The question of where Jesus was during the three days between His crucifixion and resurrection has intrigued believers for centuries.
The Bible provides several key passages that give us insights into this mysterious time. Let’s examine what Scripture reveals about where Jesus was during these three days.
Note to Readers: This topic has been the subject of theological discussion throughout church history. The passages we explore below are sometimes interpreted differently by various Christian traditions. This article presents the biblical evidence without attempting to resolve all denominational differences. As with many deep theological matters, we should approach this topic with humility, recognizing that we see “through a glass, darkly” (1 Corinthians 13:12) until Christ returns.
Jesus Promised to Be in Paradise
Luke 23:42-43 (NKJV)
“Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.'”
Jesus’ words to the thief on the cross provide our first clear indication. Jesus promised that on that very day, both He and the repentant thief would be in “Paradise.”
In Jewish understanding of the time, Paradise (also called “Abraham’s bosom” in Luke 16:22-23) referred to the place where the righteous dead awaited resurrection.
This passage suggests that immediately after death, Jesus’ spirit went to this place of rest for the righteous. His body remained in the tomb, but His spirit was in Paradise.
Jesus’ Soul Went to Hades
Acts 2:27, 31 (NKJV)
“For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption… he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.”
In Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, he quotes from Psalm 16:10, applying it to Jesus. This passage explicitly states that Jesus’ soul went to Hades (the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew “Sheol”).
However, it also emphasizes that He was not abandoned there, as God raised Him before His body experienced decay.
The term “Hades” in Scripture refers to the realm of the dead—not necessarily a place of punishment, but the place where the spirits of all who died went.
This passage suggests that Jesus truly died and His spirit went to the realm of the dead, just as all humans did before Him.
Jesus Descended Before He Ascended
Ephesians 4:8-10 (NKJV)
“Therefore He says: ‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.’ (Now this, ‘He ascended’—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)”
Paul describes Jesus’ descent “into the lower parts of the earth” before His ascension. The phrase “lower parts of the earth” is widely understood as a reference to the realm of the dead.
This passage indicates that Jesus went to the depths before ascending to the heights.
The phrase “He led captivity captive” suggests that Jesus’ descent had a purpose. He went there to free those who were held captive by death, leading them out when He ascended.
Jesus Proclaimed to Spirits in Prison
1 Peter 3:18-20 (NKJV)
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.”
This passage presents Jesus actively ministering during the time between His death and resurrection. After being “put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,” He “went and preached to the spirits in prison.”
These spirits are identified specifically as those who were disobedient during Noah’s time.
The word “preached” here is the Greek “ekēryxen,” which means “to proclaim” or “to announce.”
This verse suggests Jesus actively engaged in a ministry to spirits in the realm of the dead, specifically proclaiming some message to those who disobeyed during Noah’s time.
Jesus Preached the Gospel to the Dead
1 Peter 4:6 (NKJV)
“For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.”
Unlike the previous passage, which uses the term “ekēryxen” (proclaimed), this verse uses “euēngelisthē,” which specifically means “the gospel was preached.” This indicates that Jesus shared the good news of salvation with those who had died.
The purpose of this preaching was “that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.”
This means that even though these people had physically died (“judged according to men in the flesh”), they were given an opportunity through Christ’s preaching to “live according to God in the spirit.”
This passage suggests that Jesus was actively preaching the gospel message to those who had died, offering spiritual life even after physical death.
Jesus Led Captives When He Ascended
Psalm 68:18 (NKJV) (quoted in Ephesians 4:8)
“You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, even from the rebellious, that the LORD God might dwell there.”
This psalm, applied to Christ in Ephesians 4:8, depicts a victorious king returning from battle with captives in tow. In Christ’s case, these “captives” have been understood as those who were formerly held in the realm of death but were now being led to heaven.
This imagery indicates that Christ’s descent had a definite purpose, and His ascension marked a triumphant return with the results of His victory.
The biblical evidence shows that during the three days between His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus was in the realm of the dead.
Scripture specifically mentions that He was in Paradise (the place of the righteous dead) and that He was not inactive but engaged in ministry.
He proclaimed to spirits in prison, preached the gospel to the dead, and ultimately led captives free when He ascended.
These passages tell us that Jesus’ ministry continued during the three days between His crucifixion and resurrection.
