Is purgatory biblical?

Christians who confess the Trinity do not agree about a purification after death. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1030 (1) says that all who die in God’s grace “but still imperfectly purified” “undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” and Catechism 1031 (1) “gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect.” Westminster 32.1 (2) says that besides heaven and hell, “the Scripture acknowledgeth none.” This page quotes those texts and the verses each side cites. It does not decide.

Key points

• Catechism 1030 (1) says those who die in God’s grace and friendship, but imperfectly purified, “are indeed assured of their eternal salvation,” and after death undergo purification.
• Catechism 1031 (1) says this purification “is entirely different from the punishment of the damned,” and that the Church formulated the doctrine “especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent.”
• The same paragraph prints a cleansing-fire sentence and points it at Matthew 12:32And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.King James Version (5). Footnote 605 on that page names 1 Corinthians 3:15If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.King James Version (6) and 1 Peter 1:7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:King James Version (10).
• Catechism 1032 (1) cites prayer for the dead and prints a line it attributes to Maccabees. Footnote 607 names 2 Maccabees 12:46. This site has no King James page for that book.
• Westminster 32.1 (2) says the souls of the righteous go at death to heaven and the souls of the wicked to hell, and that Scripture acknowledges no other place for souls separated from their bodies.
• Article XXII (3) says “The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory” is “a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God.”
• An Orthodox Church in America clergy answer (4) calls purgatory “completely alien” to Orthodox Christianity and still prays for the dead, for mercy and eternal rest. The page is not a synod. A Book of Concord paragraph on purgatory was not fetched.

What the Catechism says

Catechism 1030 (1):

All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

Catechism 1031 (1):

The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. the tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:

As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.

Footnote 606 names St. Gregory the Great, Dialogues 4, 39, and Matthew 12:31. The cleansing-fire paragraph is the tradition’s sentence as the Catechism prints it, not a quotation from the King James Version. Matthew 12:32And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.King James Version (5), King James Version:

And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Footnote 605 names 1 Corinthians 3:15 and 1 Peter 1:7. 1 Corinthians 3:13–15^3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. ^3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. ^3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.King James Version, King James Version:

Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

1 Peter 1:7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:King James Version (10): “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

The Catechism reads a purification of persons who are saved. Readers who reject purgatory read the fire in 1 Corinthians 3 as a test of a person’s work, the person being saved, and the fire in 1 Peter 1 as a trial of faith in this life. This page does not decide that reading.

Catechism 1032 (1) says the teaching “is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture,” and prints:

Therefore Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.

The English page on vatican.va prints a closing bracket after Maccabeus and no opening bracket. Footnote 607 names 2 Maccabees 12:46. Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and Maccabees have no page in this site’s King James text. How was the Bible canon decided, and what is the Apocrypha? quotes why that book is Scripture in the Catechism and not in Westminster.

The same Catechism paragraph continues: “From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead.” It then prints: “Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.” Footnote 609 names St. John Chrysostom.

The fetched paragraphs do not number seven stages, do not describe what the fire feels like, and do not rank a greatest sin. This page does not add those descriptions.

What Westminster and Article XXII say

Westminster 32.1 (2):

The bodies of men, after death, return to dust, and see corruption: but their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them: the souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God, in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies. And the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day. Besides these two places, for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledgeth none.

The verses readers set beside that paragraph:

Hebrews 9:27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:King James Version (7): “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

Hebrews 10:14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.King James Version: “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

Romans 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.King James Version (8): “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Luke 23:43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.King James Version (9): “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Philippians 1:23For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:King James Version: “having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better.”

2 Corinthians 5:8We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.King James Version: “willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

Hebrews 10:12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;King James Version: “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.”

John 19:30When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.King James Version: “It is finished.”

Hebrews 12:14Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:King James Version is also cited by readers who hold the Catechism’s “holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven”: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:23To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,King James Version names “the spirits of just men made perfect.” The Catechism’s footnotes fetched here name 1 Corinthians 3:15, 1 Peter 1:7, and Matthew 12. They do not name Hebrews 12. The verse is still one readers bring to the question.

Article XXII (3):

The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping, and Adoration, as well of Images as of Reliques, and also invocation of Saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God.

“Romish” and “a fond thing” are the article’s words. They are not this page’s name for Catholic Christians. What do Christians believe about Mary? quotes the same article on invocation of saints.

A Lutheran sentence from the Book of Concord on purgatory was not fetched. The Lutheran shelf lists that church’s own doctrine pages.

What the Orthodox clergy answer says

The Orthodox Church in America (4) page is a clergy question-and-answer, not a synod. It prints this spelling:

This teaching, found among the Roman Catholics but completely alien to Orthdox Christianity [which rejects the doctrine of purgatory], implies that one should pray for the release of the souls of the departed from such punishment and may imply that the departed, of their own will, can freely repent of the sins they committed during this lifetime.

The same answer:

Orthodox Christians pray for the dead so that the Lord will have mercy on their souls, that He will grant them eternal rest “in the bosom of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” that He will extend His unfathomable love upon them, and that He will receive them into that state “in which there is neither sickness, nor sighing, nor sorrow, but life everlasting.”

Luke 16:22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;King James Version is the King James line about Abraham’s bosom: “the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom.” The OCA sentence is the clergy page’s prayer, not a quotation of that verse.

The answer rejects purgatory and still prays for the dead. The Catechism prays for the dead so that they may be purified and attain the vision of God. Westminster names no third place. The page leaves those three claims side by side.

Frequently asked questions

Is purgatory in the Bible?

Catechism 1031 (1) says the tradition speaks of a cleansing fire “by reference to certain texts of Scripture,” and the footnotes name Matthew 12, 1 Corinthians 3:15, and 1 Peter 1:7. Catechism 1032 (1) adds the Maccabees line, a book Westminster does not receive. Westminster 32.1 (2) says Scripture acknowledges no place besides heaven and hell. Hebrews 9:27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:King James Version (7), Hebrews 10:14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.King James Version, Romans 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.King James Version (8), and Luke 23:43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.King James Version (9) are the verses that reading uses.

Do the Orthodox believe in purgatory?

The OCA clergy answer says the doctrine is completely alien to Orthodox Christianity, and it spells Orthdox in that sentence. The same answer prays for the dead for mercy and eternal rest, not for release from purgatorial punishment. It is a clergy answer, not a synod.

Does 1 Corinthians 3:15 teach purgatory?

The verse says that if a man’s work is burned, “he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” The Catechism’s footnote names the verse for the cleansing fire. Westminster’s chapter on the state after death does not make that verse a third place. Both texts are above.

Are there seven stages?

The Catechism paragraphs fetched here do not number seven stages.

The churches on this site

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• What do Christians believe about Mary?
• How was the Bible canon decided, and what is the Apocrypha?
• Can you lose your salvation?
• Common arguments