The subject of hell isn't a pleasant one. No one likes to think about an eternal place of torment where no one can escape. Yet, we learn more about this place of torment from the teachings of Jesus than from any other source. In this study we will look at some different words used in the Bible for hell, and show how you don't have to go there!

                                  Old Testament Word for "Hell"

Different words used for hell in the Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament).

Sheol--This Hebrew word in the Old Testament refers to the place where all souls went, both godly and ungodly, at their deaths. When someone died during the Old Testament days, his body went to the grave to await resurrection, while his soul departed to Sheol.

One cult argues that Sheol or hell should actually be translated "the grave." In some places the word is translated "the grave"and in other places it is translated "hell," which is not the grave. Context determines which way it is best translated. A different Hebrew word, qeber, is used when the grave is specifically referred to. This does away with the theory that Sheol can only refer to the grave and not hell.

                                 Two Compartments of Sheol (hell)

There were two compartments in Sheol prior to the resurrection of Jesus. The paradise side of Sheol was the place for the righteous, while the torment side was the afterlife place for the wicked. When righteous people died during the Old Testament times, they couldn't go directly to heaven because Jesus had not yet come to die for their sins. (Luke 16:19-31)

Jesus said no one could go to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). He also said no one had seen God at any time (John 1:18) and no one had ascended into heaven (John 3:13), indicating no person was in heaven at that time. Jesus had seen the Father, of course, because He was with the Father in heaven before He came to earth 2,000 years ago (John 6:46, 1:1, 3:16, 6:32-38). When a righteous person died in the Old Testament, he went to the paradise compartment of Sheol to await the resurrection of Jesus to set him free.

Jesus told the thief on the cross, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43). One cult, the Jehovah's Witnesses, moves to comma to make it read, "Truly I say to you today, you shall be with me in Paradise." This is an attempt to change the Bible.

It should be noted the phrase "Truly (Verily) I say unto you" is recorded over 70 times in the gospels, and not once "Truly I say unto you today." If you move the comma in Luke 23:43, you will have to move the comma in all the other references as well! Which makes more sense? "Johnny, I am telling you the truth today, I am taking you to the zoo" or "Johnny, I am telling you the truth, today I am taking you to the zoo." Johnny needs to know what day he is going to the zoo, not what day you are talking to him! The meaning is without question: Jesus said he would be with him in paradise that day.

Ephesians 4:8-10 informs us before Jesus ascended into heaven, He first descended (into hell) to lead a host of captives (in paradise) out of captivity. This fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 68:18. Jesus said He would be dead for 3 days and 3 nights just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale 3 days and 3 nights (Matt 12:40). We believe Jonah died while inside the belly of the whale, because he cried out from Sheol for God to rescue him (Jonah 2:2). In the same way, the body of Jesus went to the grave, while His soul went to Sheol. Psalm 16:10 is quoted in Acts 2:27 concerning the resurrection of Jesus, "Because
Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Sheol (Greek--hades), nor allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay" (the body in the grave). Also see Acts 2:31.
 

                                  New Testament Words for "Hell"

Hades--This New Testament Greek word is equivalent to the Hebrew word Sheol. When the New Testament was written, a change had taken place in Sheol. After Jesus descended into hell, he led a host of captives (the righteous on the paradise side) out of the captivity of Sheol. When Jesus ascended, He took the righteous Old Testament saints with Him to heaven. Whenever a Christian dies today, he or she will go straight to heaven at death because Jesus has already died on the cross for their sins. Paradise is now in heaven (2 Cor 12:2-4). Because of this change in Sheol, the word hades (hell) now always refers to the place of torment for the wicked.

Tartarus--This Greek word is only used in 2 Peter 2:4, but is also referred to in 1 Pet 3:19 and Jude 6. This is the place of torment for fallen angels (demons) now in prison. There are two classes of fallen angels: those bound and under punishment now in hell and those loosed on earth awaiting judgment. Why some are currently bound in Tartarus we are not for certain, except for the fact that they sinned (2 Pet 2:4) and didn't keep their first estate (Jude6).

Abyss--This Greek word means "the bottomless pit" and refers to the place of torment for demon spirits. In Matt 8:29, the demon begged Jesus to not torment him before the appointed time of judgment. Luke 8:31 calls this place of torment for demons the abyss.

Gehenna--This Greek word refers to the place eternal punishment for all the wicked, which is called the lake of fire. There are some differences between Hades and Gehenna. While both are places of fire and torment, no one is in the lake of fire at present time. The wicked dead people's souls are currently in hades (hell) waiting for the resurrection of their bodies. At that time, they will all be cast into gehenna (the lake of fire), the permanent place of torment for the body and soul. Hell (hades) is cast into the lake of fire after the wicked receive their wicked resurrection bodies (Rev 20:14).

Differences between Hades and Gehenna
                 Hades                                                                                           Gehenna

Place for the soul, while waiting for the        resurrection of the body. (Acts 2:27, Ps. 16:10,        86:13, 89:48, Prov. 23:14, Luke 16:19-31) Place for the body and soul after the resurrection.                                                (Matt. 5:29-30, 10:28, Rev. 20:10-15)
Current temporary place for the wicked while        waiting for the resurrection. (Rev. 20:13-15) Future eternal place for the wicked after the resurrection of the body. (Rev. 20:10-15)
Souls experience equal torment (this is an        assumption only) People will experience degrees of torment,                                                according to what they have done. (Matt. 10:15,   11:22, 12:41, Luke 12:47-48, Rev. 20:13)
 

  *Note--The transfer of people from hades to gehenna at the great white throne judgment does not mean the people in hell will be given a second chance to accept Christ.
 
 
 

 Why Hell Was Created

Matthew 25:41 tells us hell was originally created for the devil and his angels as a place of punishment from them. Matthew 25:31-46 says people will also go to this horrible place. Because God is holy and righteous, He must judge sin. But God is also loving and gracious, and provided a way of salvation through Jesus Christ so that no one has to go to hell. God is not willing that any should perish in hell, but wants everyone to repent ( 2 Peter 3:9). Jesus Christ took the punishment for your sins on the cross and by accepting Him as your Lord, He will give you eternal life. If you reject Jesus, you must pay for your
own sins forever in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15).
 
 
 
 
 

 Who will go to hell?

Revelation 20:15 says, "And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."Jesus clearly taught that there are only two groups of people--the saved and the lost (John 3:16-17, Matt. 13:47-50). The saved are those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, while the lost are those who reject Him. Jesus also said most people will choose to spend eternity in hell rather than follow Him (Matt. 7:13-14).

 What will hell be like?

Jesus described hell as a furnace of fire (Matt. 13: 42, 50) and a place of outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 8:12, 22:13, 25:30). He said it is better to lose a part of your physical body than to go to hell (Matt. 5:29-30).

Hell is also described as a lake of fire:

     It is a lake that burns with fire and brimstone (Rev. 21:8).

     It burns with fire (Rev. 19:20, 20:10, 14-15, 21:8).
     It is an eternal fire (Matt. 18:8).
     It is an unquenchable fire (Mark 9:43,48).

Luke 16:19-31 presents a very graphic picture of hell. The rich man in hell was in torment (v.23), cried for mercy (v.24), and was thirsty (v.24). He was in agony in a flame (v.24) and he could remember what his life was like while he was living on earth (v.25). He was separated from the righteous (v.26) and realized he couldn't get out. He wanted someone to go warn his five brothers, who were still alive on earth, to not go to the place of torment (v.27-28).

 How long will hell last?

Hell is a place of eternal punishment (Heb. 6:2, Jude 7). Because it's not pleasant to think about a place of punishment from which there is no escape, some have invented their own ideas about hell. A couple of false views are Annihilation, which teaches the fate of the wicked is destruction rather than eternal torment, and Universalism, which teaches everyone will eventually be saved.

Jesus said (concerning Judas), "It would have been good for that man if he had not been born" (Matt. 26:24, Mark 14:21). I.M. Haldeman said, "If death means the extinction of being, why should life be worse for Judas than any other wicked traitor? No matter how great his guilt, death would end it all…Never to have been born means never to have come into existence. If death means going out of existence, then never to have been born and to die are equivalent conditions; they mean the same thing--nonexistence. Why, then, did the Lord say it would have been good not to come into existence? Why did He not say (seeing the man was born and there was no use in wasting regrets over his birth)--why did He not say, 'It will be good for that man when he dies, for when he dies he will then be just as if he had never been born--nonexistent'?" (Millennial Dawnism, p. 371)

Jesus couldn't say it would have been good for Judas to not have been born if He believed Judas would ultimately be saved. Ultimate salvation would mean Judas would have hope of ultimately being reconciled to God. First Corinthians 4:13 says Christians don't grieve as those who have no hope.

Matthew 25:41-46 makes it clear hell is a place of eternal punishment. The righteous go into eternal life and the wicked go away into eternal punishment. The same Greek word is used for "eternal" in referring to both life and punishment, meaning the duration is the same for both groups.

In Rev. 19:19-20, the beast (the Antichrist) and the false prophet are thrown alive into the lake of fire by Christ at His second coming. One thousand years later, when the millennium is completed, Jesus casts the devil into the lake of fire "where the beast and false prophet are also." After one thousand years of being in the lake of fire, they aren't annihilated but are "tormented day and night forever and ever" (Rev. 20:10). This is the strongest expression that can be used concerning eternal punishment.

 Isn't hell really the grave?

One cult teaches that hell is the grave. Let's substitute the words "the grave" instead of "hell" in the scriptures and see how ridiculous it sounds.

     Isa. 66:24--They will look into the grave where they won't die and the fire isn't quenched.
     Matt. 8:12, 22:13--Cast into the grave where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
     Rev. 20:10--Tormented in the grave day and night forever and ever.
     Matt. 25:41--The grave is prepared for the devil and his angels.
     Luke 12:5--Only God has authority to cast into the grave.

Obviously, hell is not the grave but a place of existence beyond the grave.

 How can I keep from going to hell?

No one has to go to hell. God desires for everyone to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4, 2 Pet. 3:9). Our sins have separated us from God and the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of eternal life is eternal life in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:23). The blood that Jesus shed of the cross is the only way you can be cleansed from your sins (Heb. 9:11-12, 22). You can receive eternal life today by receiving Jesus Christ into your life.