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42. Many Mansions: The Three Degrees of Glory
What Latter-day Saints believe
Latter-day Saints believe heaven is not a single place where everyone receives the same reward. After the resurrection and final judgment, nearly all of God’s children will receive a kingdom of glory. Paul compared them to the glory of the sun, the moon, and the stars. Latter-day Saints call them the celestial, terrestrial, and telestial kingdoms. The highest, the celestial kingdom, is where God the Father and Jesus Christ dwell and where families can live together forever. This view shows a God who is both perfectly just and extraordinarily generous.
40There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
“There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial... There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars... So also is the resurrection of the dead.”
2. 2 Corinthians 12:2-4
2I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Paul knew a man “caught up to the third heaven.” If there is a third heaven, there is more than one.
3. John 14:2
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
“In my Father’s house are many mansions.”
4. Daniel 12:2-3
2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
The wise “shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”
5. Matthew 13:43
Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
“Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”
6. Matthew 16:27
For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Christ “shall reward every man according to his works.”
7. Revelation 22:12
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
“My reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
8. Luke 12:47-48
47And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Some are beaten with many stripes and some with few. Judgment is fitted to what each person knew and did.
9. Revelation 20:12-13
12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
The dead are judged “according to their works.”
10. John 5:28-29
28Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
All who are in the graves will come forth, “they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life.”
11. 1 Corinthians 15:22
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
“In Christ shall all be made alive.”
How other Christians read these verses
Most Christians believe in two final destinies, heaven and hell, though many believe in different rewards within heaven. They usually read 1 Corinthians 15:40-42 as a comparison between our earthly bodies and our glorified resurrected bodies, and “third heaven” as a Jewish way of describing God’s dwelling place above the sky and stars.
Full index: 26 verses
Includes the key verses above, the Church's Topical Guide, and every King James verse that uses these words: celestial, terrestrial, mansions, third heaven. Key verses are highlighted. Tap a book to open it.
Daniel (3)
Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Daniel 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Matthew (2)
Matthew 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Luke (2)
Luke 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
Luke 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
John (6)
John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
John 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
John 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
1 Corinthians (4)
1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
1 Corinthians 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
1 Corinthians 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
2 Corinthians (3)
2 Corinthians 12:2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
2 Corinthians 12:3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
2 Corinthians 12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Hebrews (3)
Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hebrews 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Revelation (3)
Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Revelation 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
