The Bible’s teaching on resurrection is not built on the idea of an immortal soul escaping the body. Scripture teaches that a human is a soul, that death is the cessation of the person, and that resurrection is Jehovah’s act of restoring life by re-creating the person from His perfect memory and purpose. That framework is essential for answering two related questions: who will be resurrected on earth, and what kind of resurrection will they experience when they return.

The clearest passages place the resurrection within Jehovah’s just standards and His loving desire to give humans a genuine opportunity to live in harmony with His will. Acts 24:15 sets the basic categories by stating that there will be “a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” Jesus aligns with that same twofold division at John 5:28–29, speaking of those who did good things and those who practiced vile things, and distinguishing between “a resurrection of life” and “a resurrection of judgment.” Revelation 20:12–13 then shows how that future judgment operates in practice, describing the opened scrolls and the accountability of resurrected ones during Christ’s 1,000-year reign. Daniel 12:2 adds a crucial element by pointing to final outcomes, everlasting life for some and lasting contempt for others, which harmonizes with the final removal of those not found written in the book of life.

When these texts are read carefully and allowed to interpret one another, the Bible reveals a coherent picture. There will be a resurrection to life for those already approved by Jehovah, and there will be a resurrection to judgment for those who return without prior approval, who will be measured by their response to Jehovah’s requirements during the Kingdom arrangement. Both groups are raised to life on earth, because the earthly resurrection is the central biblical hope for mankind, and because Jehovah’s purpose for the earth has never been abandoned.

The Foundation: What Resurrection Is and What It Is Not

Resurrection in Scripture is not the reuniting of an immortal soul with a body. It is a restoration of life by Jehovah’s power. Death is described as sleep, an unconscious state in which the person is not functioning, not thinking, and not praising God. The dead are in Sheol or Hades, meaning the grave, gravedom, the state of death. Because the dead do not continue living in another realm, resurrection is not a return from a conscious afterlife. It is the return of the person to life through Jehovah’s act.

This matters because it prevents confusion when Scripture speaks of different “types” of resurrection. The difference is not that some return as spirits and others as humans. The difference is not that some are already alive somewhere and simply transition. The difference lies in Jehovah’s judicial view of the person at the time they are raised and in what that person faces after returning to life.

The Bible also distinguishes between a heavenly calling for a limited group who will rule with Christ and the wider blessing of restored human life on earth for the rest of the righteous. When the question is specifically about who will be resurrected on earth, the focus is the great majority of mankind, including both the righteous and the unrighteous, who will return to life to live under Kingdom rule in an earth that will be transformed into a paradise.

The Two Groups: The Righteous and the Unrighteous

Acts 24:15 is direct. There will be “a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” These categories are not vague labels. They describe Jehovah’s evaluation of persons as they stand before Him, based on what they did with the light and opportunity they had.

The righteous are those who, before dying, responded to Jehovah with faith and obedience. They were not sinless, but they were loyal. They sought Jehovah, honored His standards, repented of wrongdoing, and walked in the path of righteousness as far as they understood it. In terms of the “book of life” language found in Scripture, the righteous are those whose names are written there because Jehovah recognizes them as His faithful servants. Malachi 3:16 speaks of those who feared Jehovah and gave thought to His name, and it describes a written record before Jehovah for those showing such loyalty. That concept helps explain why some are resurrected with immediate standing as approved.

The unrighteous are not simply “everyone who was bad.” Scripture includes within this group those who died without sufficient opportunity to learn about Jehovah, as well as those whose moral record was bad and who practiced vile things. Many lived and died in ignorance, in cultures saturated with false religion, oppression, and moral darkness, with little access to truth. Jehovah’s justice is not shallow. He does not judge people as though they had full light when they did not. At the same time, Scripture does not ignore those who did practice vile things. John 5:28–29 includes “those who practiced vile things,” and it teaches that they come out to “a resurrection of judgment.” The text does not say they come out already condemned without remedy. It says their resurrection places them into a period in which judgment is applied, which necessarily involves evaluation, accountability, and the possibility of a different outcome depending on their response to Jehovah’s requirements.

This distinction preserves two biblical truths at the same time. Jehovah is compassionate and wants people to live. Jehovah is also just and will not tolerate ongoing wickedness forever.

The Two Outcomes: A Resurrection of Life and a Resurrection of Judgment

Jesus’ words at John 5:28–29 are central: “All those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.” The phrase “resurrection of life” does not mean merely being brought back to existence. Both groups are brought back to existence. The expression points to the standing and outcome that accompany the resurrection.

For those who did good things, the resurrection is characterized as “of life” because they return with Jehovah’s approval. They are raised into life in the sense that their restoration is not primarily a judicial probation but a continuation of a faithful course interrupted by death. They will still need to obey Jehovah in the new world, because obedience is always required of righteous humans. Yet they do not return as persons who must prove whether they will accept Jehovah at all. Their record has already shown the direction of their heart.

For those who practiced vile things or who lived without sufficient knowledge, the resurrection is “of judgment.” Judgment here is not a single moment of sentencing at the instant of resurrection. It is a process of evaluation and decision, carried out under the Kingdom administration. This harmonizes naturally with Revelation 20:12–13, where the dead are judged “according to their deeds” and where “scrolls” are opened. The opening of scrolls implies disclosure of requirements and the administration of law. It indicates a structured period in which resurrected humans learn Jehovah’s standards and are held accountable to obey them.

This means that “judgment” includes probation, not because Jehovah is uncertain, but because He is fair and gives a genuine opportunity for change. The unrighteous are not raised merely to be destroyed. They are raised to be confronted with truth, to be taught, and to be judged based on their response to Jehovah’s righteous standards when the environment is no longer dominated by Satan’s world.

The “Scrolls” and the New World (Renewed) Standard of Accountability

Revelation 20:12–13 describes a scene in which the dead stand before the throne, “scrolls” are opened, and the dead are judged. The passage also mentions the book of life. The point is not that Jehovah is searching for information He lacks. The point is that His administration is transparent, orderly, and fair. The scrolls represent the requirements that will govern human life under Christ’s Kingdom in the new world.

Those resurrected will need to obey “the things written in the scrolls.” That establishes a crucial principle. Resurrection is not a return to a moral vacuum. It is a return to life under the righteous rule of Christ, where Jehovah’s standards are taught and enforced. People will learn what Jehovah requires, and they will be accountable for how they respond.

This helps explain why Scripture can speak of the unrighteous being resurrected to judgment. Their past life may have been filled with wrong practices, ignorance, or rebellion. When resurrected, they will face clear truth, righteous governance, and the opportunity to align themselves with Jehovah. That period of learning and adjustment is itself a mercy, but it is also a time of real accountability.

Isaiah 65:20 is relevant because it shows that in the coming order, wrongdoing will not be permitted to continue indefinitely. The prophetic picture includes the removal of those who refuse to conform to Jehovah’s standards. That removal is not eternal torment. It is destruction, the end of the person, consistent with the Bible’s teaching that the penalty for sin is death and that Gehenna represents irreversible destruction.

The Book of Life and the Meaning of Being “Written” or “Not Written”

The “book of life” is a biblical way of describing Jehovah’s recognition and approval of those who will receive everlasting life. It is not a literal ledger that Jehovah needs for memory. It is a judicial symbol. Being written in the book of life means being acknowledged by Jehovah as approved for life. Not being written means not having that approved standing.

The righteous who are resurrected “to life” return with their names still written, because Jehovah has already judged them faithful. The unrighteous who are resurrected “to judgment” return without that standing. Their names are not yet written in the book of life. Their future depends on their response to what they learn and on their conduct under Kingdom rule.

Revelation 20:15 shows the finality of this principle: those not found written in the book of life are removed forever. That removal is not torment. It is everlasting destruction, the complete loss of life with no hope of return, corresponding to “everlasting contempt” in Daniel 12:2. The contempt is not felt by a conscious person suffering. It is the lasting judgment of Jehovah against that person’s course and the permanent outcome of being rejected as unfit for life.

Daniel 12:2 and the Final Outcomes at the End of the Thousand Years

Daniel 12:2 foretells that “many of those sleeping in the dust of the ground will wake up, some to everlasting life and others to reproach and to everlasting contempt.” This verse is often misunderstood when it is read through traditions that assume everyone immediately receives an eternal destiny at death. Daniel’s language fits the broader scriptural picture far better when it is understood as pointing to final outcomes following resurrection and judgment.

“Everlasting life” is the end-state of those who prove faithful under Jehovah’s rule. “Reproach and everlasting contempt” points to the end-state of those who reject Jehovah’s standards and are destroyed forever. This aligns with Revelation’s portrayal of the conclusion of the 1,000 years, when final judgments occur and the book of life stands as the decisive symbol of who is granted permanent life.

This also preserves the moral seriousness of the resurrection. The resurrection is not a guarantee of everlasting life for everyone raised. It is an opportunity for life under the Kingdom, with accountability. Some will embrace Jehovah’s ways and live forever. Others will refuse and be removed.

Who Will Not Be Resurrected

The Bible’s promise of a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous does not mean every person who ever lived will be resurrected. Scripture also speaks of individuals or groups who face irreversible destruction. There is sin that results in permanent rejection, not because Jehovah is unwilling to forgive, but because the person becomes hardened in wickedness and rejects every form of correction.

Gehenna represents eternal destruction, not eternal torment. Those destroyed in that sense are not sleeping in the memorial tombs awaiting resurrection. Their punishment is final. Similarly, those who knowingly fight against Jehovah’s purpose with full light and malicious intent place themselves outside the hope of resurrection.

At the same time, Jehovah alone judges with perfect accuracy. Humans cannot read hearts. Scripture’s focus is to assure us that Jehovah’s justice is flawless and that He will not mistakenly destroy someone who could have responded to righteousness. The resurrection of the unrighteous exists precisely because Jehovah’s justice includes compassion and fairness for those who lacked opportunity and understanding.

The Timing and Setting: Resurrection on Earth Under Christ’s Millennial Reign

The Bible’s resurrection hope is inseparable from Christ’s Kingdom and the 1,000-year reign. Christ returns before that reign begins, and He rules in a way that transforms the earth. During that time, the resurrection takes place on earth, because Jehovah’s purpose for the earth is not abandoned but fulfilled. The righteous inherit the earth, and the earth becomes a place where Jehovah’s will is done.

This millennial setting is necessary for understanding the “resurrection of judgment.” People who practiced vile things in the old world are not raised into the same corrupt environment that shaped them. They are raised into a new world where righteousness is taught, truth is known, and the administration of justice is consistent. Their probation is not arbitrary. It is the fair outworking of Jehovah’s standards under ideal conditions for learning and reform.

The righteous who return “to life” will also continue learning and progressing. Everlasting life is not merely endless existence. It is life in full harmony with Jehovah’s purpose. The new world will involve education, cultivation, and the building of a righteous human society. The difference is that the righteous have already demonstrated the direction of their heart, while the unrighteous must demonstrate whether they will accept Jehovah’s authority when given clear truth.

The Nature of the Earthly Resurrection Body and Identity

Because resurrection is re-creation, the person’s identity is preserved by Jehovah’s perfect memory. Resurrection restores the individual as the same person, not as a different entity. The resurrected one is accountable for who he is, because Jehovah restores the person, not a substitute.

The Bible presents resurrected life as genuine human life on earth. The resurrected will eat, work, learn, build, and worship. That is consistent with Jehovah’s original purpose for mankind. The new world is not an ethereal realm but a restored earth where humans live as humans were meant to live.

Many will return with the consequences of their former life still evident in their thinking, habits, and attitudes. That is part of what makes the “resurrection of judgment” meaningful. They will need to change, learn, and submit. The righteous will also continue to grow, but their heart is already oriented toward Jehovah.

The Probationary Character of the Resurrection of Judgment

The phrase “resurrection of judgment” must be treated with moral realism. It is probationary in the sense that it is a time of evaluation based on response to truth. It is not probation in the sense that Jehovah is uncertain. It is probation in the sense that humans must demonstrate what they choose when righteousness is clearly set before them.

This is exactly what Revelation 20:12–13 conveys by linking judgment to deeds and to the opened scrolls. People will not be judged merely on what they did in ignorance in the old world. They will be judged on what they do when they understand Jehovah’s standards and live under Christ’s righteous rule. That is true justice.

Isaiah 65:20 indicates that those who refuse to conform will be removed. That removal protects the peace of the new world and upholds Jehovah’s holiness. It also shows that the new world is not permissive. It is compassionate, but it is not morally lax.

Jehovah’s Compassion and Justice in the Resurrection Arrangement

Jehovah is “a God of faithfulness” who is “righteous and upright,” as Deuteronomy 32:4 affirms. He loves justice and righteousness, as Psalm 33:5 states. Those truths are not in tension with His compassion. They explain His compassion. He resurrects because He loves life and desires that humans come to know Him. He judges because He is holy and will not allow wickedness to ruin His purpose.

Resurrecting both the righteous and the unrighteous magnifies His fairness. It shows that He does not reward only those born in favorable circumstances. It shows that He can undo the injustices of history by restoring people to life and giving them a genuine opportunity to choose righteousness under the Kingdom.

At the same time, the resurrection arrangement magnifies His standards. Everlasting life is not granted to those who cling to wickedness. The end of the 1,000 years results in a final separation. Some receive everlasting life. Others are destroyed forever. That final outcome is righteous, because it is based on how people respond when truth is clear and righteousness is upheld.

The Final Outcome: Everlasting Life on Earth for the Faithful

Daniel 12:2 and Revelation 20:15 converge on the same truth: everlasting life is granted to those approved by Jehovah, and irreversible destruction is the fate of those who refuse Him. Revelation 21:3–4 then describes the blessing that follows, with mankind enjoying life free from the conditions of the former world. The hope presented is not escape to heaven for all, but restored human life on a cleansed earth under Kingdom rule.

Thus, the Bible reveals that those resurrected on earth include both the righteous and the unrighteous. The righteous experience a resurrection of life, returning with Jehovah’s approval and continuing in faithful worship. The unrighteous experience a resurrection of judgment, returning to a period of accountability under the opened scrolls, with the opportunity to learn Jehovah’s ways and have their names written in the book of life if they respond obediently. The final outcomes are everlasting life for the faithful and everlasting destruction for those who reject Jehovah’s standards.

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