Can a person be saved on their deathbed?
Luke 23:39-43
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?
41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
New International Version (NIV)
The answer
Yes. A person can be saved even on a deathbed, if they genuinely repent and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. The issue is not how little time remains, but whether the person turns to Christ in sincere faith.
The clearest example is the criminal crucified beside Jesus. He admitted that his condemnation was just, acknowledged Jesus’ innocence, and asked, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” Jesus answered, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:39-43). That was a real conversion at the very end of life.
The criminal had no time to undo his crimes or build a record of good works. His salvation displays the truth of Ephesians 2:8-9: salvation is by grace through faith, God’s gift rather than something earned by works. Romans 10:9-13 likewise promises salvation to the person who believes in the risen Lord Jesus, confesses Him as Lord, and calls on His name. A deathbed prayer has no saving power in itself, but Christ truly saves the person who calls upon Him in faith.
This must never become an excuse to postpone repentance. Scripture urges, “now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2), and Hebrews 9:27 says that people die once and then face judgment. No one should presume that there will be another opportunity, a clearer mind, or a willing heart later. The gracious invitation is to turn to Christ now, trusting Him rather than delaying obedience until life’s final moments.
Answered from Scripture · reviewed November 11, 2026
Scripture gives an unmistakable yes: a dying sinner who turns in genuine faith to Jesus Christ is received into eternal life immediately. The crucifixion of the penitent thief proves that salvation rests entirely upon sovereign grace and Christ's finished work rather than a lifetime of accumulated good works or rituals.
The Penitent Criminal
Christ saves a dying man in his final hours
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:43 (NIV)
Jesus gives an unconditional and immediate promise of eternal life to a dying criminal who turned to Him in repentance.
In Luke 23:43, the Lord Jesus speaks words that shatter every human notion of earning heaven: "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise." Here is a dying criminal, nailed to a Roman cross, hours from his grave. He possessed no opportunity to be baptized, no time to perform charitable deeds, and no chance to repair the wreckage of a violent life. Yet, before his final breath, he was brought into the fullness of eternal life.
At first, both condemned men reviled the Savior, as Luke 23:39 records the impenitent criminal hurling abuse and demanding physical rescue rather than pardon. But sovereign grace intervened in the heart of the other. In Luke 23:40, the second thief rebukes his companion with a sudden, reverent fear of God. He openly acknowledges their guilt in Luke 23:41, declaring that they receive the due reward of their deeds, while testifying that Jesus has done nothing wrong. Then, in Luke 23:42, he utters the plea of pure, saving faith: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
The Savior's response guarantees immediate entry into glory. Salvation has never rested upon human ritual or length of service. As Jesus declared to the woman in Luke 7:50, faith alone saves and imparts peace, even when a lifetime of rebellion precedes it. On the cross, Christ cried out, "It is finished" (John 19:30). That completed sacrifice was entirely sufficient for the dying thief, and it remains sufficient for every sinner who looks to Christ in their final hour.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Luke 23:39 | One crucified criminal blasphemes Christ, demanding physical rescue rather than spiritual deliverance. |
| Luke 23:40 | The second criminal rebukes his companion, demonstrating a holy fear of God while under execution. |
| Luke 23:41 | The penitent criminal confesses personal guilt, affirms their just condemnation, and proclaims Christ's absolute sinlessness. |
| Luke 23:42 | The penitent criminal addresses Jesus as Lord and trusts His coming kingdom, pleading to be remembered. |
| Luke 23:43 | Jesus guarantees that the penitent man will be with Him in Paradise that very day. |
| Luke 7:50 | Jesus affirms that faith alone saves and brings immediate peace, regardless of past sins. |
| John 19:30 | Jesus declares redemption fully finished on the cross, leaving nothing for dying sinners to add. |
Grace Apart from Works
Salvation is a gift received through simple faith
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
Ephesians 2:8 (NIV)
Salvation is declared to be purely by grace through faith, entirely excluding human merit or boasting.
The bedrock truth of the gospel is declared in Ephesians 2:8: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." Salvation is never an hourly wage paid to the diligent, but an unmerited gift bestowed upon the bankrupt. In Romans 3:28, the apostle establishes that justification occurs apart from any deeds of the law, while Romans 4:5 makes the astonishing declaration that God justifies the ungodly who simply trust in Him.
This boundless grace is vividly displayed in Christ's parable of the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16). The laborers hired at the eleventh hour received the exact same generous wage as those who bore the heat of the day, demonstrating that God's favor is never measured by length of earthly service (Matthew 20:12). For those who fear it is too late, Romans 10:13 promises without restriction that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. God does not rescue us based on righteous acts we have performed, but entirely according to His abundant mercy (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-9).
Christ died precisely when we were utterly powerless (Romans 5:6) and still enemies of God (Romans 5:8). His open invitation in John 6:37 assures us that whoever comes to Him will never be cast out. Because He lives eternally, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near through Him (Hebrews 7:25), making the foremost of sinners an enduring trophy of sovereign grace (1 Timothy 1:15-16).
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Romans 3:28 | A person is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. |
| Romans 4:5 | God justifies the ungodly who do not work but believe on Him who justifies. |
| Romans 10:13 | Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. |
| Titus 3:5 | God saves sinners not by works of righteousness done by them, but according to His mercy. |
| Matthew 20:12 | Workers hired at the eleventh hour receive the exact same generous wage as those who worked all day. |
| Ephesians 2:8-9 | Salvation is entirely by grace through faith, a gift excluding works so no one may boast. |
| Matthew 20:1-16 | The parable shows workers hired in the eleventh hour receive the same full reward of grace. |
| Romans 5:6 | Christ died for the ungodly when they were completely powerless and without strength. |
| Romans 5:8 | God demonstrates His love in that Christ died for sinners while still in their rebellion. |
| John 6:37 | Jesus promises that whoever comes to Him will never under any circumstance be cast out. |
| Hebrews 7:25 | Christ is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him. |
| 1 Timothy 1:15-16 | Paul records Christ Jesus coming to save the foremost of sinners as an enduring pattern of mercy. |
The Urgent Warning
Repentance must never be presumptuously delayed until death
As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”
Hebrews 3:15 (NIV)
The Holy Spirit warns against hardening the heart when God's call is heard today.
While Christ can save in a person's final hour, Scripture rings with a solemn warning in Hebrews 3:15: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." The miracle of the penitent thief was written so that none would despair, but only one thief was saved so that none would presume. Matthew 27:44 records that both criminals originally mocked Christ; the human heart tends toward callousness, not spontaneous repentance, at the threshold of death.
No person is guaranteed a deathbed or a sound mind in their final hours. Proverbs 27:1 cautions that we must not boast of tomorrow, for no one knows what a day will bring. In 2 Corinthians 6:2, the Holy Spirit emphasizes that now is the favorable time, and today is the day of salvation. Presuming upon future repentance is the tragic folly of the rich fool, whose soul was required of him without warning that very night (Luke 12:20).
Scripture repeatedly urges sinners to listen while grace is offered, warning that sin deceitfully hardens the soul over time (Hebrews 3:7-8). As James 4:14 reminds us, earthly life is merely a mist that vanishes. Hebrews 9:27 declares that man is appointed once to die, and after that comes judgment. Once eternity begins, a great chasm is permanently fixed (Luke 16:26). The prophet's plea remains urgent: seek the Lord while He may be found, and call upon Him while He is near (Isaiah 55:6).
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Matthew 27:44 | Both robbers initially mocked Christ, showing how deeply hardened human hearts can be near death. |
| Proverbs 27:1 | Man must not boast of tomorrow, for no one knows what a day may bring. |
| 2 Corinthians 6:2 | Scripture declares that right now is the accepted time and today is the day of salvation. |
| Luke 12:20 | A man presuming on long life loses his soul that very night in sudden judgment. |
| Hebrews 3:7-8 | The Spirit warns to hear God's voice today and not harden hearts through deceitful sin. |
| Hebrews 3:15 | Scripture repeats the urgent command to respond today rather than test God through rebellion. |
| Hebrews 9:27 | Man is appointed once to die and after this to face the judgment of God. |
| Isaiah 55:6 | Sinners are summoned to seek the Lord while He may be found and call while near. |
| James 4:14 | Human life is described as a brief mist that appears for a little while and vanishes. |
| Luke 16:26 | A great gulf is fixed after death so that none can cross over to safety. |
Enduring Mercy in the Old Testament
The Old Testament proclaims mercy to the very end
“But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live.
Ezekiel 18:21-22 (NIV)
It establishes that a genuine turning to God at any moment blots out a lifetime of sin.
The proclamation of late-hour mercy is woven throughout the Old Testament, reaching a powerful crescendo in Ezekiel 18:21-22: "If a wicked person turns away from all his sins... none of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him." The sovereign character of God has never changed; a genuine turning of the heart in repentance instantly washes away decades of rebellion.
History provides no clearer proof than King Manasseh, who filled Jerusalem with idolatry, witchcraft, and innocent blood. Yet, when brought low in chains in 2 Chronicles 33:12-13, he humbled himself greatly before God, and the Lord heard his plea and restored him. God takes no pleasure in the ruin of the ungodly, but pleads with earnest compassion, "Turn, turn from your evil ways, for why will you die?" (Ezekiel 18:32; Ezekiel 33:11).
This divine longing to forgive is why the prophet Joel urges sinners to return to the Lord with fasting, weeping, and mourning, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love (Joel 2:12-13). As David sings in Psalm 103:8-12, God does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from those who fear Him. Even at life's end, the door of mercy stands wide open to the brokenhearted.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| 2 Chronicles 33:12-13 | Wicked Manasseh humbles himself in deep affliction near life's end, and God hears his plea. |
| Ezekiel 18:21-22 | If a wicked man turns from his sins to righteousness, his former transgressions are not remembered. |
| Ezekiel 18:32 | The Lord declares He takes no pleasure in the death of anyone, pleading for repentance. |
| Ezekiel 33:11 | God swears by His life that He desires the wicked to turn and live rather than die. |
| Joel 2:12-13 | The Lord calls sinners to return with all their heart, for He is gracious and abounding in love. |
| Psalms 103:8-12 | The Lord is merciful, slow to anger, and removes transgressions as far as east from west. |
Where in the Bible
| Book | Passages |
|---|---|
| 2 Chronicles | 1 · 2 Chronicles 33:12-13 |
| Psalms | 1 · Psalms 103:8-12 |
| Proverbs | 1 · Proverbs 27:1 |
| Isaiah | 1 · Isaiah 55:6 |
| Ezekiel | 3 · Ezekiel 18:21-22, Ezekiel 18:32, Ezekiel 33:11 |
| Joel | 1 · Joel 2:12-13 |
| Matthew | 3 · Matthew 20:12, Matthew 20:1-16, Matthew 27:44 |
| Luke | 8 · Luke 23:39, Luke 23:40, Luke 23:41, Luke 23:42, Luke 23:43, Luke 7:50, Luke 12:20, Luke 16:26 |
| John | 2 · John 19:30, John 6:37 |
| Romans | 5 · Romans 3:28, Romans 4:5, Romans 10:13, Romans 5:6, Romans 5:8 |
| 2 Corinthians | 1 · 2 Corinthians 6:2 |
| Ephesians | 1 · Ephesians 2:8-9 |
| 1 Timothy | 1 · 1 Timothy 1:15-16 |
| Titus | 1 · Titus 3:5 |
| Hebrews | 4 · Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 3:7-8, Hebrews 3:15, Hebrews 9:27 |
| James | 1 · James 4:14 |
The story in order
- Creation and Fall (c. 4000 BC) · Genesis 3 · Introduces sin and the need for salvation.
- Abrahamic Covenant (c. 2000 BC) · Genesis 12:1-3 · God's promise of blessing through one man.
- Exodus and Law (c. 1450 BC) · Exodus 20 · God's deliverance and His commands.
- Davidic Kingdom (c. 1000 BC) · 2 Samuel 7:11-16 · Promise of an eternal king.
- Prophetic Warnings (c. 700 BC) · Isaiah 55:6 · Call to seek God while He may be found.
- Exile and Return (c. 538 BC) · Ezra 1 · God's faithfulness despite disobedience.
- Jesus' Ministry Begins (AD 26) · Matthew 3:13-17 · The Son of God arrives.
- Jesus' Crucifixion (AD 30) · Luke 23:43 · Salvation secured by Christ's death.
- Resurrection and Ascension (AD 30) · Acts 1:9-11 · Christ's victory over death.
- Pentecost and Early Church (AD 30) · Acts 2:41 · The Holy Spirit empowers believers.
- Apostolic Teaching (c. AD 60) · Ephesians 2:8-9 · Salvation by grace through faith.
Key words
- Faith (pistis, πίστις)
- Trust and reliance on God and His promises, especially in Christ. · Ephesians 2:8
- Grace (charis, χάρις)
- God's unmerited favor and kindness extended to sinners. · Ephesians 2:8
- Justified (dikaioō, δικαιόω)
- Declared righteous by God through faith in Christ, not by works. · Romans 4:5
- Repentance (metanoia, μετάνοια)
- A sincere turning from sin to God. · Luke 23:40
- Salvation (sōtēria, σωτηρία)
- Deliverance from sin and its consequences, resulting in eternal life. · Romans 10:13
- Lord (kyrios, κύριος)
- A title of divine authority and sovereignty, referring to Jesus Christ. · Luke 23:42
No living breath is too late for the mercy of God, but no sinner is promised tomorrow to repent. If you hear His voice today, come to Christ immediately, knowing that the same Lord who welcomed a dying criminal into Paradise welcomes all who call upon His name in faith.
35 passages, each cited once.
Scripture cited
- Luke 23:39-43
- Romans 10:9-13
- Ephesians 2:8-9
- 2 Corinthians 6:1-2
- Hebrews 9:27-28