What does “better resurrection” in Hebrews 11:35 mean?

Christians often call Hebrews 11 the “Hall of Faith” because it showcases Old Testament believers who demonstrated great faith in God. The end of the passage offers examples of people who endured profound suffering with extraordinary spiritual stamina: “Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection” (Hebrews 11:35). The phrase a “better resurrection” means God will bring faithful people back to life to live forever with Him

Hebrews 11:35 refers to women in the Old Testament who, through faith, saw their loved ones brought back to life, such as the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:8–24) and the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:8–37). Then, the focus of the verse shifts to others who endured extreme torture, humiliation, and persecution rather than seeking escape. This kind of endurance requires an inner strength that comes from faith in Christ. The goal of such persevering faith was to obtain a “better resurrection.”

The Greek adjective translated as “better” in Hebrews 11:35 means “superior to another (of the same class or kind) in excellence, quality, durability, or suitability.” A better resurrection in this context refers to the ultimate resurrection to eternal life that God promised (John 11:25–26). Unlike the raisings of the widow’s son and Shunammite’s son performed by Elijah and Elisha, which were temporary restorations to earthly life, this better resurrection promises something more permanent and enduring. Even the people Jesus miraculously brought back to life eventually died (Luke 7:11–17; Luke 8:40–56; Mark 5:21–43; John 11:1–44).

Believers today can take great comfort and encouragement from the great heroes of faith, who, though tortured, refused to accept temporary relief or release. Rather than turn from God and be set free, they placed their hope in a resurrection that is fundamentally different from earthly resurrection from the dead. “All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it” (Hebrews 11:13, NLT). These tortured saints looked forward to a future promise—a better resurrection—where God will raise all believers to everlasting life, never to die again (Hebrews 11:39–40).

Faith in God does not guarantee comfort in this temporal life. Yet it does offer abundant reward in the only life that truly matters—eternal life (Matthew 25:14–30; Romans 8:17–18; 1 Corinthians 9:24–25; Colossians 3:23–24).

Not every faith-filled believer today experiences miraculous deliverance. Like those in Hebrews 11, many endure suffering, torture, and death (Acts 14:22; John 16:33; Philippians 1:29; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 2:21; 4:12–13; James 1:2–4). Throughout our lives, we must draw on the inner strength that comes from faith in Christ and choose to endure suffering or even martyrdom. Rather than accepting temporary relief or release, we must trust that God will reward us with a greater, eternal, better resurrection. As Paul reminds us, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever” (2 Corinthians 4:17, NLT).

A better resurrection highlights the hope Christians have for life beyond death, where believers receive their final justice and reward (Colossians 3:1–4; 1 Corinthians 15:20–22; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:14). It emphasizes faith in God’s promises, even in the face of suffering or death, and points to the resurrection of all born-again believers at the end of time.

A better resurrection speaks of eternal life with God—a resurrection far superior to any temporary return to physical life, because it is everlasting and the ultimate reward for faithfulness. The apostle Paul described this better resurrection like so: “It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies” (1 Corinthians 15:42–44, NLT; see also Revelation 20:4–6; 1 Corinthians 15:50–54; 2 Corinthians 5:1–4).