What Does the Bible Teach About Hell?


  1. Some in the brotherhood are denying the Bible teaching on hell:
    1. Edward Fudge - The Fire That Consumes teaches the Jehovah's Witness position on hell - annihilationism - cessation of existence
    2. F. LaGard Smith - denies the Bible teaches eternal, fiery torment
    3. Some fail to teach anything about it, thus causing people to fail to give hell due consideration (Heb 2:1-4; 2 Pet 1:1-13).


  2. Hell in the Old Testament
    1. From the Hebrew - she'ol (shee-owl)
      1. Has various meanings which must be determined by context:
      2. Translated "hell" 31 times, "grave" 31 times, & "pit" 3 times
        1. a pit, or deep crevice:
          1. Numbers 16:30-33 Korah swallowed by the earth
          2. Psalm 139:8 (probable intent of author)
        2. the grave, i.e., the abode of the dead:
          1. Genesis 37:35
          2. Psalm 16:10
        3. the place of punishment for the wicked:
          1. Psalm 9:17
          2. Proverbs 23:14
  3. Hell in the New Testament
    1. "Hell" appears 23 times in the New Testament, with three different words so translated: hades, Gehenna, Tartarus
      1. Hades - 11 times
        1. translated "hell" 10 times KJV; "the grave" in 1 Cor 15:55
        2. transliterated in the ASV, RSV, NASB, NKJV
        3. NIV confusing = "hades," "the grave," "hell"
        4. the place where all the dead, both righteous and wicked, await the Judgment: Matthew 16:18; Luke 16:23; Acts 2:27, 31
      2. Tartarus - appears one time -- 2 Peter 2:4
        1. translated "hell" in the KJV, NKJV, ASV, RSV, NIV -- but all translations footnote and transliterate in the margins.
        2. transliterated in McCord, Estes, and Littrell translations
        3. appears to be a special region of the torment side of hades
      3. Gehenna - 12 times
        1. refers to the eternal place of punishment for all the wicked
        2. Matthew 5:29-30; Matthew 10:28; Mark 9:43-48


  4. How does the New Testament describe hell? It is . . .
    1. a place of FIRE and AGONY -- Mark 9:43-48
    2. a place of DARKNESS -- Matthew 8:12
    3. a place of WEEPING & GNASHING of TEETH -- Matt 8:12
    4. a place where God's WRATH is poured out in FULL STRENGTH -- Revelation 14:10 (cf Matthew 25:41)
    5. a place of TORMENT -- Revelation 14:11
    6. a place where there is no REST -- Revelation 14:11
    7. a place of SEPARATION from God -- 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9
    8. an ETERNAL place -- Matthew 25:46
    9. A PLACE TO BE AVOIDED AT ALL COST!