Bible
Bible Verses About Life
From the breath God breathed into Adam to the eternal life Jesus offers, the Bible treats life as a gift to be received from God and lived back to him. Below are curated KJV passages on God as the giver of life, eternal life, living wisely, and life in Christ.
God as the giver of life
The Bible opens with God breathing life into Adam. Throughout Scripture, life is consistently described as a gift from God, not something we generate on our own.
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
...seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Every life is held together by the Creator who gave it. The giver, not the gift, is the proper object of praise.
Eternal life
Eternal life is the central promise of the New Testament: a new quality of life that begins now and runs into the age to come, given freely through faith in Christ.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Living wisely
The Old Testament wisdom books teach how to spend the years God grants: with humility, care of the heart, and reverence for him.
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Life in Christ
Jesus claims to be the source and substance of real life. The New Testament presents knowing him as the difference between mere existence and abundant life.
...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Examples
God as the giver of life
Genesis 2:7, Job 33:4, Acts 17:25
Eternal life
John 3:16, John 17:3, Romans 6:23
Living wisely
Psalm 90:12, Proverbs 4:23, Ecclesiastes 12:13
Life in Christ
John 10:10, John 14:6, Galatians 2:20
How it works
The page groups verses into four themes that follow the biblical picture of life:
- God as the giver of life: every breath is from him.
- Eternal life: God's gift through Christ, beginning now.
- Living wisely: how to spend the days God grants.
- Life in Christ: the full and abundant life Jesus brings.
All verse text below is from the King James Version (1611), public domain in the United States.
Frequently asked questions
Scripture frames life as a gift from God, with the purpose of knowing him and walking in his ways. Ecclesiastes asks the question directly and concludes: 'Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man' (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Jesus deepens the picture by tying real life to relationship with him: 'I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly' (John 10:10).
Eternal life is more than unending duration. Jesus defines it as a present knowledge of God: 'And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent' (John 17:3). The New Testament presents eternal life as God's gift to those who trust Christ, beginning now and continuing forever (John 3:16; Romans 6:23).
Physical life is the breath in our bodies; abundant life, in John 10:10, is the fullness of life Jesus brings: peace with God, purpose, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and confidence in the resurrection. Abundant does not mean wealthy or trouble-free. It means full and meaningful in God's terms.
Yes, in the United States. The King James Version was first published in 1611 and is in the public domain in the U.S. All verse text on this page is KJV.
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