The four Gospels contain almost everything that was recorded about what Jesus taught. Given what is generally preached today about Jesus's message, one would expect the Gospels to include many instances of how Salvation will lead to a new home in Heaven and what life there will be like.
An analysis of all uses of the word heaven
in the Gospels shows something quite different though.
This is one of a series examining what the Gospels actually say about some specific topics:
Copyright © 2024, Ray Butterworth.
Each verse is presented here in two translations, the traditional familiar King James Version, which provides a very literal translation of the original Greek language, and the New Living Translation, which is written in modern English and stresses the presumed intended meaning of the original.
Looking at both literal translations and paraphrases can be beneficial when studying the Bible, especially when the two approaches are in agreement.
Studying the text for the purpose of determining what the original authors actually meant, is known as exegesis (critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially of scripture
).
Unfortunately, when paraphrasing the intended meaning, sometimes the translators end up including either their personal beliefs or those of their target audience.
Studying the text for the purpose of confirming what one already believes, is known as eisegesis (the interpretation of a text (as of the Bible) by reading into it one's own ideas
).
The four Gospels contain almost everything that was recorded about what Jesus taught.
Two thousand years ago, Jerusalem had Jewish religion, Greek culture, and Roman governance. Each of the four Gospels was written to present Christianity to a different audience.
The Lawor
The Book of Moses, the most sacred of Jewish scripture, his Gospel is divided into five sections. It stresses Jesus's royal ancestry and presents Jesus as the prophesied Messiah and King.
Three of the Gospel writers used the term Kingdom of God
to describe God's prophesied Kingdom,
whereas Matthew calls it the Kingdom of Heaven
.
Since Matthew was writing for a primarily Jewish audience he avoided direct references to God whenever possible
(lest he accidentally break the commandment against taking the Lord's name in vain).
As a result, in many of Matthew's verses, the word heaven
is used euphemistically and should not be understood as saying anything about heaven itself:
| Verse | KJV | NLT |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew 3:2 | And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. | “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” |
| Matthew 4:17 | From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. | From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” |
| Matthew 5:3 | Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. | “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. |
| Matthew 5:10 | Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. | God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. |
| Matthew 5:19 | Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. | So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God's laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. |
| Matthew 5:20 | For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. | “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven! |
| Matthew 8:11 | And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. | And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. |
| Matthew 10:7 | And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. | Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. |
| Matthew 11:11 | Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. | “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! |
| Matthew 11:12 | And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. | And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it. |
| Matthew 13:11 | He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. | He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. |
| Matthew 13:24 | Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: | Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. |
| Matthew 13:31 | Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: | Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. |
| Matthew 13:33 | Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. | Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.” |
| Matthew 13:44 | Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. | “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. |
| Matthew 13:45 | Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: | “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. |
| Matthew 13:47 | Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: | “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. |
| Matthew 13:52 | Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. | Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.” |
| Matthew 18:1 | At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? | About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” |
| Matthew 18:23 | Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. | “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. |
| Matthew 18:3 | And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. | Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. |
| Matthew 18:4 | Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. | So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. |
| Matthew 19:12 | For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. | Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.” |
| Matthew 19:14 | But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. | But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” |
| Matthew 19:23 | Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. | Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. |
| Matthew 20:1 | For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. | “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. |
| Matthew 22:2 | The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, | “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. |
| Matthew 23:13 | But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. | “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people's faces. You won't go in yourselves, and you don't let others enter either. |
| Matthew 25:1 | Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. | “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. |
| Matthew 25:14 | For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. | “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. |
Two of Matthew's verses that contain kingdom of heaven
also use the word heaven
directly.
Each is a reference to God's heaven, but provides no specific information about it:
| Verse | KJV | NLT |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew 7:21 | Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. | “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. |
| Matthew 16:19 | And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. | And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” |
Many other verses in the Gospels refer to heaven as the spiritual abode of God and the angels,
which Paul refers to as the third heaven
in 2 Corinthians 12:2.
It is often used in contrast with Earth, man's abode, or to contrast the spiritual and physical worlds.
In each case, the word heaven
is simply a reference to this spiritual location, and we are told very little about it:
| Verse | KJV | NLT |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew 5:16 | Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. | In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. |
| Matthew 5:34 | But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: | But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!' because heaven is God's throne. |
| Matthew 5:45 | That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. | In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. |
| Matthew 5:48 | Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. | But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. |
| Matthew 6:1 | Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. | “Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. |
| Matthew 6:9 | After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. | Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. |
| Matthew 6:10 | Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. | May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. |
| Matthew 6:14 | For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: | “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. |
| Matthew 6:26 | Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? | Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? |
| Matthew 6:32 | (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. | These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. |
| Matthew 7:11 | If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? | So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. |
| Matthew 10:32 | Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. | “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. |
| Matthew 10:33 | But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. | But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. |
| Matthew 11:23 | And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. | “And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. |
| Matthew 11:25 | At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. | At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. |
| Matthew 12:50 | For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. | Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!” |
| Matthew 15:13 | But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. | Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, |
| Matthew 16:1 | The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. | One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority. |
| Matthew 16:17 | And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. | Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. |
| Matthew 16:22 | Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. | But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” [heavennot in original Greek] |
| Matthew 18:10 | Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. | “Beware that you don't look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father. |
| Matthew 18:14 | Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. | In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father's will that even one of these little ones should perish. |
| Matthew 18:18 | Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. | “I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. |
| Matthew 18:19 | Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. | “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. |
| Matthew 18:35 | So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. | “That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” |
| Matthew 21:9 | And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. | Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Praise God in highest heaven!” [heavennot in original Greek] |
| Matthew 21:25 | The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? | “Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?” They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn't believe John. |
| Matthew 22:30 | For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. | For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven. |
| Matthew 23:9 | And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. | And don't address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,' for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father. |
| Matthew 23:22 | And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. | And when you swear ‘by heaven,' you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne. |
| Matthew 24:36 | But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. | “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. |
| Matthew 28:2 | And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. | Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. |
| Matthew 28:18 | And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. | Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. |
| Mark 8:11 | And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. | When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came and started to argue with him. Testing him, they demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority. |
| Mark 11:10 | Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. | Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David! Praise God in highest heaven!” [heavennot in original Greek] |
| Mark 11:25 | And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. | But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” |
| Mark 11:26 | But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. | But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. |
| Mark 11:30 | The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me. | “Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer me!” |
| Mark 11:31 | And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? | They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn't believe John. |
| Mark 12:25 | For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. | For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven. |
| Mark 13:32 | But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. | “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. |
| Luke 10:15 | And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. | And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead.” |
| Luke 10:18 | And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. | “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! |
| Luke 10:21 | In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. | At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way. |
| Luke 11:2 | And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. | And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. |
| Luke 11:13 | If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? | So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” |
| Luke 11:16 | And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. | Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority. |
| Luke 15:18 | I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, | I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, |
| Luke 15:21 | And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. | His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.' |
| Luke 15:7 | I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. | In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away! |
| Luke 19:38 | Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. | “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!” |
| Luke 20:4 | The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? | “Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?” |
| Luke 20:5 | And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not? | They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn't believe John. |
| Luke 21:26 | Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. | People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. |
| Luke 22:43 | And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. | Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. |
| Luke 24:49 | And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. | “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” [heavennot in original Greek] |
| Luke 24:50 | And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. | Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. [heavennot in original Greek] |
| Luke 2:13 | And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, | Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, |
| Luke 2:14 | Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. | “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” [heavennot in original Greek] |
| Luke 2:15 | And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. | When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” |
| John 3:12 | If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? | But if you don't believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? |
| John 3:27 | John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. | John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. |
While the third heaven
is the spiritual realm, the first heaven refers to Earth's atmosphere and the second heaven refers to what can be seen of the rest of the universe (stars, planets, etc.).
References to clouds and winds make it obvious that the first heaven is what is meant.
Events that include both heaven and earth could refer to either the first or second heaven, but surely God's third heaven itself isn't going to disappear or pass away:
| Verse | KJV | NLT |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew 5:18 | For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. | I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God's law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. |
| Matthew 24:30 | And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. | And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. |
| Matthew 24:31 | And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. | And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. |
| Matthew 24:35 | Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. | Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear. |
| Matthew 26:64 | Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. | Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God's right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” |
| Mark 13:31 | Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. | Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear. |
| Mark 13:27 | And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. | And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. |
| Mark 14:62 | And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. | Jesus said, “I AM. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God's right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” |
| Luke 1:78 | Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, | Because of God's tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, [heavennot in original Greek] |
| Luke 4:25 | But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; | “Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. |
| Luke 9:54 | And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? | When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” |
| Luke 16:17 | And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. | But that doesn't mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God's law to be overturned. |
| Luke 17:24 | For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. | For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. |
| Luke 17:29 | But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. | until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. |
| Luke 21:33 | Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. | Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear. |
Other uses of heaven
can appear somewhat ambiguous, with the skies representing either or both the physical and spiritual heavens.
But either way, it is simply used to indicate a direction or location, and provides no information about God's heaven itself:
| Verse | KJV | NLT |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew 3:16 | And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: | After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. |
| Matthew 3:17 | And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. | And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” |
| Matthew 14:19 | And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. | Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. |
| Matthew 24:29 | Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: | “Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. |
| Mark 1:10 | And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: | As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. |
| Mark 1:11 | And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. | And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” |
| Mark 6:41 | And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. | Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. |
| Mark 7:34 | And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. | Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!” |
| Mark 13:25 | And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. | the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. |
| Luke 3:21 | Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, | One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, |
| Luke 3:22 | And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. | and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” |
| Luke 9:16 | Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. | Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. |
| Luke 18:13 | And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. | “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' |
| Luke 21:11 | And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. | There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven. |
| John 1:32 | And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. | Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. |
| John 1:51 | And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. | Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.” |
| John 6:41 | The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. | Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” |
| John 11:41 | Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. | So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. [heavennot in original Greek] |
| John 12:28 | Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. | Father, bring glory to your name.” Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.” |
| John 17:1 | These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: | After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. |
Jesus does refer to the fact that before his incarnation he existed in God's heaven, and that soon he will return to it:
| Verse | KJV | NLT |
|---|---|---|
| Mark 16:19 | So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. | When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God's right hand. |
| Luke 9:51 | And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, | As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. [heavennot in original Greek] |
| Luke 24:51 | And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. | While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. |
| John 3:31 | He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. | “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. |
| John 6:31–33 | Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. | After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.'” |
| Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. | Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn't give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. | |
| For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. | The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” | |
| John 6:38 | For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. | For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. |
| John 6:42 | And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? | They said, “Isn't this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven'?” |
| John 6:50 | This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. | Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. |
| John 6:51 | I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. | I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” |
| John 6:58 | This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. | I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.” |
| John 6:62 | What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? | Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? [heavennot in original Greek] |
So far, we have learned very little about God's heaven, and have seen nothing to indicate that humans ever have or ever will go there (other than Jesus himself):
| Verse | KJV | NLT |
|---|---|---|
| John 3:13 | And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. | No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. [and returnednot in original Greek] |
| John 7:33–34 | Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. | But Jesus told them, “I will be with you only a little longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me. |
| Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come. | You will search for me but not find me. And you cannot go where I am going.” | |
| John 13:33 | Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. | Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. |
In twelve places, the NLT translators chose to supply the word heaven
even though no corresponding word appears in the original Greek.
In most cases, this does clarify the intended meaning.
But for John 3:13 though, they supply a phrase, and returned
that significantly changes the meaning of the verse from what was written, presumably because, as given, Jesus's literal statement contradicts the common belief that some people go to heaven when they die.
There is however a promise of treasure and reward:
| Verse | KJV | NLT |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew 19:21 | Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. | Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” |
| Matthew 5:12 | Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. | Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way. |
| Matthew 6:20 | But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: | Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. |
| Mark 10:21 | Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. | Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven't done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” |
| Luke 6:23 | Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. | When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way. |
| Luke 6:35 | But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. | “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. [heavennot in original Greek] |
| Luke 10:20 | Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. | But don't rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” |
| Luke 12:33 | Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. | “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. |
| Luke 16:11 | If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? | And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? [heavennot in original Greek] |
| Luke 18:22 | Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. | When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven't done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” |
But notice that this treasure is always in
, from
, or of
heaven.
People often keep their savings in a bank, but when they retire they don't expect to start living in that bank.
Except for those people that already believe it (eisegesis), there is no implication in any of these verses that humans will go to heaven for their reward.
The Gospels tell us that God's Heaven is the spiritual realm of God and the angels. They also say that the reward of the saved is currently kept there. But nowhere do they say that humans will go to God's Heaven themselves.
That Jesus never said anything about an afterlife in heaven is itself useful information. Had the Christian teaching been any different from the Jewish belief of the time, Jesus would surely have mentioned it.
Originally, Jews did not believe in an afterlife; reward and punishment was strictly within one's physical life.
The later prophets though taught about an eventual resurrection of the dead (e.g. Ezekiel's dry bones
).
Mark 12:18 mentions the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection
, as they accepted the teachings of only the Torah (the first five books of the Bible), while most other Jewish sects did believe in an eventual resurrection.
Jesus himself taught about this resurrection (e.g. Luke 14:14 says thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just
), so it's reasonable to conclude that what Jesus taught as Christian doctrine about the afterlife was in fact the same as was believed by most Jews at the time.
So if Jesus never said anything about Salvation leading to Heaven, where does this idea come from? It's certainly not Biblical or Christian.