Summary & Conclusions

Many of us grew up thinking that the main reason we needed salvation was to avoid hell, which we understood as being tortured for our sins forever and ever. After many years believing this in the church, I began studying the topic for myself and I came to realize that I could not substantiate it in the Bible. Here is a summary of that research.

In Genesis, God said once you eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, you will die. The correct Hebrew translation is in dying you will die. God said in Genesis 3:22, “man must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So man was not immortal when He sent him out of the garden and guarded the Tree of Life. The theory of endless punishment is based on the soul being immortal. Because we did not eat from the Tree of Life in the Garden, our soul and our body are not immortal, until we are raised to immortality in the first resurrection, if we believe Jesus saves us from our sins. Read more about our mortality at HELL: Eternal Torment or Complete Annihilation?

The Old Testament never talked about endless punishment either, only that the dead “sleep.” Cain was given grace even for killing Abel and was never told about endless punishment. The entire story of the Bible is about God reconciling man to Himself. Jesus came to save us from our sins, not endless torment, Matt 1:21. Because sin causes death, He restores us to life–life now with a changed nature and life in the age to come (without sin). Jesus is the Tree of Life. If He was stating a message of endless punishment, it should have been much clearer in all scripture contexts. Please read more on the Old Testament Never Warned of Endless Punishment.

The Old Testament word Sheol and New Testament work Hades do not refer to a hell we know of, they both mean death and the grave, see supporting scriptures below.

The terms Forever and Ever and Eternity do not mean eternity in our modern-day context. They are qualitative and quantitative meanings based on usage for that passage. The correct translation is ages of the ages. When used for God Who transcends time, it means eternity or infinity as we know it since He is immortal. But when used of man who is mortal, it means for the age, or for the time that man is alive. Please read more on this topic at these websites:

The dead sleep and know nothing, they will be raised up at the first resurrection if they believe in Jesus and if their names are written in the Book of Life. The unbelievers and wicked are raised at the second resurrection, to receive judgement and be finally thrown into the lake of fire which is the second death. The lake of fire will consume them fully and they will be no more. Please see more on these topics at Death as Sleeping and Life in the Age to Come: 1st & 2nd Resurrections.

History of How Hell Evolved as a Doctrine of Eternal Punishment in the Church

The early church did not believe in hell as we know it today. They saw Jesus as saving people from their sins, transforming their lives by the Holy Spirit and giving them eternal life in the first resurrection. However, see below the history of how hell became a doctrine based first on the soul being immortal and then being tortured forever and ever, if the person did not accept Jesus as their Savior.

  • A.D. 110 or some ten years after the death of St. John — the denial of the resurrection of the wicked/unbelieving and the soul remained in Hades as a disembodied spirit.
  • A.D. 112-140 — judgment after death and the punishment of the wicked/unbelieving.
  • A.D. 140-190 — the future torment and final annihilation of the souls of the wicked/unbelieving.
  • A.D. 200-220 — future endless torment of the wicked was set forth by Tertullian.
  • A.D. 553 (or 540) — little by little the pagan dogma gained upon the Christian doctrine, till the Church council sanctioned the doctrine of endless punishment as a fundamental article of Christian faith. Please read more on the History of Hell in the Church  and The Presbyterian Alliance.

Below is a list of the word translated into Hell from the original Hebrew or Greek words in the OT and NT. Imagine what they meant in their context and in their time in history.

 

Hell Word Definitions
Sheol The abode of the dead in general, not particularly the place of the punishment for the wicked; nothing about eternal or endless punishment
Gehennah, γέεννα Valley of Gehennah was a rubbish heap outside Jerusalem that was kept burning and the worms consumed the garbage. The site was initially where apostate Israelites and followers of other gods sacrificed their children by fire, it was deemed cursed. Read more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gehenna
Tartaros, ταρταρός A dark subterranean region where the wicked dead are supposed imprisoned
Hades, αδης A dark place within the earth where the dead spirits reside
Phrear, φρέατος Pit/Abyss below the surface of the earth
Abussos, ἄβυσσο A deep gulf or chasm within the earth where the dead reside
Phrear and Abussos are used almost interchangeably throughout the book of Revelation to refer to the deep pit of imprisonment for fallen angels

Now see how each of these words are used in the Bible verses:

Original Hebrew/Greek Verse
Sheol (31 times) Deut 32:22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.
Sheol 2 Sam 22:6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;
Sheol Job 11:8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?
Sheol Job 26:6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.
Sheol Psa 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.
Sheol Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell: neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Sheol Psa 18:5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
Sheol Psa 55:15 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
Sheol Psa 86:13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
Sheol Psa 116:3 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell got hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.
Sheol Psa 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
Sheol Prov 5:5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.
Sheol Prov 7:27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
Sheol Prov 9:18 But he knows not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.
Sheol Prov 15:11 Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?
Sheol Prov 15:24 The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.
Sheol Prov 23:14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
Sheol Prov 27:20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
Sheol Isa 5:14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoices, shall descend into it.
Sheol Isa 14:9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirs up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
Sheol Isa 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Sheol Isa 28:15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
Sheol Isa 28:18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
Sheol Isa 57:9 And you went to the king with ointment, and did increase your perfumes, and did send your messengers far off, and did debase yourself even unto hell.
Sheol Ezek 31:16 I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth.
Sheol Ezek 31:17 They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the heathen.
Sheol Ezek 32:21 The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.
Sheol Ezek 32:27 And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to their hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.
Sheol Amos 9:2 Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:
Sheol Jonah 2:2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and you heard my voice.
Sheol Hab 2:5 Yea also, because he transgresses by wine, he is a proud man, neither keeps at home, who enlarges his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathers unto him all nations, and heaps unto him all people.
Gehennah, γέεννα
(12 times)		 Mat 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Gehennah, γέεννα Mat 5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Gehennah, γέεννα Mat 5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Gehennah, γέεννα Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Hades, αδης (10 times) Mat 11:23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
Hades, αδης Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Gehennah, γέεννα Mat 18:9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Gehennah, γέεννα Mat 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
Gehennah, γέεννα Mat 23:33 You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell?
Gehennah, γέεννα Mark 9:43 And if your hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Gehennah, γέεννα Mark 9:45 And if your foot offend you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Gehennah, γέεννα Mark 9:47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
Abussos, ἄβυσσο Luke 8:31 And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.
Hades, αδης Luke 10:15 And you, Capernaum, which are exalted to heaven, shall be thrust down to hell.
Gehennah, γέεννα Luke 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Hades, αδης Luke 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Hades, αδης Acts 2:27 Because you wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither will you suffer your Holy One to see corruption.
Hades, αδης Acts 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Gehennah, γέεννα James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Tartaros, ταρταρός (1 time) 2 Pet 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
Jude 1:6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.
Hades, αδης Rev 1:18 I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Hades, αδης Rev 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Phrear, φρέατος Rev 9:1-2 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss.
Abussos, ἄβυσσο Rev 9:11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).
Abussos, ἄβυσσο Rev 20:1-3 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
Hades, αδης Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Hades, αδης Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

The Wicked Perish

The following verses explain that the wicked will perish or be no more, not tortured for eternity.

For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. Psalm 37:9
For a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. Psalm 37:10
But the wicked shall perish: Though the LORD’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke. Psalm 37:20
I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Psalm 37:35,36
Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Psalm 104:35
Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be. Psalm 59:13
The Lord preserves all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy. Psalm 145:20
Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. Psalm 21:8,9
When the wicked spring as the grass, and when the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed forever. Psalm 92:7
For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been. Obadiah 16
And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed. Isaiah 1:28
Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be consumed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that way against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. Isaiah 41:11,12
For, behold, the day comes, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble; and the day comes that shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. Malachi 4:1
The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand. Proverbs 12:7
Do you not know this from of old, since man was placed upon the earth, that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment? Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds, he will perish forever like his own dung; those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’ He will fly away like a dream, and not be found; he will be chased away like a vision of the night. The eye which saw him will see him no more, nor will his place any more behold him. Job 20:4-9

Destroy/Perish/Consume Definitions

This may seem simplistic, but the terms do not imply endless punishment. They all have the concept of being put out of existence.

  • Destroy: 1. To ruin completely; spoil so that restoration is impossible; consume 2. To tear down or break up; raze; demolish. 3. To do away with; get rid of; put an end to. 4. To kill . . .
  • Perish: 1. To die, especially in a violent or untimely manner. 2. To pass from existence; disappear gradually.
  • Consume: 1. To destroy, as by fire. 2. To use up or waste (time, energy, money, etc.). 3. To drink or eat up; devour. v.i. to waste away; perish.

Rebuttal Arguments

These scriptural references to hell are not specific about someone being tortured to death forever, each scripture has a different context:

  • Matthew 10:28 & Luke 12:5 – correct translation from Bible Hub: “Fear him who after having killed has the authority to cast you into Gehenna.” Many people believe that this refers only to God, Who has the ability to kill the soul after death in hell. But it still does not talk of endless torment.
  • Luke 16:19-31 – regarding the Rich Man and Lazarus. In this parable, Jesus used common knowledge of the day to expose the Jews faults of not sharing salvation with the Gentiles and predicts the coming destruction of Jerusalem. Read more at Lazarus and the Rich Man.
  • 2 Cor 5:8 – to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. This verb tense is subjunctive (that is, a desire or possibility). We want to be with the Lord and to be immortal, so we fight to be with the Lord because we don’t want to remain in this mortality. This scripture does create doctrine clearly opposing other scriptures that say the dead sleep. We must be careful to read all verses in their context and understand the original meaning.

Further Reading and Supporting Sites