The Two Hells of the Bible
‘Hell Now’ cast into Eternal Hell
Eternal Hell – Other Descriptions (besides Geena)
Introduction
The English word ‘hell’ is based on the following Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament) words:
Hebrew:
- Sheol – ~65 occurrences – the grave, hell, pit
Greek:
- Hades – 11 occurrences – grave, hell
- Tartaroo – 1 occurrence – hell
- Geenna (or gehenna) – ~12 occurrences – hell (refers to eternal hellfire and is derived from the Hebrew ‘valley of Hinnon’
The Greek word geenna or Gehenna refers to final Judgment Day, while the Greek words hades and tartaroo (as well as the Hebrew word sheol) refers to where the unsaved dead abide after death, but prior to the second coming of Jesus Christ on Judgment day. There are many other words and symbols used to describe the final judgment day, which are further discussed below.
In addition, there are other terms used to describe ‘hell’ prior to Judgment day:
Hebrew:
- ‘Pit’ (Hebrew words H953, bor and H7845, chachath)
Greek:
- ‘Bottomless pit’ (Greek words G12, abussos and G5421, phrear)
‘Hell’ in the Bible
Bible Words Translated as ‘Hell’:
- Hades (NT) – 11 occurrences
- Literally, ‘unseen’
- Sheol (OT)- 65 occurrences
- grave, pit, place of the dead
- Tartaroo (NT) – the deepest abyss of hades
- One occurrence – 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
- Geena (NT) – 12 occurrences in Bible
- Pronounced as Gehenna
- Valley of Hinnom – location of child sacrifice (e.g., 2 Chr 33:6, 2 Ki 21:6, 2 Chr 28:3)
‘Hell Now’
- Hades, Sheol, Tartaroo
- Hades is the same as Sheol (compare Ps 16:10 and Acts 2:27)
- Where the wicked dead go
- Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave [sheol] those which have sinned. (Job 24:19)
- The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. (Psa 9:17)
‘Hell Now’ cast into Eternal Hell
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 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. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Rev 20:11-15)
Eternal Hell
- Geena
- Eternal Judgment
- Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? (Mat 23:33)
- 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. (Mat 18:9)
‘Hell Now’ – Bottomless Pit
- Other Reference to Hell Now : Bottomless Pit
- Greek words phrear and abussos
- Hebrew words bor and chachath
- For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. (Isa 38:18)
- LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. (Psa 30:3)
Eternal Hell – Other Descriptions (besides Geena)
Note: See detailed study on eternal hell
- Everlasting Fire (Lake of Fire)
- Second Death
- Everlasting Destruction
- Blackness of Outer Darkness (where the worm does not die)
- Place of Torment by Fire and Brimstone
- A Place Apart from God