Does Hell Exist?
Words in the Bible for Places after Death:
- Gehenna: Almost exclusively used by Jesus, translated into the word Hell.
(originally Ge bene Hinnom; i.e., “the valley of the sons of Hinnom”), a deep, narrow valley to the south of Jerusalem, where the idolatrous Jews offered their children in sacrifice to Molech (2 Chr. 28:3; 33:6; Jer. 7:31; 19:2–6). This valley afterwards became the common dump for all the garbage of the city. Here the dead bodies of animals and of criminals, and all kinds of filth, were cast and consumed by fire kept always burning - Hades: By the beginning of the New Testament period, hadēs had three meanings: (1) death, (2) the place of all the dead, and (3) the place of the wicked dead only. Jesus has the keys to Hades and Death (Rev. 1:18) . Death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire(Rev. 20:14).
- Sheol: Used to describe the realm of the dead in the Old Testament Hebrews Scriptures. It is used synonymously with pit, death, and destruction. Righteous and unrighteous go down to Sheol in the sense that they all die
- Lake of Fire: A phrase used in Revelation to describe the final destination of the enemies of God, including the devil (Rev 20:10), the beast and false prophet (Rev 19:20), death and Hades (Rev 20:14), and anyone not found in the book of life (Rev 20:15). The lake of fire will be a “second death” (Rev 20:14; 21:8) consisting of eternal suffering and complete separation from God and/or a permanent and inescapable death. Possibly the same place Jesus calls Gehenna (Matt 10:28; Mark 9:43; Luke 12:5).
Jesus talks about Hell(Gehenna)
Matthew 10:28 (ESV)
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell(Gehenna).
Matthew 25:45–46 (ESV)
45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’
46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Revelation 20:14–15 (ESV)
14 Then Death and Hades 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.
Luke 16:19-31 (ESV): The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried,
23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
24 And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.'
25 But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'
27 And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'
29 But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' 30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
31 He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
Revelation 21:8 (ESV)
But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars,
their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”