Easter Saturday—also referred to as Holy Saturday or the day of waiting—is one of the most profound and often overlooked days in the Christian liturgical calendar. Sandwiched between the agony of Good Friday and the triumph of Easter Sunday, Easter Saturday is a sacred pause—a moment of reflection, silence, and deep anticipation. It marks the time when Jesus’ body lay in the tomb, and the disciples were gripped with fear, confusion, and sorrow.
Yet, this day is not without its meaning or power. While the Gospels do not recount many events that happened on this day, Easter Saturday is rich in spiritual significance. It speaks to those in seasons of waiting, loss, and uncertainty. It is the day between despair and victory, between death and resurrection—a reminder that God is still at work, even when it seems all hope is lost.
For believers today, Easter Saturday offers comfort. It acknowledges our seasons of grief and silence, affirming that God is present even when He seems absent. The following 30 Bible verses were selected to help us reflect on the themes of waiting, trust, hope, resurrection, and God’s faithfulness, as we observe this holy day with reverence and reflection.
1. Matthew 27:59–60 (KJV)
“And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb…”
This verse marks the burial of Jesus, setting the stage for Easter Saturday. It’s a moment of stillness after the chaos of the crucifixion.
2. Luke 23:56 (KJV)
“And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.”
This tells us that the disciples, particularly the women, honored the Sabbath. Even in their sorrow, they obeyed God’s command.
3. Isaiah 53:9 (KJV)
“And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death…”
A prophetic verse fulfilled on Easter Saturday. Jesus, though innocent, lay in a borrowed tomb—fulfilling Scripture.
4. Psalm 88:3–6 (KJV)
“For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave…”
This Psalm of lament resonates with the grief and despair of the disciples as they mourned Jesus’ death.
5. Lamentations 3:25–26 (KJV)
“The Lord is good unto them that wait for him… It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.”
This verse encourages patient hope—a central theme of Easter Saturday.
6. Job 14:14 (KJV)
“If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.”
Job’s words mirror the question and longing of Easter Saturday: is there hope after death?
7. Romans 8:24–25 (KJV)
“For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope…”
On Easter Saturday, we learn to hope in what we cannot yet see—the resurrection, restoration, and God’s plan.
8. 1 Peter 3:18–19 (KJV)
“Being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison…”
This mysterious passage suggests that while Jesus’ body was in the tomb, His spirit was actively proclaiming victory.
9. Ecclesiastes 3:1,4 (KJV)
“To every thing there is a season… A time to weep, and a time to laugh…”
Easter Saturday is a time to weep—but also to look ahead to the time of joy.
10. Psalm 130:5–6 (KJV)
“I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.”
This verse beautifully reflects the spiritual posture we are called to assume on Easter Saturday—waiting with hope.
11. Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Easter Saturday teaches us faith in the unseen, just as the disciples had to hold on to hope.
12. Isaiah 26:19 (KJV)
“Thy dead men shall live… and the earth shall cast out the dead.”
A resurrection prophecy that hints at what Easter Sunday will bring.
13. Psalm 22:1–2 (KJV)
“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
These words, cried by Jesus on the cross, echo into Easter Saturday. The silence of God feels deafening—yet it is not abandonment.
14. Hosea 6:1–2 (KJV)
“After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up…”
A prophecy pointing to resurrection on the third day—Easter Sunday.
15. 2 Corinthians 4:17–18 (KJV)
“For our light affliction… worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”
Easter Saturday reminds us that sorrow is temporary. Glory is coming.
16. Psalm 31:5 (KJV)
“Into thine hand I commit my spirit…”
Jesus’ final words also speak of trust, appropriate for our Easter Saturday meditation.
17. Mark 15:47 (KJV)
“And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid.”
The women watched Jesus’ burial, an act of devotion and silent mourning on the eve of Easter Saturday.
18. Psalm 27:14 (KJV)
“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart…”
This verse encourages us to trust in God’s timing—even in the grave-like moments of life.
19. John 19:42 (KJV)
“There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day…”
A reminder that Jesus’ death and burial were not random but perfectly timed.
20. Romans 6:4 (KJV)
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death…”
On Easter Saturday, we reflect on being united with Christ—even in His death.
21. Philippians 3:10–11 (KJV)
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings…”
This verse reminds us that suffering precedes resurrection power.
22. Matthew 12:40 (KJV)
“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly…”
A foreshadowing of Jesus’ time in the grave—yet not the end of the story.
23. Psalm 16:10 (KJV)
“For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
A prophecy affirming that Jesus would rise and not remain in the grave.
24. John 16:20 (KJV)
“Ye shall weep and lament… but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.”
Jesus’ words to His disciples ring true on Easter Saturday. Joy is coming.
25. Revelation 1:18 (KJV)
“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore…”
The power of Easter Saturday is that death does not have the final word.
26. Colossians 2:14–15 (KJV)
“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances… and having spoiled principalities…”
Jesus triumphed even in death—He disarmed the enemy during His time in the grave.
27. Psalm 46:10 (KJV)
“Be still, and know that I am God…”
This verse encapsulates the stillness of Easter Saturday—a time to trust in God’s quiet sovereignty.
28. Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…”
Waiting is not passive—it strengthens us for the resurrection to come.
29. 1 Thessalonians 4:14 (KJV)
“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again…”
Easter Saturday invites us to reaffirm our belief in resurrection power.
30. Micah 7:7–8 (KJV)
“When I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.”
These verses speak of hope in the darkest times—perfect for Easter Saturday reflection.
Conclusion
Though often overshadowed by the dramatic events of Good Friday and the celebration of Easter Sunday, Easter Saturday offers us a unique spiritual gift—the gift of stillness, waiting, and faith in silence. It teaches us to trust in God’s unseen work, to rest in His promises even when they are not yet fulfilled.
Each of the 30 verses above brings to light different aspects of what Easter Saturday represents: grief, waiting, silence, hope, and the anticipation of resurrection. These scriptures invite us into the mystery of God’s timeline and remind us that when life feels like it’s buried in a tomb, God is still moving behind the stone.
On this holy day, let us not rush past the waiting. Let us pause with purpose, reflect with reverence, and rest in the quiet confidence that Sunday is coming.
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