In heaven, will there be different genders? Is there such a thing as gender in heaven?

from the old testament

• God made man and woman in His image and called them good (Genesis 1:26–27). This is a core part of how God intentionally created humanity. There will be no need to change this aspect of humanity in the afterlife. Instead, sin and its impact will be removed.

from the new testament

• Some have questioned whether people will have a gender in heaven due to the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 22:30, which reads, "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven." This passage is referring to marriage. Marriage will not exist in heaven; the verse does not speak regarding gender.
• The resurrected bodies of believers are "perfected," or new and improved, not new and removed. There is no indication in Scripture that people will lose their gender in heaven. In Luke 16:19–31, Abraham and Lazarus were both recognized and identified as men.
• The men and women listed in Hebrews 11 were all said to be with the Lord in heaven with no mention of losing their gender.
• When Moses and Elijah spoke with Jesus at the transfiguration, they were clearly identified as men, both in description and in the use of male pronouns (Matthew 17:1–13). The same is true when Jesus spoke of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in refuting the Sadducees in Matthew 22.
• There is evidence based on the resurrected body of Jesus that gender will remain after this life. When people saw the resurrected Jesus, He was described as male, and it was assumed He was still a man (Luke 24:39). This indicates that it is highly likely that believers who are given new, resurrected bodies will retain their gender as well, given a new, perfected body free from the sin and limitations of this life.
• Revelation 21 and 22 emphasize that the curse of sin is changed at the end of time, not gender.

implications for today

While many details about our resurrected bodies remain unanswered, Scripture does provide ample support for the view that people in heaven will retain the same gender in the afterlife. Knowing that our gender is part of God’s intentional design helps us appreciate our identity as men and women today. It calls us to live out our gender in a way that honors God. We are to honor God as men and women, embracing our roles and responsibilities with integrity and purpose. Whether it be in relationships, work, or community, we are called to live out God’s kingdom values in every aspect of life as men and women.

We can reflect God by appreciating the beauty of diversity within gender while striving for respect and love in all our relationships—whether in family, church, or society. The permanence of gender in the resurrected state is a source of hope and assurance, reminding us that our gender is not an accident but part of God’s intentional, creative design. This assurance can help us approach our challenges and struggles, especially related to gender, with confidence, knowing that God’s purposes are good and enduring. It encourages us to lean into His grace, trusting that even our struggles with identity, gender roles, or relationships can be redeemed and transformed for His glory and have an eternal purpose.