-sacrifice/), we learned that the ransom makes it possible for us to have everlasting life. But people still die. ([Ecclesiastes 9:5](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ecclesiastes/9/#v21009005)) So one of the big questions we ask is, What happens to us when we die? 2 The answer to that question is especially important when someone we love dies. We may wonder: ‘Where has he gone? Is he watching us? Can he help us? Will we ever see him again?’ 3 Religions answer those questions in different ways. Some teach that if you are a good person, you go to heaven and that if you are a bad person, you burn in hell. Some say that when you die you become a spirit and live with your family members who have already died. And others say that after you have died and are judged, you will be reborn, or come back to life with a different body, perhaps as another person or even an animal. 4\. What basic idea do religions teach about death? 4 Religions seem to teach very different things. But almost all of them teach one basic idea. They teach that when a human dies, a part of him keeps on living. Is that true? 5, 6. What happens to us when we die? 5 Jehovah knows what happens to us when we die, and he has told us that when a person dies, his life ends. Death is the opposite of life. So when someone dies, his feelings and memories do not keep on living somewhere else. [a](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/what-happens-when-we-die/#footnote1) When we die we can’t see, we can’t hear, and we can’t think anymore. 6 King Solomon wrote that “the dead know nothing at all.” The dead cannot love or hate, and “there is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave.” (Read [Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6,](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ecclesiastes/9/#v21009005-v21009006) [10](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ecclesiastes/9/#v21009010).) And at [Psalm 146:4](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/psalms/146/#v19146004), the Bible tells us that when someone dies, “his thoughts” die. [![A husband and wife sit in a garden and admire a flower](https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/1102015146/univ/art/1102015146_univ_cnt_1_md.jpg)](https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/1102015146/univ/art/1102015146_univ_cnt_1_xl.jpg) Jehovah created humans to live forever on earth 7\. What did Jesus say about death? 7 When his good friend Lazarus died, Jesus said to his disciples: “Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep.” But Jesus didn’t mean that Lazarus was resting. Jesus further said: “Lazarus has died.” ([John 11:11-14](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/john/11/#v43011011-v43011014)) So Jesus compared death to sleep. He didn’t say that Lazarus was in heaven or with his family members who had died. And he didn’t say that Lazarus was suffering in hell or being [reborn as another human or an animal](https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/wp20121201/have-you-lived-before/). No, it was as if Lazarus were in a deep sleep. Other scriptures compare death to a deep sleep. The Bible says that when Stephen was killed, “he fell asleep in death.” ([Acts 7:60](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/acts/7/#v44007060)) The apostle Paul also wrote that some Christians had “fallen asleep in death.”—[1 Corinthians 15:6](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/1-corinthians/15/#v46015006). 8\. How do we know that God did not create humans to die? 8 Did God create Adam and Eve so that they would eventually die? No! Jehovah created them to enjoy life forever with perfect health. When Jehovah made humans, he gave them the desire to live forever. ([Ecclesiastes 3:11](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ecclesiastes/3/#v21003011)) Parents do not want to see their children grow old and die, and Jehovah feels the same way about us. But if God created us to live forever, why do we die? 9\. Why was the command that Jehovah gave to Adam and Eve reasonable? 9 In the garden of Eden, Jehovah told Adam: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die.” ([Genesis 2:9,](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/genesis/2/#v1002009) [16, 17](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/genesis/2/#v1002016-v1002017)) That clear command was not difficult to obey, and Jehovah had the right to tell Adam and Eve what is good and what is bad. By obeying Jehovah, they would show him that they respected his authority. They would also show him just how thankful they were for everything he had given them. 10, 11. (a) How did Satan mislead Adam and Eve? (b) Why is there no excuse for what Adam and Eve did? 10 Sadly, Adam and Eve chose to disobey Jehovah. Satan said to Eve: “Did God really say that you must not eat from every tree of the garden?” Eve replied: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But God has said about the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden: ‘You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it; otherwise you will die.’”—[Genesis 3:1-3](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/genesis/3/#v1003001-v1003003). 11 Then Satan said: “You certainly will not die. For God knows that in the very day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and bad.” ([Genesis 3:4-6](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/genesis/3/#v1003004-v1003006)) Satan wanted Eve to think that she could decide for herself what was good and what was bad. At the same time, he lied about what would happen if she disobeyed. Satan said that Eve wouldn’t die, so Eve ate some of the fruit and then gave some to her husband. Adam and Eve knew that Jehovah had told them not to eat the fruit. When they ate it, they chose to disobey a clear and reasonable command. By eating, they showed that they did not respect their loving heavenly Father. There is no excuse for what they did\! 12\. Why is it so disappointing that Adam and Eve disobeyed Jehovah? 12 How disappointing that our first parents had such disrespect for their Creator! How would you feel if you worked hard to raise a son and a daughter and then they rebelled against you and did the opposite of what you asked them to do? Wouldn’t it break your heart? [![Adam at the time of creation](https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/1102015146/univ/art/1102015146_univ_cnt_2_md.jpg)](https://cms-imgp.jw-cdn.org/img/p/1102015146/univ/art/1102015146_univ_cnt_2_xl.jpg) Adam came from the dust, and he returned to the dust 13\. What did Jehovah mean when he said “to dust you will return”? 13 When they disobeyed, Adam and Eve lost the opportunity to live forever. Jehovah had told Adam: “For dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Read [Genesis 3:19](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/genesis/3/#v1003019).) That meant that Adam would become dust again, as if he had never been created. ([Genesis 2:7](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/genesis/2/#v1002007)) After Adam sinned, he died and no longer existed. 14\. Why do we die? 14 If Adam and Eve had obeyed God, they would still be alive today. But when they disobeyed him, they sinned, and eventually they died. Sin is like a terrible disease that we have inherited from our first parents. All of us are born as sinners, and that is why we die. ([Romans 5:12](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/romans/5/#v45005012)) But that is not God’s purpose for humans. God never wanted humans to die, and the Bible calls death an “enemy.”—[1 Corinthians 15:26](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/1-corinthians/15/#v46015026). 15\. How does the truth about death set us free? 15 The truth about death sets us free from many wrong ideas. The Bible teaches us that the dead don’t feel pain or sadness. We can’t speak to them, and they can’t speak to us. We can’t help the dead, and the dead can’t help us. They can’t harm us, so we don’t need to be afraid of them. However, many religions tell us that the dead are alive somewhere and that we can help them if we pay money to priests or those viewed as holy men. But when we know the truth about death, we are not fooled by those lies. 16\. What lie do many religions teach about the dead? 16 Satan uses false religion to lie to us and make us think that the dead are still alive. For example, some religions teach that when we die, a [part of us keeps on living](https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/wp20091101/myth-the-soul-is-immortal/) somewhere else. Does your religion teach you that, or does it teach you what the Bible says about the dead? Satan uses lies to turn people away from Jehovah. 17\. Why does the idea of people burning in hell insult Jehovah? 17 What many religions teach is shocking. For example, some teach that bad people will [burn forever in hell](https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/wp20091101/myth-the-wicked-suffer-in-hell/). That lie is an insult to Jehovah. He would never allow people to suffer that way! (Read [1 John 4:8](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/1-john/4/#v62004008).) How would you feel about someone who punishes a child by burning the child’s hands in a fire? You would think he is very cruel. You would not want to get to know him. And that is exactly how Satan wants us to feel about Jehovah\! 18\. Why shouldn’t we fear the dead? 18 Some religions tell us that when people die, [they become spirits](https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/wp20091101/myth-all-good-people-go-to-heaven/). Such religions teach that we must respect and even be afraid of those spirits because they can become either powerful friends or terrible enemies. Many people believe that lie. They fear the dead, so they worship them instead of Jehovah. Remember that the dead cannot feel or sense anything, so we don’t have to be afraid of them. Jehovah is our Creator. He is the true God, and we should worship only him.—[Revelation 4:11](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/revelation/4/#v66004011). 19\. How does knowing the truth about death help us? 19 When we know the truth about death, we are set free from religious lies. And this truth helps us to understand the wonderful promises that Jehovah has made about our life and our future. 20\. What will we learn in the [next chapter](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/there-will-be-a-resurrection/)? 20 A long time ago, a servant of God named Job asked: “If a man dies, can he live again?” ([Job 14:14](https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/job/14/#v18014014)) [Is it really possible for a person who is dead to live again?](https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-study/there-will-be-a-resurrection/) The answer God gives us in the Bible is very exciting. We will see it in the next chapter.
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