The Nature of Hell in Scripture and Christian Tradition

The concept of hell in Scripture and Christian tradition refers to the ultimate destination of the wicked, characterized by punishment and separation from God. The English word "hell" is used to translate several different terms from the original biblical languages, which has led to some variation in understanding its nature ^{[2, 3]}.

In the Old Testament, the primary Hebrew word translated as "hell" is Sheol ^{[2, 3]}. Sheol generally means "the place of the dead" or "the unseen world" ^[2]. It is rendered as "grave" in many passages, such as Genesis 37:35 and 1 Samuel 2:6, indicating a general abode for the deceased without necessarily specifying a state of misery or happiness ^{[2, 3]}. However, in other Old Testament passages, Sheol appears to carry a connotation of punishment ^[2]. For example, Deuteronomy 32:22 speaks of fire kindled in God's wrath burning "unto the bottom of hell" ^[8], and Isaiah 5:14 states that "hell hath inlarged itself" to receive the proud ^[9]. While the association of fire with hell or the grave is rare in the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 32:22 is one such instance ^[15]. Other Old Testament texts use imagery of a "flaming furnace" and "fire" to portray the severity of God's judgment on the wicked, which is often understood as referring to hell ^[14].

In the New Testament, three main Greek words are translated as "hell": Hades, Gehenna, and Tartarus ^[6].

Hades corresponds to the Hebrew Sheol and refers to the abode of the dead ^[11]. In Luke 16:23, Hades is depicted as containing both a place of rest (Abraham's bosom) and a place of torment ^[1]. Jesus is said to have visited Hades ^[1].
Gehenna is a more specific term for the place of eternal punishment ^[12]. It originally referred to the Valley of Hinnom, a ravine outside Jerusalem where idolatrous practices, including child sacrifice, occurred (2 Chronicles 28:3; Jeremiah 7:31). Later, it became a place for burning garbage, which contributed to its metaphorical association with judgment and eternal fire ^{[13, 16]}. Jesus frequently used the term Gehenna to describe hell (Matthew 5:22, 30; 23:15) ^[12]. The Tyndale House commentary notes that Jesus' disciples should fear God, who can inflict eternal punishment in Gehenna ^[16].
Tartarus (or Tatarus) is mentioned in 2 Peter 2:4, where it describes the place where fallen angels are cast down ^{[5, 6]}.

Christian tradition consistently describes hell as a place of future punishment ^[1]. Key biblical descriptions include:

"Everlasting punishment" (Matthew 25:46) ^[1].
"Everlasting fire" (Matthew 25:41) ^[1].
"Everlasting burnings" (Isaiah 33:14) ^[1].
A "furnace of fire" (Matthew 13:42, 50) ^[1].
A "lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15) ^[1].
"Fire and brimstone" (Revelation 14:10) ^[1].
"Unquenchable fire" (Matthew 3:12) ^[1].
"Destruction from the presence of God" (2 Thessalonians 1:9) ^[1].

The book of Revelation provides vivid imagery of this eternal punishment, describing torment "with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb" (Revelation 14:10) ^[7]. The "fiery lake of burning sulfur" is presented as a picture of eternal punishment, where God's enemies, including the beast, the false prophet, the dragon, death, and unsaved humans, are cast ^[10].

The concept of "eternal death" is closely linked to hell, signifying the miserable fate of the wicked ^[4]. The Scriptures teach that the penal sufferings of the lost are of unending duration, using the same Greek words (aion, aionios, aidios) that describe the eternal existence of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit (1 Timothy 1:17; Romans 1:20; Hebrews 9:14) ^[4]. This linguistic consistency is used to argue for the perpetual nature of hell's punishment ^[4].

Sources

Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Hell — The place of disembodied spirits -- Ac 2:31. Which Christ visited. -- Lu 23:43; Ac 2:31; 1Pe 3:19. Contains, a place of rest, Abraham's bosom. -- Lu 16:23. Paradise. -- Lu 23:43. And a place of torment. -- Lu 16:23. The place of future punishment Destruction from the presence of God. -- 2Th 1:9. Described as Everlasting punishment. -- Mt 25:46. Everlasting fire. -- Mt 25:41. Everlasting burnings. -- Isa 33:14. A furnace of fire. -- Mt 13:42,50. A lake of fire. -- Re 20:15. Fire and brimstone. -- Re 14:10. Unquenchable fire. -- Mt 3:12. Devouring fire. -- Isa 3”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Hell — In the Old Testament this is the word generally and unfortunately used by our translators to render the Hebrew Sheol . It really means the place of the dead, the unseen world, without deciding whether it be the place of misery or of happiness. It is clear that in many passages of the Old Testament Sheol can only mean "the grave," and is rendered in the Authorized Version; see, for example, (Genesis 37:35; 42:38; 1 Samuel 2:6; Job 14:13) In other passages, however, it seems to Involve a notion of punishment, and is therefore rendered in the Authorized Version by”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Hell — Derived from the Saxon helan, to cover; hence the covered or the invisible place. In Scripture there are three words so rendered: (1.) Sheol, occurring in the Old Testament sixty-five times. This word sheol is derived from a root-word meaning "to ask," "demand;" hence insatiableness (Prov. 30:15, 16). It is rendered "grave" thirty-one times (Gen. 37:35; 42:38; 44:29, 31; 1 Sam. 2:6, etc.). The Revisers have retained this rendering in the historical books with the original word in the margin, while in the poetical books they have reversed this rule. In thirty-o”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Eternal death — The miserable fate of the wicked in hell (Matt. 25:46; Mark 3:29; Heb. 6:2; 2 Thess. 1:9; Matt. 18:8; 25:41; Jude 1:7). The Scripture as clearly teaches the unending duration of the penal sufferings of the lost as the "everlasting life," the "eternal life" of the righteous. The same Greek words in the New Testament (aion, aionios, aidios) are used to express (1) the eternal existence of God (1 Tim. 1:17; Rom. 1:20; 16:26); (2) of Christ (Rev. 1:18); (3) of the Holy Ghost (Heb. 9:14); and (4) the eternal duration of the sufferings of the lost (Matt. 25”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Devil, The — Sinned against God -- 2Pe 2:4; 1Jo 3:8. Cast out of heaven -- Lu 10:18. Cast down to hell -- 2Pe 2:4; Jude 1:6. The author of the fall -- Ge 3:1,6,14,24. Tempted Christ -- Mt 4:3-10. Perverts the Scripture -- Mt 4:6; Ps 91:11,12. Opposes God's work -- Zec 3:1; 1Th 2:18. Hinders the gospel -- Mt 13:19; 2Co 4:4. Works lying wonders -- 2Th 2:9; Re 16:14. Assumes the form of an angel of light -- 2Co 11:14. The wicked Are the children of. -- Mt 13:38; Ac 13:10; 1Jo 3:10. Turn aside after. -- 1Ti 5:15. Do the lusts of. -- Joh 8:44. Possessed by. -- Lu 22:3; Ac”
STEPBible TIPNR “Biblical proper name: Title - Name of a non-physical personage or place or monster: Sheol|[email protected]; Pit|[email protected]; Gehenna|[email protected]; Tatarus|[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; Belial|[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]”
Revelation “he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. -- Revelation 14:10”
Deuteronomy “Deuteronomy 32:22 (Geneva1599) — For fire is kindled in my wrath, and shall burne vnto the bottome of hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines.”
Isaiah “Isaiah 5:14 (Geneva1599) — Therefore hell hath inlarged it selfe, and hath opened his mouth, without measure, and their glorie, and their multitude, and their pompe, and hee that reioyceth among them, shall descend into it.”
Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 19:20: 19:20 beast . . . false prophet See 13:1-10. • The fiery lake of burning sulfur provides a picture of eternal punishment (see 20:10, 14-15; 21:8; see also Isa 66:24; Matt 13:41, 49-50; Mark 9:43, 48). • God’s enemies are thrown into the fiery lake. The two beasts (Rev 19:20) are followed by the dragon (20:10) and then by death (20:14) and unsaved humans (20:15).”
Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 11:23: 11:23 the place of the dead: Greek Hades, which corresponds to the Hebrew term Sheol (see study note on Ps 6:5).”
James (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on James 3:6: 3:6 It is a whole world of wickedness: The tongue acts as an agent of the whole unrighteous world opposed to God (1:27; 4:4). • hell itself: Greek Gehenna, the place of eternal punishment (Matt 5:22, 30; 23:15), in contrast to Hades, the abode of the dead (Luke 16:23; Acts 2:31). The reference to hell is an allusion to the devil (Jas 4:7; Matt 5:22; John 8:44) as the ultimate source of evil speech.”
Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 5:29: 5:29-30 good eye . . . gouge it out . . . stronger hand . . . cut it off: These graphic images call for radical separation from sin. But even self-mutilation, radical as it would be, cannot stop a lustful mind. Jesus is calling for the surpassing righteousness that only he can bring. 5:29 hell (Greek Gehenna): Gehenna originally referred to a valley outside Jerusalem where some of the kings of Judah worshiped idols and performed human sacrifice by fire (2 Chr 28:3; 33:6; Jer 7:31; 32:35). The site was eventually destroyed by Josiah (2 Kgs 23:10). In the New Testa”
Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 21:9: 21:9 The flaming furnace and fire portray the severity of God’s judgment on the wicked. In the Old Testament, this image often refers to hell (11:6; 18:8; 50:3; 68:2; 78:21; 79:5; 80:16; 89:46; 97:3; 104:4; 140:10; see Isa 66:24).”
Job (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Job 31:12: 31:12 The association of fire with hell or the grave is rare in the Old Testament (cp. Deut 32:22).”
Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 12:5: 12:5 hell (Greek Gehenna): The Valley of Hinnom was a ravine along the southwestern side of Jerusalem. It became a metaphor for hell because Israelites had offered their children as sacrifices there (Jer 32:35) and later used it as a place to burn garbage (Jer 19:2, 10-13). Jesus’ disciples should never be afraid of enemies who can only take away their life on earth. Instead, they should fear God, who can give eternal punishment.”

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