Then I heard a voice from heaven say,“ Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”“ Yes,” says the Spirit,“ they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” (niv)
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. (niv)
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. (niv)
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. (niv)