He Has Risen vs. He Is Risen – Which is Correct?

Both “he has risen” and “he is risen” are grammatically valid, but they differ in style and emphasis. “He has risen” is the normal modern-English present perfect, describing an action completed by him. “He is risen” is traditional, biblical, and formal, especially in Christian Easter worship services and liturgy worldwide.

He Has Risen or He Is Risen – Which Is Correct?

Both “he has risen” and “he is risen” are correct, but they belong to different styles of English. “He has risen” is the standard modern-English form. It uses the present perfect tense to state that he rose at an earlier time and that the result remains relevant now.

“He is risen” is a traditional, biblical, and highly formal expression. It is especially associated with Christian Easter celebrations and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In contemporary everyday English, speakers generally prefer “he has risen”, while “he is risen” is preserved in religious language, scripture, hymns, and ceremonial greetings.

The Best Trick to Remember the Difference

Use the modern-action test: if you are describing what someone did, choose “has risen.” For example, “The sun has risen” and “He has risen from his seat.” If you are repeating a traditional Easter proclamation, choose “is risen.” The phrase “He is risen!” sounds ceremonial and religious, whereas “He has risen” sounds like ordinary modern English.

Word or Phrase	Part of Speech	Meaning	Example
He has risen	Present perfect verb phrase	He rose; the result matters now	He has risen from his chair.
He is risen	Traditional verb phrase or adjective construction	He has risen; a formal or biblical expression	He is risen, as the scripture declares.

How to Use “He Has Risen”

“He has risen” is the ordinary modern-English expression. It is formed with the auxiliary verb has and the past participle risen. This is the present perfect tense of rise.

The phrase can describe physical movement, a change in position, an increase, or a figurative return to prominence. It often emphasizes that an earlier action has a present result. The tone is neutral and suitable for casual, formal, academic, journalistic, and professional writing.

Example 1: The sun has risen, so we can begin the journey.

Example 2: He has risen from his seat to welcome the guests.

Example 3: The young athlete has risen quickly through the rankings.

What Are the Different Forms of “Rise”?

Rise is an irregular verb. Its principal forms are rise in the base form, rises in the third-person singular present, rose as the simple past, rising as the present participle, and risen as the past participle.

• Present: I rise early every morning.
• Third-person singular: He rises before dawn.
• Simple past: He rose from the table.
• Present participle: He is rising from his chair.
• Past participle: He has risen from his chair.

Because rise is intransitive, it normally does not take a direct object. Someone rises independently, while someone raises something: “He has risen” but “He has raised his hand.”

This distinction is closely related to Raise vs. Rise, especially when choosing between movement and causing something to move.

Etymology of the Word “Rise”

Rise comes from the Old English verb rīsan, meaning “to stand up,” “get up,” or “ascend.” It is related to similar Germanic words, including Old Norse risa and German reisen in older senses. The past forms rose and risen developed through the verb’s historical vowel changes.

How to Use “He Is Risen”

“He is risen” is a valid but marked expression in modern American English. It is most familiar from Christian scripture and Easter language. The phrase may function as a traditional perfect construction using be as the auxiliary, or as a formal description of someone who has risen.

In ordinary conversation, “he has risen” is usually more natural. However, changing “He is risen!” to “He has risen!” can remove the traditional, liturgical tone associated with the Easter proclamation.

Example 1: “He is risen!” the congregation proclaimed on Easter morning.

Example 2: The inscription announces that the savior is risen.

Example 3: In the solemn language of the hymn, he is risen from the grave.

What Are the Different Forms of “Is Risen”?

The phrase is risen is not a complete modern verb paradigm by itself. The auxiliary verb be changes according to the subject, number, and time, while risen remains unchanged as the past participle.

• Singular present: He is risen.
• Plural present: They are risen.
• First-person present: I am risen.
• Singular past: He was risen.
• Plural past: They were risen.

Many of these forms sound archaic or poetic outside religious writing. In contemporary standard English, the usual perfect forms use have: “I have risen,” “he has risen,” and “they have risen.”

Etymology of the Phrase “He Is Risen”

The construction reflects an older English pattern in which certain verbs of movement or change of state could form the perfect with be rather than have. Similar historical patterns appear in older expressions such as “he is come” or “they are departed.” Religious translations and traditional liturgy preserved “He is risen” even after modern English increasingly adopted have as the auxiliary.

Related Concepts

Understanding tense, auxiliary verbs, and register makes the difference between these expressions easier to recognize.

• Present perfect tense: The present perfect combines has or have with a past participle. “He has risen” connects a completed past action with the present.
• Past participle: Risen is the past participle of the irregular verb rise. It appears after auxiliary verbs such as has, have, and historically, is.
• Register: Register refers to the level or style of language. “He has risen” is neutral and modern, while “He is risen” has a formal, archaic, literary, or religious register.
• Intransitive verbs: Rise normally does not take a direct object. A person rises, but a person raises an object: “She has risen” versus “She has raised the flag.”

Examples from Media and Literature

• The Gospel of Matthew: In the King James Version, Matthew 28:6 uses the traditional wording, “He is not here: for he is risen,” making is risen strongly associated with biblical English.
• Easter worship: The proclamation “Christ is risen!” is commonly used in Christian liturgy, often followed by the response “He is risen indeed!”
• Modern news writing: A report about a political figure might say, “He has risen rapidly in the polls,” because modern journalism normally uses the present perfect construction.
• Weather and nature writing: A contemporary article might state, “The moon has risen over the harbor,” using the ordinary modern form.
• Historical or fantasy fiction: A narrator may use “He is risen” to create a solemn, legendary, or scriptural atmosphere, even when the subject is fictional.

Practice Exercises

Choose the correct phrase to complete each sentence. Consider both grammar and style.

1. The sun _____ above the eastern hills.
2. During the Easter service, the priest announced, “_____!”
3. The candidate _____ from relative obscurity to national prominence.
4. In the ancient-sounding hymn, the final words are “_____ from the tomb.”
5. After resting for several hours, _____ and began walking again.

Answer Key

1. has risen — This is the normal modern present perfect.
2. He is risen — This is the traditional religious proclamation.
3. has risen — Modern figurative usage requires the usual present perfect form.
4. he is risen — The formal, poetic style suits the traditional construction.
5. he has risen — This is an ordinary description of a completed action.

“He Has Risen” Synonyms

Synonym	Definition
He has stood up	He moved from a seated or lying position to a standing position.
He has gotten up	He has stood or left a resting position; this is conversational.
He has ascended	He has moved upward; this is more formal.
He has emerged	He has appeared or come out from a hidden or enclosed place.
He has advanced	He has progressed in status, position, or achievement.

“He Is Risen” Synonyms

Synonym	Definition
He has risen	The standard modern equivalent of the traditional phrase.
He has returned	He has come back, especially after an absence or apparent death.
He lives again	A solemn or poetic expression for restored life.
He has awakened	He has come out of sleep or a dormant state.
He has emerged	He has appeared or come forth, often with a ceremonial tone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is “he has risen” grammatically correct?
Yes. “He has risen” is the standard modern present perfect form of the irregular verb rise. It is appropriate in everyday, professional, academic, and journalistic English.

Is “he is risen” grammatically correct?
Yes, but it is a formal, traditional, biblical, or religious construction. It is especially familiar in the Easter proclamation “He is risen!” In ordinary modern conversation, “he has risen” is usually more natural.

Which phrase should I use in an Easter message?
Use “He is risen!” if you want the traditional Christian proclamation. Use “He has risen” when writing a modern explanatory sentence, such as “The Gospel teaches that he has risen from the dead.”

Conclusion

“He has risen” and “he is risen” are both valid, but they communicate different tones. Choose he has risen for standard modern English and ordinary descriptions of completed actions. Choose he is risen for biblical, liturgical, poetic, or ceremonial language. Pro Tip: In professional writing, match the phrase to your audience and context; using the modern form when no religious or historical tone is intended will make your writing sound clear and natural.