What is the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:29)?

Speaking of His authority as the Son of God, Jesus says, “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28–29, NKJV). “His voice” in verse 28 is identified as “the voice of the Son of God” in verse 25. Jesus Himself will call everyone from their graves on the day of resurrection. Jesus speaks of two resurrections: some will be raised to life, and others will be raised to condemnation, or “the resurrection of judgment” in the ESV.

The central theme of John 5:19–29 is the authority of the Son. The Son has authority to heal a man on the Sabbath (see John 5:1–18) because He is “Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27–28). Jesus’ enemies, who opposed His authority, “sought to kill Him” (John 5:16, NKJV). But Jesus doubled down on His claims to authority, telling His enemies that, “as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father” (John 5:21–23a, ESV).

Jesus’ words were as bold and provocative as they were true: He declared His authority to raise the dead, judge the world, and receive honor in the same way as God the Father. Jesus has “life in himself” (John 5:26) and has the power to give life to the dead (verse 24, 28–29). In the “resurrection of life,” the godly are raised and will “not come into judgment” (John 5:24, 29).

In the resurrection of condemnation, the ungodly are raised to life again, only to be judged. “Those who did evil things [will come out] to a resurrection of judgment [that is, to be sentenced]” (John 5:29, AMP). We see this judgment depicted in Revelation 20:13–14, “The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.”

So, there are two resurrections and two eternal destinies, and Jesus is in charge of it all. Those who are part of the resurrection of life are believers: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He . . . has passed from death to life” (John 5:24, ESV).

The prophet Daniel also related the truth of a coming resurrection day and warned of two destinies: “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2). Daniel associates “the resurrection of condemnation” that Jesus spoke of with unending disgrace and scorn.

Believing in Christ is God’s will for humanity: “This is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40, ESV; see also verse 54). The choice we face is vitally important: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18).

Jesus is the giver of life and the final Judge. Based on the promises of God, believers possess the hope of resurrection to eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:12–34). One day, those made righteous by the blood of the Lamb will hear the voice of the Lord and rise from their graves to be with Him forever.