Bible Verses About Praying to the Dead
Ranked by the OpenBible.info topical community
These are the Bible verses most often cited for praying to the dead, ranked by the OpenBible.info topical community across 654 votes, led by 1 Timothy 2:5. Each passage links to its verse page or the interactive map; scripture is the King James Version.
Top verses about Praying to the Dead
1 Timothy 2:577 votes
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Ecclesiastes 9:5-674 votes
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Isaiah 8:1966 votes
And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
John 14:651 votes
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Leviticus 19:3147 votes
Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.
Revelation 5:837 votes
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
1 Timothy 2:5-629 votes
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Deuteronomy 18:1128 votes
Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
Deuteronomy 18:10-1125 votes
There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
Hebrews 9:2721 votes
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Isaiah 8:19-2220 votes
And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
John 3:1319 votes
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Acts 4:1218 votes
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Hebrews 9:2817 votes
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
1 Corinthians 3:1-2316 votes
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
Exodus 20:4-514 votes
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Matthew 6:9-1314 votes
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Matthew 22:3213 votes
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
Ephesians 4:8-1013 votes
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
1 Chronicles 10:1312 votes
So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;
Hebrews 4:1511 votes
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
1 Peter 3:1911 votes
By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1 John 3:211 votes
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Matthew 15:610 votes
And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
What does the Bible say about praying to the dead?
Readers most often cite 1 Timothy 2:5 on the subject of praying to the dead. Across 654 votes, 24 passages are commonly cited for this topic, including Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, Isaiah 8:19, John 14:6. This page lists all 24 in ranked order, quoted in the King James Version, with each linked to its cross-references.