The 7 Best Easter Bible Verses to Reflect On During Holy Week

About 80% of Americans celebrate Easter, but for many of us, it’s more than just a holiday. To the believer, Easter Sunday is the most sacred day of the year, a time when we honor and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. If you’re looking to reflect on the message of Easter or share that message with the people you love, we have a few verses that exemplify the meaning of the season. 

Best Bible Verses for Easter 

• “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.” - 1 Peter 1:3-4

The message of Easter is simple: Jesus died and rose again so that we might live eternally. And that’s a message worth celebrating all year long. 

• “For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.” - Romans 6:9-12

The phrase “Jesus died for our sins” is so commonly used that it’s easy to forget the meaning and significance behind it. He didn’t die as some symbolic gesture; he died to reconcile us with God because our sin rendered us unworthy of salvation. It puts the meaning of His sacrifice in a whole new humbling perspective. 

• “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” - 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

This verse in 1 Corinthians reminds us that the Easter story isn’t just a fable or legend. The resurrection was witnessed by scores of people, many of whom would later endure tremendous persecution and even martyrdom for refusing to turn their backs on His message. 

• “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” - Romans 8:11 

This message from Paul is another reminder that the resurrection has profound, lasting significance. What happened on Calvary and outside the empty tomb was just the beginning. 

• “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” - John 3:16 

Pretty much everyone knows John 3:16. Children learn it in Sunday School. You see it scrawled on handmade signs at sporting events. We allude to it in many of our Bible verse signs, including this Easter-friendly Names of Jesus Christian Wall Art. But the phrasing of this verse is important. When it says that God “gave” His only son, it’s not just saying that God sent His son to Earth. The word “gave,” in this context, means “sacrificed.” That’s why the verse is so meaningful. 

• “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’ - and that he had said these things to her.” - John 20:17-18

Upon His resurrection, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, a woman, before anyone else. Not only did this go against the cultural norms of the time, but it’s a timeless reminder of God’s love for all of us. Jesus could have gone straight to his disciples, his “inner-circle,” but instead sent Mary to share the good news. And Jesus’s words are important too. We should all remember that, while the resurrection is indeed a miracle, what really matters is the salvation that the resurrection affords us all. 

• “Because if you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord' and in your heart you have faith that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” - Romans 10:9 

We’ve talked a lot about the meaning of the resurrection, but what exactly is the meaning—in plain English? Romans 10:9 lays it out beautifully. This is also one of the best Bible verses for worry and stress, as it’s a stark reminder that our salvation is secure even when the world leaves us insecure. 

What’s Your Favorite Easter Bible Verse? 

If you want to bring the spirit of the season into your home, we encourage you to incorporate the above verses into your family Easter devotionals. 

And if you really want to get festive, you can even incorporate Easter Bible verses into your seasonal decor. For instance, our He Is Risen Wood Easter Sign makes the perfect wall art for the holiday, as does this beautiful And On the Third Day He Rose Wood Easter Sign.

Have a happy Easter, and always remember what the day is truly about!