WHAT IS HELL?
(According to Scripture)
Sheol (Hell)
In most people’s minds, the word, “hell,” denotes a place of eternal fire and torment for the wicked or damned. The concept of hell fire is commonly taught from the pulpit in most churches and throughout Christendom. Is this an accurate understanding of what the Bible teaches about hell and what the early Christians believed?
Our English word, “hell,” is directly translated from the Hebrew word, “sheol.” The Hebrew word sheol occurs 65 times in the Old Testament.
The King James Version of the Bible renders “sheol” 31 times as grave; 31 times as hell; 3 times as pit; and as death once.
The Catholic Douay Version of the Bible renders “sheol” as hell 63 times; as pit once; and as death once.
Webster’s Bible Dictionary defines hell or sheol as: Hell: (conceal); Hebrew “sheol” translated “grave” or “pit.”
Unger’s Bible Dictionary refers to hell or sheol as: “the underworld or region of the departed, the intermediate state between death and the resurrection.”
Hell, as translated from the Hebrew word sheol in the Old Testament, is the grave, the pit, or death; the intermediate state between death and the resurrection. The following scriptural texts from the Old Testament confirm this understanding.
Job prayed that God would conceal him in hell or sheol (the grave) and appoint a time to remember him.
Job 14:13: “Oh that You would hide me in Sheol (Hell), that You would conceal me until Your wrath returns to You, that You would set a limit for me and remember me!”
Job 17:13-16 states: “13 If I look for Sheol (Hell) as my house, if I spread my house in darkness, 14 if I say to the pit, ‘You are my father,’ or ‘My sister,’ 15 where then is my hope? Who will see my hope? 16 Will it go down to the bars of Sheol? Shall we descend together into the dust?”
Concerning the resurrection of the Christ from hell or sheol (the grave), the psalmist David wrote:
Psalms 16:10: “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol (Hell); nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.”
God committed the rebellious Korah and his followers to hell or sheol (the grave).
Numbers 16:31-33: “31 As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open; 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions. 33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol (Hell); and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.”
Upon learning of the loss of his son, Jacob in mourning spoke of going to hell or sheol (the grave).
Genesis 37:34-35: “34 So Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35 Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, ‘Surely I will go down to Sheol (Hell) in mourning for my son.’ So his father wept for him.”
David (the psalmist) wrote concerning his inability to escape the presence of God in hell or sheol (the grave).
Psalms 139:7-8: “7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol (Hell), behold, You are there.”
In summary, “hell,” as translated from the Hebrew word, “sheol” is simply the grave, the pit, or death; the intermediate resting place of the dead between death and a future resurrection.
Hades (Hell)
Most people are surprised to learn that in the New Testament and in most Bible translations, our English word, “hell,” is directly translated from three distinctive Greek words. These three Greek words are: “hades,” “gehenna,” and “tartarus.” Each of these words denotes a different state or destination for those who have died, await judgment, or are condemned in the afterlife.
In Biblical usage, the Greek word, “hades,” which appears eleven times in the New Testament, is the equivalent of the Hebrew word, “sheol,” which appears in the Old Testament. As was previously conveyed, the Hebrew word sheol simply meant the grave, the pit, or death; the intermediate state of the dead between death and a future resurrection. In the translation of the Bible from Hebrew to Greek, the Hebrew word, “sheol,” was translated into the Greek word, “hades,” which has the same meaning or definition. In the translation of the Bible from Greek to English, “hades” was translated into our English word, “hell.”
Webster’s Bible Dictionary renders hades as: Hades: Place of departed spirits. Greek equivalent of Hebrew “sheol,” unseen world.
Unger’s Bible Dictionary states: The Hebrew “sheol” is the equivalent for “hades” and is likewise the subterranean abode of all the dead until judgment.
The synonymous translation of these two words, “sheol” and “hades,” is clearly evident at Acts 2:27 &31, where the Apostle Peter quoted from the Psalmist concerning the resurrection of Christ, that His soul would not be abandoned in hades or hell.
Acts 2:27 &31: “27 Because You will not abandon my soul to Hades (Hell), nor allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. 31 He (the Psalmist) looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades (Hell), nor did His flesh suffer decay.”
When the Apostle Peter spoke those words on the day of the festival of Pentecost, he clearly meant that Jesus had been in the grave, not in a fiery inferno or torment. In speaking those words, the Apostle Peter was quoting directly from Psalm 16:10. This prophecy at Psalms 16:10 referred to the resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in sheol or the grave, nor did His flesh suffer decay.
The prophecy at Psalms 16:10 states: “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.”
From the above passages found at Psalms 16:10 & Acts 2:37 & 31, it is evident that the Hebrew word, “sheol,” was later translated into the Greek word, “hades,” and eventually into our English word, “hell.” These three words are synonymous and represent the same abode or state of the dead. Hades or hell, as translated from the Hebrew word sheol, is simply the common grave of mankind from whence the dead await a future resurrection and judgment.
The Apostle Peter went on to state that this Jesus, God raised up, and that His body did not see decay or corruption in the grave (hades or hell). Note how various translations render the following verses at Acts 2:31-32:
31 “He seeing this before spoke of the resurrection of Christ that His soul was not left in hell” – KJV
31 “. . . that neither was He (Christ) left unto hades” – ASV & RSV
31 “. . . that He (Christ) had not been abandoned to the Place of Death” – TCNT
31 “. . . to the effect that He (Christ) was not left forsaken in the grave” – Wey
31 “. . . in the realm of the dead” – Nor
31 “. . . He (Christ) was not deserted when He was dead” – Beck
31 “. . . neither His flesh did see corruption” – KJV
31 “. . . nor did His body undergo decay” – Wey
32 “This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we all are witnesses.” – KJV
The Apostle Paul later confirmed that Christ had been dead and buried for three days, and that God had raised Him up from the dead.
At 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, the Apostle Paul wrote: “3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
Jesus had neither been in a fiery torment or a heavenly bliss, but simply in the grave (hades or hell). Other passages in the New Testament convey a similar meaning for hades or hell as being simply the grave, the pit, or death.
Jesus prophesied that the city of Capernaum would be brought down to hades or hell (the grave) and would await a future judgment. As a result of their lack of faith in Jesus’ powerful words, it would be more endurable for the city of Sodom on judgment day, than for the inhabitants of the city of Capernaum.
Matthew 11:23-24 states: “23 And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades (Hell); for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. 24 Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.” (See also Luke 10:15)
Jesus prophesied that the power of hades or hell (sheol, death, or the grave) would not prevail against the church.
Matthew 16:18 states: “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades (Hell, powers of death, doors of Sheol, powers of the underworld) will not overpower it.”
The book of Revelation states that Jesus was dead and is now alive forever, having been raised to life out of hades or hell (the grave). Christ now has the keys of death and hades (hell or the grave) and the power to raise the dead to face a future judgment.
Revelation 1:17-18: “17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades (Hell, the grave).'”
Revelation 6:7-8 depicts the fourth or final horseman of the Apocalypse as death, with hades or hell (the grave) following after him. Authority was given him over a fourth of the earth’s population, to kill with the sword, famine, pestilence, and the wild beasts of the earth.
Revelation 6:7-8: “7 When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, ‘Come.’ 8 I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades (Hell, the grave) was following with (after) him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.”
Revelation Chapter 20 portrays the “Great White Throne Judgment,” where the dead are actually resurrected out of hades or hell (the grave) and the sea (or waters). The resurrected dead stand before the One seated on the throne and are judged according to their deeds or by what they had done in their former lifetimes.
Revelation 20:13: “13 And the sea (oceans) gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades (Hell, the underworld) gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds (by what they had done).”
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
The only passage in the New Testament that depicts hades or hell as being a place of fiery torment is found a Luke 16:19-31. This passage is commonly referred to as the “Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.” The Gospel of Luke describes the scenario in which this parable was given.
Luke 16:14 states: “Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things, and they were scoffing at Him (Christ).” (Rd. Luke 16:19-31)
In this parable, hades (or hell) does not picture actual physical death followed by torment in an afterlife, but rather a spiritual death and torment that befell the rich man. The rich man pictured the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day, who had custodianship of the Law of Moses and were rich in wealth and position. When someone actually rose from the dead (Christ), they failed to believe it, thereby losing divine favor with God the Father (Father Abraham). As a result, they died a spiritual death and were in a state of spiritual torment (hades or hell) before God the Father. (See also Matthew 23:15 &33, John 3:18, John 5:45-47, John 7:19, & John 8:23-27)
The poor beggar (Lazarus) pictured the poor people and social outcasts of Jesus’ day, who were viewed as accursed by the religious leaders for not knowing the Law of Moses. The poor people, pictured by the beggar, only received spiritual scraps from the rich man’s table. When someone actually rose from the dead (Christ), they believed it, thereby gaining divine favor with God the Father (Father Abraham). The beggar, upon dying, was carried off to Abraham’s bosom. By accepting Christ and dying to their former way of life, they were in a state of spiritual favor with God the Father. In this way, they went ahead of the religious leaders into the kingdom. (See also John 3:18, Mathew 21:31-32, Romans 6:1-12, 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, Galatians 2:19-20)
That the beggar and the rich man pictured two distinct classes of people, can be seen in verse 26 of this parable. This verse gives reference to both the beggar and the rich man as no longer being two individuals, but rather two groups of people, separated by a wide gulf or chasm and unable to cross over from one side to the other.
Luke 16:26 states: “And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm (gulf) has been fixed, in order that those (they) who want to pass from this place to you may not be able, and no one (none) may pass (neither can they pass) from there to us.”
This chasm or gulf pictured the huge rift that took place between these two groups of people; the religious elite or wealthy scribes and Pharisees (the rich man who rejected Christ), and the poor common people (Lazarus, the beggar who accepted Christ). The scribes and Pharisees had the law of Moses, but failed to listen to Moses and the prophets. As a result they rejected the Messiah and refused to believe it, even when He rose from the dead. In so doing, they lost divine favor with God the Father (Father Abraham). The poor common people recognized Jesus as the Messiah, and believed it when He rose from the dead. In so doing, they were ushered into Abraham’s bosom and gained divine favor with God the Father (Father Abraham).
Gehenna (the Lake of Fire or Second Death)
Thus far we have established that the Greek word, “hades,” as later into our English word, “hell,” simply meant the grave or pit and in a few instances, death. Another Greek word that is commonly mistranslated into our English word, “hell,” is the Greek word, “gehenna.” Gehenna, in all of its scriptural occurrences, denotes a place of fiery torment, the lake of fire, or the second death. The word, “gehenna,” occurs twelve times in the New Testament.
Webster’s Bible Dictionary and Unger’s Bible Dictionary define gehenna as: Gehenna (Greek); the Valley of Hinnom (Hebrew).
Gehenna in ancient Israel was the garbage dump outside the southwest wall of the city of Jerusalem, known as the Valley of Hinnom. In the Old Testament gehenna was the site of abominable pagan rites, including infant sacrifice. It was there that apostate kings such as Ahaz and Manasseh made their children pass through the fire to the gods Molech and Baal. These rites were especially celebrated in Tophet, “the place of abhorrence,” one of the chief groves in the valley. Good King Josiah, of ancient Judah, finally put an end to these abominations. He defiled the valley, rendering it ceremonially unclean and unfit for pagan worship. (Refer to 2 Kings 23:10)
Later the valley became the cesspool and city dump of Jerusalem; a repository for sewage, refuse, and animal sacrifices. The bodies of despised criminals (not worthy of a burial), and animals were also burned there along with rubbish and garbage. Fires burned continually, feeding on a constant supply of garbage and refuse containing sulfur, worms, and maggots. Jesus used this awful scene (Gehenna, the Valley of Hinnom) as an everlasting symbol of damnation, eternal fire, and torment for the wicked. The people of Jesus’ day could therefore personally relate and identify with the impact of Jesus’ words, being familiar with Gehenna (the Valley of Hinnom), just outside the southwest wall of Jerusalem.
It is important to note that in most translations where the word, “hell,” appears as translated from the Greek word, “gehenna,” the translator will put a footnote in the margin or at the bottom of the page stating: “Greek, Gehenna.” The reason for this footnote is that the translator recognizes that the Greek word, “gehenna,” is an entirely different word than the Greek word, “hades,” also translated into our English word, “hell.” Gehenna denotes an entirely different meaning and destination for those in the afterlife.
Recall, the definition of the Greek word, hades, as translated from the Hebrew word, sheol, and later into our English word, hell. Hades: the grave, the pit, or death; the intermediate state of the dead, awaiting a future resurrection and judgment. The Greek word, “gehenna,” or the “Valley of Hinnom,” is synonymous with fiery torment, the lake of fire, or the second death. Let us examine the following verses in the New Testament to see if this definition of gehenna, as being a place of fiery torment, holds true.
Jesus said that what we say and how we feel about another person can be analogous to murder. If anyone stays angry with his brother, insults his brother, or calls him a despicable fool; they will be liable for judgment and the fiery gehenna. Jesus went on to say that if your right eye or right hand is making you stumble, it is better to tear it out or cut it off than to allow your whole body to be thrown into gehenna.
Matthew 5:21-22, 29-30: “21 You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery gehenna. 29 If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into gehenna. 30 If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into gehenna.”
(The Greek word, “gehenna,” as it appears in the original Greek manuscripts, is accurately rendered in both the above and following verses in place of the word, “hell.” This can be validated by the reference to gehenna in the footnote or margin of most translations)
According to Jesus, we are not to fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in gehenna.
Jesus said at Matthew 10:28: “28 Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in gehenna.” (See also Luke 12:4-5)
Jesus tells us that it is better to lose a hand, a foot, or an eye, if that is what is causing us to stumble, than it is to be cast into the eternal fire (gehenna); where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.
Mark 9:43-49: “43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into gehenna, into the unquenchable fire, 44 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. 45 If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into gehenna, 46 where their (the) worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. 47 If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into gehenna, 48 where their (the) worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. 49 For everyone will be salted with fire.” (See also Matthew 18:8-9)
In making a proselyte or disciple, the scribes and the Pharisees made that convert twice the candidate for gehenna as they themselves were.
At Matthew 23:15 & 33 Jesus said: “15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of gehenna as yourselves. 33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of gehenna?”
In the parable of the sheep and goats, Christ states that those who fail to respond to the least of these, His brethren, will be cursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Matthew 25:40-41 & 46: “40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ 41 Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.’ 46 And they will go away into eternal punishment (and those people will be punished forever), but the righteous into eternal life.”
James, the half brother of Jesus, wrote of the damaging effects of the human tongue. Just as a small flame can set a forest on fire, so also the misuse of the tongue can set one’s life on fire, defiling the entire body. The tongue is set on fire by gehenna.
James 3:5-6: “5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by gehenna.”
The following verses in Revelation refer to gehenna as the lake of fire or second death. Those who are destined to go there are: the beast, the false prophet, all who worship the beast and receive its mark, the kings of the earth and their armies who battle Christ, all of those not found in the book of life, and the devil and his angels.
Revelation 14:9-11: “9 Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.'”
Revelation 19:19-20: “19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.”
Revelation 20:10: “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
Revelation 20:14-15: “14 . . . This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
Revelation 21:8 “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Isaiah the prophet also spoke of a similar fate for those who rebelled against the LORD (Yahweh).
Isaiah 66:24 states: “And they shall go forth and look on the dead bodies of the men that have rebelled against me; for their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
The above verses clearly identify gehenna as the lake of fire or the second death; a place of eternal torment for the damned, with no hope of a future resurrection.
Hades, Gehenna, & the Great White Throne Judgment
The following verses in Revelation Chapter 20 depict what is commonly referred to as the “Great White Throne Judgment.” The vast majority of humans, who have ever lived, are seen standing before the One seated on the throne (Christ Jesus). Recall, that the dead are resurrected out of Hades (Hell or the grave) and the sea (the waters). They now stand before Christ, and are judged by their deeds or what they had done in their former lifetimes. After being judged, the resurrected dead are either awarded life or cast into the lake of fire, the second death.
Revelation 20:11-15 goes on to say: “11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds (by what they had done). 13 And the sea (oceans) gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades (Hell, the underworld) gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14 Then death and Hades (Hell, sheol, the grave) were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
From the above scriptural text, the distinction between gehenna and hades becomes very evident. Hades or hell is simply the grave, the intermediate state for all who have died once, a first time, and are resurrected to face judgment.
Hebrews 9:27 states: “And in as much as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes (the certain) judgment.”
Gehenna, the second death or lake of fire, will be the final destination for all of those who are not found in the book of life and receive an adverse judgment.
Revelation 20:14-15 states: “14 Then death and Hades (Hell, sheol, the grave) were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
After the dead are resurrected from their graves, hades or hell will no longer be needed as an intermediate or temporary holding place for those who have died once, a first time. Figuratively speaking, by being thrown into the lake of fire, hades or hell will be done away with. Gehenna, the second death or lake of fire, will be the final destination for all of those who are judged adversely and condemned.
In this regard Unger’s Bible Dictionary states: “Gehenna, moreover, is not to be confused with Hades or Sheol which describe the intermediate state of the wicked previous to the judgment and the eternal state.”
The books or scrolls that are opened will provide a record, documenting all of the deeds that were done in the past or former lifetimes of those resurrected. After the judgment has been completed, those judged worthy will either receive life (having their names written in the book of life) or eternal damnation (not having their names found in the book of life) and cast into the lake of fire for all eternity.
It should be noted that the “Great White Throne Judgment” is just that, a judgment! It is not a court of damnation for all of those who have been resurrected out of hades (hell or the grave) and the oceans (the watery deep). This resurrection will include millions of people from throughout history. Many of those who are resurrected may have never heard the gospel concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. They may have lived exemplary past lives, without ever knowing the true God and the One whom He sent forth, Jesus Christ. (See John 17:3)
It would make no sense for Christ to resurrect such ones out of Hades (Hell or the grave), only to have them face certain execution and damnation without a fair trial. That this is a just trial and judgment, with Christ presiding as supreme judge, is evident from scripture.
Isaiah 11:2-5 states: “2 And the Spirit of the LORD (Yahweh) shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 3 And His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what His eyes see, or decide by what His ears hear, 4 but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of His loins.”
Note also that more than one scroll or book will be opened, by which to judge the resurrected dead. There is scriptural evidence indicating that these scrolls or books are “the book of memory,” “the book of deeds,” and “the book of life.” (See Malachi 3:16 & Revelation 20:5 & 12)
As was stated in the above verses, the dead are judged by their deeds or by what they had done in their former lifetimes.
Note, Jesus’ own words at John 5:25-29: “25 Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; 27 and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice. 29 and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”
At Romans 2:14-16, the Apostle Paul states: “14 When Gentiles (people of the nations) who do not have the [divine] Law do by nature (instinctively) what the Law requires, they are a law to (unto) themselves, even though they do not have the Law. 15 They show that what the law requires is written in their hearts (is operating there), while their consciences (their sense of right and wrong) also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts (their condemning or approving thoughts) accuse or perhaps excuse them. 16 On that day when, according to my Gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Jesus Christ. (God by Jesus Christ will judge men in regard to the things which they conceal, their hidden thoughts).” *
As Jesus stated, those who did good deeds will come forth from their tombs to a resurrection of life, those who did evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. The Apostle Paul reveals that people of the nations (the Gentiles), who did not know divine law, will be judged by their hearts, their consciences, and their thoughts; on that day when God judges the secrets of men, by Christ Jesus.
After standing before a fair and just tribunal, the dead are either given life or sentenced to eternal damnation. The following verses are recommended reading concerning the judgment. (Rd. Isaiah 11:1-5, John 5:28-30, Romans 2:6, Romans 2:14-16, Acts 17:30-31, Acts 24:14-15, & 2 Corinthians 5:10) *
Tartarus
The third Greek word to be considered, which is commonly mistranslated into our English word, “hell,” is the Greek word, “tartarus.” Once again tartarus is an entirely different word than the Greek word, “hades.” As the reader will recall, the Greek word, “hades,” correctly translated as, “hell,” simply meant the grave or pit and in some instances death. Note the following definitions of the word, “tartarus.”
Tartarus: (Greek) A term borrowed from Greek mythology to indicate the infernal regions. Also referred to as pits or dense darkness or nether gloom, a prison. Tartarus is an abased place or prison, reserved for the angels that had sinned in Noah’s day. These fallen angels were cast into tartarus and await a future judgment.
Tartarus: The prison abode of fallen angels. Unger’s Bible Dictionary.
“Tartarus” is really not a destination for humans at all, but is instead a prison or abode for fallen angels. Similar to the Greek word, “gehenna,” the Greek word, “tartarus,” is often mistranslated into our English word, “hell.” This discrepancy can be found in most Bible translations.
The term tartarus only appears once in Holy Scripture, at 2 Peter 2:4-5.
2 Peter 2:4-5 states: “4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into tartarus and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly.”
(The Greek word, “tartarus,” as it appears in the original Greek manuscripts, is accurately rendered in this verse in place of the word, “hell.” This can be validated by the reference to tartarus in the footnote or margin of most translations)
In his first letter, the Apostle Peter also makes reference to these fallen angels or spirits that were in prison (tartarus). These angels had formerly been disobedient in the days of Noah, prior to the great flood.
1 Peter 3:18-20 states: “18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;* 19 in which also He went (in the spirit He went) and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.”
The Book of Jude corroborates this stating that the angels, who had left or abandoned their original position and home in heaven, had come down to earth to have unnatural sex or vice with women.
At Jude 1:6-7 it states: “6 And the angels who did not keep their own domain (first estate, own principality, original position), but abandoned their proper abode (dwelling place, home, habitation), He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.”
This unnatural union between the “daughters of men,” and the “sons of God” (the angels that had sinned), produced a hybrid offspring of giants or supermen, known as the “Nephilim.”
Genesis 6:4 states: “4 The Nephilim were on the earth (there were giants on the earth) in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came into the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men of old, men of renown.”
The definition of Nephilim in Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Page 788 is: “The Nephilim are considered by many as giant demigods, the unnatural offspring of the ‘daughters of men’ (mortal women) in cohabitation with the ‘sons of God’ (angels). This utterly unnatural union, violating God’s created orders of being, was such a shocking abnormality as to necessitate the worldwide judgment of the flood.” (Refer to Genesis 6:4-7)
In Greek mythology, tartarus is represented as an underground prison as far below hades (or hell) as earth is below heaven. In it were imprisoned the lesser gods, Cronus and other Titan spirits. It is worth noting that the mythological tartarus was not presented as a place for humans, but as a place for the gods or spirit beings. In the same manner, the scriptures define tartarus as a place in the underworld for the fallen angels or spirits, whom the ancients or pagans referred to as “gods.” In Greek mythology tartarus is located deep within the earth. This would coincide with the location of tartarus given in the Holy Scriptures, where these fallen angels or spirits were imprisoned.
It was after His resurrection that Christ went and made His proclamation to the spirits, who were imprisoned. These spirits or fallen angels had been disobedient in the days of Noah. Christ, having been put to death in the flesh, was made alive in the spirit; in which state (as a spirit) He went and preached to the spirits in prison. (Refer to 1 Peter 3:18-20, Jude 1:6-7, & Ephesians 4:7-10)
The demons in Jesus’ day were aware of the existence of tartarus. When being exorcised out of a man, they pleaded with Jesus not to cast them into the abyss, but were instead cast into a herd of swine. (Refer to Luke 8:26-31)
Summary
Understanding the true meaning of these three distinctive Greek words: “hades,” “gehenna,” and “tartarus,” certainly gives enlightenment and clarity as to the truth regarding hell, the state of the dead, the afterlife, and the future judgment. This is a summary of what has thus far been revealed.
Hades: (Greek) The equivalent of “sheol” (Hebrew); correctly translated as “hell” (English). Hades (hell) is also rendered as the grave, pit, and death; the intermediate state of the dead, between death and a future resurrection and judgment. It is the common grave of mankind, the subterranean abode of the dead, awaiting a future resurrection and judgment. Christ Himself descended into hades (hell or the grave) and rose on the third day. Christ has the keys to death and hades. Christ will resurrect all of those who have died and are in hades (hell or the grave). After the judgment, death and hades (hell) are thrown into the lake of fire or second death (gehenna). This signifies that hades (hell) will no longer be needed as a temporary holding place for the dead, for those who have died once and then face judgment. After the judgment, all of those resurrected will either be awarded life (having their names in the book of life) or eternal damnation (cast into the lake of fire, the second death).
Gehenna: (Greek), the Valley of Hinnom (Hebrew). Incorrectly translated as “hell” (English). Gehenna is also rendered as the “the lake of fire” or “second death.” Gehenna is eternal damnation with no hope of a future resurrection. In Jesus’ day “gehenna” was a garbage dump outside of the walls of Jerusalem (the Valley of Hinnom), where refuse, animal carcasses, and human bodies not worthy of a burial were thrown. Fires were kept alive with sulfur and brimstone exhibiting worms and maggots. Gehenna (the Valley of Hinnom) became a fitting symbol that Jesus used of eternal torment and fire, for all sinners judged unworthy of life. These will be sentenced to eternal damnation in the “lake of fire” or “second death.” Those condemned to gehenna will include: the wild beast, the false prophet, all who worship the beast and receive its mark, the armies and kings of the earth who battle the Lamb (Christ) at Har-Magedon, all of those not found written in the book of life, and the Devil and his angels.
Tartarus: (Greek), Incorrectly translated as “hell” (English). A term borrowed from Greek mythology to indicate the infernal regions; also referred to as pits of dense darkness or nether gloom, a prison. Tartarus is an abased place or prison reserved for the angels that had sinned in Noah’s day. These fallen angels were cast into tartarus and await a future judgment. (See topic: When Angels and Giants Walked the Earth)
At this point someone might rationalize that if hades or hell is just the grave, then there is no fiery torment awaiting evil men and angels who are damned to eternity. It is important to remember that there is a lake of fire or second death known as “gehenna.” Gehenna is the final destination for all unrepentant sinners, both angelic and human. As we have already established, tartarus was not a destination for humans at all, but rather a pit or prison for the fallen angels, who had sinned back in the days of Noah.
Holy Scripture & the Early Church Fathers
Some have suggested that a God of love would not torment His creation forever and ever in fire and brimstone (the lake of fire), and that the second death (gehenna) is just that, a death with no conscious awareness, suffering, or torment. Yet the Bible does infer that there is a conscious awareness and torment for those sentenced to gehenna, the lake of fire, the second death. Recall such terminology as:
“the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels, and they will go away into eternal punishment”
“tormented with fire and brimstone”
“And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest day and night”
“were thrown alive in the lake of fire which burns with brimstone”
“And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
(Refer to Revelation 14:9-11, 19:20, & 20:10, previously cited)
Jesus also said at Matthew 22:13: “Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'”
Jesus said at Matthew 13:41-42: “41 The Son of Man will send His angels and the will collect out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (See also Matthew 8:12, 25:30 & Luke 13:28)
The writings of the early church fathers shed light on the subject of “gehenna” (the lake of fire or second death), based on what we have already learned from Holy Scripture.
150 AD: Clement speaks of the “eternal punishment” and the “terrible torture in unquenchable fire.
“If we do the will of Christ, we shall obtain rest; but if not, if we neglect his commandments, nothing will rescue us from eternal punishment.”
“But when they see how those who have sinned and who have denied Jesus by their words or by their deeds are punished with terrible torture in unquenchable fire.”
160 AD: Mathetes wrote: “When you fear the death which is real, and which is reserved for those who will be condemned to the everlasting fire, the fire which will punish even to the end those who are delivered to it, then you will condemn the deceit and error of the world.”
70-185 AD: Barnabas wrote in his epistle, “The way of darkness is crooked, and it is full of cursing. It is the way of eternal death with punishment.”
252 AD: Cyprian of Carthage wrote, “An ever-burning Gehenna and the punishment of being devoured by living flames will consume the condemned; nor will there be any way in which the tormented can ever have respite or be at an end. Souls along with their bodies will be preserved for suffering in unlimited agonies. . . . The grief at punishment will then be without the fruit of repentance; weeping will be useless, and prayer ineffectual. Too late will they believe in eternal punishment, who would not believe in eternal life.”
155 AD: Polycarp refers to the “eternal and unquenchable fire.”
150 AD: Justin Martyr makes mention of the “eternal punishment,” “eternal sentence of fire,” “everlasting fire,” and the “judgment and condemnation of fire.”
(160?-230?AD) Tertullian wrote: “Gehenna is a reservoir of secret fire under the earth, for purposes of punishment.”
(185-254 AD) Origen wrote: “Now as we found that Gehenna was mentioned in the Gospel as a place of punishment. . . ”
Interestingly enough, none of these early church fathers refers to hell or hades, when speaking of the eternal fire, torment, and judgment.
There is one instance where Justin Martyr (150 AD) refers to hell: “And hell is a place where these are to be punished who have acted wickedly.”
The expression “are to be punished,” would indicate a punishment in a future tense. Hell, being just a temporary holding place for the unconscious dead; the lake of fire, being a final destination of punishment for all of those who have acted wickedly.*
Unger’s Bible Dictionary states: “Gehenna, moreover, is not to be confused with Hades or Sheol which describe the intermediate state of the wicked previous to the judgment and the eternal state.”
Recall that hades (hell) is the intermediate state of the dead, between death and a future resurrection. All of those who have died once, a first time, will eventually be resurrected out of hades (hell) and face the judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) After receiving judgment, those who have acted wickedly are punished by being cast into the lake of fire (gehenna), the second death. (Refer to Revelation 20:13-15, previously cited)
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
The early church father, Tertullian, deliberated as to whether or not the “Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus” was a real occurrence or imaginary.* Was hell or hades a place of fiery torment, or was hell or hades a subterranean abode for the soul and body, being detained in the grave and reserved for the day of judgment?
Once again, the issue of whether or not hell (or hades) is simply the grave or a place of fiery torment is how someone interprets the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Is it a parable, an illustration, or a literal event? The Scriptures tell us that, “All of these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed He said nothing to them without a parable.” (See Matthew 13:34-35) So ask yourself this question concerning this parable. Although having Moses and the prophets, who was it that the rich man failed to believe in, even when that person rose from the dead? If you have already guessed the answer to be Jesus, you have unlocked the first key to understanding the parable. (Read Luke 16:13-14, 19-31)
Spiritually speaking, the rich man in the parable (the wealthy scribes and the Pharisees) experienced a death-like transition into a state of condemnation and torment, by rejecting and killing the Messiah and later denying His resurrection. Conversely, Lazarus (the poor people and social outcasts of Jesus’ day) experienced a death-like transformation or spiritual awakening, by accepting Jesus as the One who rose from the dead; thereby gaining divine favor with Father Abraham (God the Father) and converting to Christianity. History verifies that a huge chasm or spiritual rift occurred between these two groups of people, so that none could cross over from one side to the other. (See Luke 16:26) Understandably, the rich man (the religious leaders of Jesus’ day) would not want their brothers to get into the same state of divine disfavor, condemnation, and spiritual torment, that they themselves were in. Although having Moses and the prophets, they failed to listen to them or even believe it when someone rose from the dead, our Savior Jesus Christ. (See John 5:45-47) The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is symbolically one of the deepest and most revealing parables that Jesus gave.
Viewing the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus as a literal account and hell as a literal place of torment, contradicts all of the scriptural and historical documentation that has thus far been presented. It also creates confusion and ambiguity over what is the true definition and understanding of the word, “hell.” Ask yourself these questions. Would God consign someone to hell fire simply because they were rich and lived extravagantly? Would God award a beggar simply because he was poor and ate droppings from the rich man’s table? Is hell within speaking distance of heaven, where someone being tormented could carry on a conversation with Abraham? Could Lazarus actually cool the rich man’s tongue, with just a drop of water in a fiery inferno? Who do each of these characters represent? Who had Moses and the prophets, but failed to listen to them? Who failed to believe it, even when someone rose from the dead? Why in the parable, after both the rich man and the beggar die, is there a rift between two groups of people who are no longer depicted in the singular, but are now represented in the plural? These are all questions that anyone who chooses to view this account as literal would have to answer. The simple fact is, Jesus never explained this parable! In unraveling the deeper significance and spiritual understanding of this parable, we have already found the answer to these questions as documented in Holy Scripture.
History of the Hell Fire Doctrine
How can the word, “hell,” have two opposing definitions? Is hell a hot place of fiery torment or just the grave? Recognizing the true definition of hell (hades) as the grave, pit, or death; the intermediate state of the dead between a future resurrection and judgment, conforms to what is found in God’s Word. This can be seen from the most fundamental definition of hell as translated from the original languages, to the vast preponderance of scriptural evidence that has already been presented. How then did the notion or concept of hell fire become such a part of our culture and so ingrained in the subliminal psyche of most people? To understand this, we need to examine events that happened many centuries later.
The Encyclopedia Americana states: “The main features of hell as conceived by Hindu, Persian, Egyptian, Grecian, and Christian theologians are essentially the same. The Western religious leaders from Roman times through the Middle Ages borrowed the doctrines of eternal torture from pagan philosophers. Certain writers of the Middle Ages had such tremendous influence on the Christian-professing world, that their writings and influences came to be generally accepted and believed, until it became the doctrine of the Christian-professing world. Among these influential writers were Augustine and Dante Alighieri.”
Augustine of Hippo (also know as Saint Augustine) was a theologian, philosopher, priest, and bishop of Hippo Regius (a town in Algeria); who lived between 354 & 430 C.E. He portrayed the nature of hell as that of fire and torment, the eternal punishment. His work, The City of God, Books XX & XXI, dealt with the subjects of hell fire and the eternal punishment. Augustine viewed all scriptural references to fire, brimstone, and the eternal torment as “hell fire” and failed to recognize that there was a distinction between the Greek words “hades,” “gehenna,” and “tartarus.” Augustine also failed to recognize that each of these words denotes a different state or destination for those who have died, await judgment, or are condemned in the afterlife. Augustine viewed the depiction of hell fire and torment in the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus as literal, not allegorical. This doctrine of hell fire, as fostered by St. Augustine, was perpetuated over many centuries by the Roman Catholic Church as a way of instilling fear and subjugation in the masses. The concept of hell fire and torment was later taken up by such Protestant preachers as Jonathan Edwards,* who lived thirteen hundred years later during the height of hell-fire preaching.
Dante Alighieri was a medieval Italian poet who lived between (1265-1321). His travels among the damned are recorded in the Inferno, the first part of a three-part Divine Comedy that he wrote, documenting his journeys through hell, purgatory, and heaven. Dante witnesses, in his imagination, the eternal torments of the wicked in hell. He describes hell as being divided into different levels and descending into the earth. Souls suffer punishments appropriate to their sins. The Divine Comedy is a relatively accurate dramatization of medieval Christian theology, which was based on the works of Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), who was an Italian theologian and philosopher.
Augustine’s and Dante’s portrayal of hell as a fiery place of torment, horrible beyond imagination and presided over by Satan and his demons, is an accurate representation of what most Christians believe to this day. As the Protestant movement began in Europe, many sincere protestants, who broke off from the Catholic Church, failed to examine with scriptural accuracy all of the doctrines of the Catholic Church. As a result, the concept of hell fire (Dante’s Inferno) was adopted as doctrinal truth into various denominations and offshoots of the protestant movement. This concept of hell fire and torment is still with us today and is commonly taught from the pulpit. This would most certainly account for the mistranslation of such Greek words, “gehenna,” and “tartarus,” into our English word, “hell,” as found in most translations.
Review
According to Scripture:
Hell: is the grave, pit, or death; directly translated from the Hebrew word “sheol” and the Greek word “hades.” The intermediate resting place of the dead, awaiting a future resurrection and judgment. Jesus descended into hell (hades or the grave) and on the third day rose from the dead. Christ has the keys to death and hades (hell) and will resurrect all of those who have died once, a first time, to face the judgment and account for their deeds done in the flesh.
Gehenna: is the Valley of Hinnom; commonly mistranslated as hell. Gehenna is identified as being the lake of fire or the second death, eternal damnation for those with no hope of a future resurrection. As pictured by the Valley of Hinnom (Jerusalem’s garbage dump), gehenna is synonymous with everlasting fiery torment, the lake of fire. The wild beast, the false prophet, all those who worship the beast and receive its mark, the armies that battle the Lamb (Christ) at Har-Magedon, the devil and his angels, and all of those not found in the book of life, are cast into the lake of fire, the second death.
Tartarus: is a prison or pit of dense darkness and nether gloom; commonly mistranslated as hell. An abased place or prison for the angels or spirits that had sinned in the days of Noah. These fallen angels were cast into tartarus and await a future judgment.
In conclusion, everyone who has ever died goes to “hell” (hades or the grave) and awaits a future resurrection and judgment. This fact is typified by our Savior, Jesus Christ; who was both dead and buried, having descended into hades or hell (the grave) for three days and three nights, and rose on the third day. The final destination for all wicked sinners, both angelic and human, is “gehenna” (the lake of fire or the second death). All of those who are sentenced to the lake of fire, are judged by Christ as unworthy of life and have no hope of a future resurrection.
Understanding the truth about hell and the many misconceptions that have been connected with it, helps bring scriptural clarity and truth to light. Knowing and understanding the true definition of, “hell,” helps us avoid confusion when reading or attempting to understand scripture. Finally, it brings to light the harmony and consistency found in God’s Word.
As the Apostle Paul stated at 2 Corinthians 10:4-5: “4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive (into captivity) to the obedience of Christ.”
Red print in brackets is used to show variations in scriptural renderings from various translations or the original languages. (Also used for scriptural clarification)
*In the book of Revelation Chapter 20 there are two resurrections mentioned. The first resurrection consists of the saints or holy ones, who are destined to be kings, priests, and judges with Christ and rule for a thousand years. (Refer to Revelation 20:4 &6 & Revelation 5:9-10) The second resurrection consists of all the rest of the dead, who are raised to life after the thousand years have ended (post millennial). These resurrected ones then stand before Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment and are judged according their deeds or by what they had done in their former lifetimes. (Refer to Revelation 20:5)
The initial judgment actually begins with the household of God or the church. (Refer to 1 Peter 4:17-18) Those saints, who have fallen asleep in death, are raised first at Christ’s coming. The resurrection of the deceased saints occurs prior to the rapture of the remaining saints, who are still alive and present on earth. A trumpet blast, announcing the Lord’s arrival, will signal the commencement of the resurrection of the sleeping saints, followed by the rapture of the surviving saints. (Refer to 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 & 1 Corinthians 15:51-53) While Christ does take into account the works of the saints during the judgment, they are justified and saved by their faith and God’s grace. They are declared righteous and awarded immortality with Christ. (Refer to Matthew 25:14-28; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; Romans 5:1-2, 9, 20-21) The saints are redeemed from all past sins. They have washed their robes in Christ’s shed blood and have been declared righteous by God. (Refer to Revelation 7:9-17 & 22:14, also Hebrews 9:14-15) There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! (Refer to Romans 8:1)
*The Apostle Peter testified that Christ was made alive in the Spirit.
1 Peter 3:18 states: “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit;”
This text at 1 Peter 3:18 is accurately rendered: “Christ was “made alive in the Spirit,” not “made alive by the Spirit.” This is in accordance with the most ancient and original Greek manuscripts.
The Apostle Paul also stated that the Lord (Jesus Christ) is Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 states: “17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. 18 For we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed in His likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 6:17 states: “But he that is united with the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.”
1 Corinthians 15:45 states: “. . . The last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving Spirit.”
Philippians 1:19 states: “. . . For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.”
*If Justin Martyr was asserting that hell was the place where the wicked are punished, his statement would have more than likely read: “And hell is a place where these are punished who have acted wickedly.” Instead, Justin stated: “And hell is a place where these are to be punished who have acted wickedly.” The fact that Jesus never explained the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, could also explain why there may have been some confusion and ambiguity among the early church fathers, concerning the true understanding of hell.
*Jonathan Edwards Sermon: “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”
*Tertullian, “A Treatise On the Soul,” Chapter VII