Short answer: The Bible does not give a universal command to pray for the dead, and most biblical passages emphasize praying for the living rather than for those who have died. However, there are a few debated or historically cited passages and traditions that different Christian groups interpret in various ways. Key biblical notes

• Praying for the dead is not clearly commanded in the Old or New Testaments as a universal practice for all believers. The strongest explicit biblical passage often cited is 2 Maccabees 12:38–46, found in the Deuterocanonical books accepted by Catholic and Orthodox traditions but not in most Protestant Bibles. In that account, Judas Maccabeus and his men pray for fallen soldiers who had died wearing amulets, hoping they might be freed from sins. This book is not considered canonical by most Protestant denominations, which limits its authority as a universal biblical mandate.

• The New Testament includes a passage that some interpret as a form of prayer for the dead: 2 Timothy 1:16–18, where Paul mentions Onesiphorus and asks the Lord to grant mercy on “that day” for his household. This text does not explicitly state praying for the dead, nor does it confirm a general practice of interceding for the departed, and its interpretation varies among traditions.

• Other New Testament verses typically cited in debates about the afterlife address resurrection and judgment rather than ongoing intercession for the dead. For example, John 5:28–29 and similar passages emphasize a future resurrection rather than contemporary prayers altering the fate of the deceased. Interpretations differ among denominations about whether intercessory prayer on behalf of the dead has ongoing value.

Traditions and denominational perspectives

• Catholic and Orthodox traditions: These traditions historically emphasize the practice of praying for the dead and the existence of purgatorial possibilities in which prayers and sacrifices of the living may aid the departed. They cite 2 Maccabees and other liturgical practices as supporting evidence, though 2 Maccabees is not accepted in all traditions.

• Protestant traditions: Most mainstream Protestant groups do not view praying for the dead as biblically mandated or particularly efficacious, since they emphasize salvation and judgment based on one’s own life and do not accept the doctrine of purgatory. They often cite the lack of explicit biblical instruction and the belief that after death, individuals face judgment. Some Protestant groups reference 2 Maccabees as non-canonical to argue against praying for the dead.

• Jehovah’s Witnesses and some similar groups: Some interpret biblical texts as indicating unconscious sleep of the dead and reject prayers directed toward the dead, emphasizing prayer for the living and for God to grant mercy to the living.

If you’d like, I can tailor this to a specific tradition or provide a concise side-by-side comparison of how different denominations view praying for the dead, including key passages and their interpretive arguments.