John 5:28 Meaning: When All in Tombs Hear His Voice
Don’t marvel at this, for the hour comes in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice,
`Wonder not at this, because there doth come an hour in which all those in the tombs shall hear his voice,
Wonder not at this, for an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear his voice,
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus promises a future universal resurrection where all the dead will hear His voice. See how this relates to spiritual life now.
Context
John 5 sits in the middle of a long argument. Jesus has just healed a man on the Sabbath, and the Jewish leaders are furious, not just about the day, but because Jesus called God his own Father, making himself equal with God. In response, Jesus explains the source of his authority. The Father has given the Son life in himself and the authority to judge. In verse 25 Jesus speaks of a resurrection happening right then: spiritually dead people hearing his voice and coming to life through faith. But here in verse 28 he shifts forward. Don't be amazed at that, he says, because a day is coming when every single person who ever died will hear my voice from their tombs. This is the universal, bodily resurrection at the end of the age.
Key Words
Three words open this promise in a new way. The first is thaumazō, the Greek verb behind 'marvel.' It means to wonder or be stunned. Jesus is not forbidding awe, he wants them to stop being stuck on the smaller wonder so they can see the greater one. The present spiritual resurrection is extraordinary, but something even bigger is coming.
Then there is mnēmeion, the word for 'tombs.' It literally means a memorial monument, something built to preserve the memory of the dead. That is what tombs were for: to hold a name, a story, a life that is over. Jesus says his voice will reach those very places. Not just the souls of the dead, but the bodies in those remembering-places.
And finally phōnē, his 'voice.' The same word describes the call that raised Lazarus in John 11. But here it is not a private miracle for one friend, it is a command that every grave will obey. The voice that once spoke creation into being now speaks resurrection over every tomb.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this verse as a clear promise of bodily resurrection. Catholic teaching holds that 'all the dead will rise, both the just and the unjust' at the last day (Catechism 998), while the Orthodox tradition emphasizes that Christ's own resurrection is the foundation for ours. Protestant commentators like Matthew Henry say this verse shows Christ's 'power to raise the dead' as proof that he is truly God. Some early interpreters, Chrysostom and Theophylact, connected the 'hour' in verse 28 to the final judgment, while others note that Jesus does not add 'and now is' as he did in verse 25, meaning this is strictly future. But all agree: the same Jesus who gives spiritual life now will one day call every body from the dust.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is to think verse 28 describes the same spiritual resurrection as verse 25. People hear 'the dead will hear his voice' and assume it means spiritually dead sinners coming to faith. In fact, the phrase 'all who are in the tombs' changes the picture entirely. Jesus is not talking about a spiritual state, he is pointing to actual graves. This is a future, physical resurrection for everyone, not just believers. Verse 29 confirms it: some rise to life, others to judgment.
Living This Out
This week, you will face something that feels final. A relationship that seems too broken to mend. A dream that has been dead so long you have stopped hoping. A regret you cannot undo. In those moments, remember whose voice carries the final word. Jesus does not just promise to fix your situation, he promises to raise the dead. If he has authority over every tomb, he has authority over what feels hopeless in your life right now. You can hand that buried thing to him and trust that the same voice which will call the graves open can call life into your deepest loss.
Main takeaway: Jesus has authority over all death, spiritual death now and physical death at the resurrection, so we can trust him completely.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jesus said that one day He will call everyone out of their graves. That means He is stronger than death. You can trust Him with anything.
For ages 9, 12
When Jesus says 'all who are in the tombs will hear his voice,' He is promising that death is not the end. He has power over life and death. This same Jesus who will raise bodies from graves can help you when something feels hopeless or broken. You are safe in His hands.
Questions People Ask
What does “marvel not at this” mean in John 5:28?
Jesus is telling the crowd not to be so astonished at the spiritual resurrection he just described in verse 25. That is a great thing, but an even greater display of his authority is coming: the physical resurrection of all the dead. He wants them to see the bigger picture of his power.
Is John 5:28 about physical or spiritual resurrection?
This verse is about the future physical resurrection. The key phrase is 'all who are in the tombs', actual graves, not a spiritual condition. Verse 25 clearly describes a present spiritual resurrection of the believer's soul. Verse 28 points to the day when every body will be raised.
How does John 5:28 relate to John 5:25?
Verse 25 says 'the hour is coming and now is' when the spiritually dead hear Christ's voice and live. Verse 28 says 'the hour is coming' (without 'and now is') when all the physically dead will hear his voice. The first is a present reality for believers; the second is a future hope for all people.
What hour is Jesus talking about in John 5:28?
He is talking about the final resurrection at the end of the age. The same 'hour' appears in verse 25, but there it is both present and future. In verse 28 it is only future, the moment when Christ returns and calls every person from their graves to face judgment and receive either life or condemnation.
Does “all who are in the tombs” mean everyone will be saved?
No. The word 'all' here means everyone who has died, believers and unbelievers alike. Verse 29 makes this clear: some will rise to a resurrection of life, and others to a resurrection of judgment. The universal call to come out of the grave does not mean a universal salvation.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study