The Biblical Doctrine of Hell

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The doctrine of hell is a subject that demands careful, scripture-grounded study due to centuries of confusion caused by mistranslations, ecclesiastical tradition, and the influence of pagan philosophy. Many assume that “hell” refers to a place of eternal torment where wicked souls are consciously punished forever. However, a faithful, literal examination of the original Hebrew and Greek terms and the context in which they are used reveals a different truth. The Bible presents hell not as a fiery torture chamber but as the state of death and unconsciousness, with destruction—not endless suffering—as the final judgment for the wicked.

Sheol and Hades: The Common Grave of Mankind

The Hebrew word שְׁאוֹל (Sheol) and its Greek equivalent ᾅδης (Hades) occur frequently in the Old and New Testaments and are often rendered “hell” in older English versions, such as the King James Version. Yet their actual meaning is “the grave,” “the realm of the dead,” or “the place of the departed.” These terms do not denote a place of torment but a condition of nonexistence.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 affirms this, stating, “There is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave [Sheol], where you are going.” The writer underscores the unconscious nature of death—there is no awareness or feeling. Similarly, Psalm 146:4 declares of the dead, “His breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his thoughts perish.” This total cessation of consciousness stands in contradiction to the notion of eternal conscious torment.

Acts 2:31, quoting Psalm 16:10, states of Jesus: “He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell [Hades].” Clearly, Jesus went to the grave, not a place of fiery torment, and was resurrected from that state.

Gehenna: Eternal Destruction, Not Eternal Torment

The Greek term γέεννα (Gehenna) appears twelve times in the New Testament and is often translated “hell.” Unlike Sheol and Hades, which refer to the condition of the dead generally, Gehenna signifies the eternal destruction of the wicked. It is derived from the Valley of Hinnom (Ge-Hinnom), a real place outside Jerusalem historically associated with idolatrous child sacrifices and later used as a refuse dump where fire consumed waste. This symbol of irreversible destruction—not unending torment—served as Jesus’ warning of divine judgment.

In Matthew 10:28, Jesus says, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” The word destroy (Greek: ἀπολέσαι) connotes total annihilation, not preservation in torment. Gehenna, therefore, is the final and irreversible death that awaits the unrepentant—not conscious suffering.

Psalm 145:20 supports this understanding: “Jehovah guards all those who love him, but all the wicked He will annihilate.” The righteous are preserved; the wicked are permanently destroyed. Romans 6:23 confirms: “The wages of sin is death,” not torment, but death—the absence of life and consciousness.

Death as the Just Penalty for Sin

From the outset, God warned Adam that the penalty for sin was death (Genesis 2:17), not torment. After sinning, Adam was told, “Dust you are and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). This was the fulfillment of the penalty—not departure to an underworld of torture, but a return to nonexistence. This death penalty has remained unchanged: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). The idea that an additional penalty of eternal torment would be imposed is foreign to both the Old and New Testaments.

Romans 6:7 clarifies, “The one who has died has been acquitted from sin.” There is no further punishment due after death; justice has been served. Hellfire as a post-death penalty is therefore neither just nor biblical—it contradicts the very principle of divine justice.

The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus: A Figurative Warning

One of the most cited passages used to defend eternal torment is Luke 16:19–31, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. However, this is a parable, not a literal historical account. Jesus often used parables to convey moral or theological truths using vivid imagery (Matthew 13:34). The rich man and Lazarus serve as symbolic figures, not actual persons.

This parable must be interpreted in the context of first-century Jewish expectations, not modern doctrines. It critiques the religious elite’s hardness of heart and their rejection of the Law and the Prophets. It is not a systematic description of the afterlife and cannot override clear doctrinal statements such as Ecclesiastes 9:5, which says, “The dead know nothing.”

Good People in “Hell”?

The idea that hell is a place of punishment collapses under the biblical testimony that righteous men also expected to go there. Jacob mourns Joseph’s presumed death saying, “I will go down to Sheol to my son mourning” (Genesis 37:35). Job pleaded, “O that in Sheol You would conceal me” (Job 14:13). Even Jesus went to Hades (Acts 2:27). Clearly, this “hell” is not a place of torment but the universal grave of mankind.

Resurrection: Release from the Grave

Scripture records multiple resurrections—people who returned from Sheol or Hades. None of them recount torment or any consciousness during death (1 Kings 17:17–24; John 11:38–44). Jesus described death as “sleep” (John 11:11–14), emphasizing the unconscious state. Revelation 20:13 says that “death and Hades gave up the dead in them,” and then “death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14). This lake of fire symbolizes the eternal destruction of death itself—not torment of souls, but the end of death’s dominion.

Origin and Influence of the Hellfire Doctrine

The teaching of eternal torment in hell does not originate in Scripture but in pagan philosophy and ecclesiastical politics. Ancient Egyptian and Greek texts describe fiery underworlds of punishment. By the second century C.E., Christian theologians influenced by Platonism introduced these ideas into Christian doctrine. Plato’s belief in the immortal soul and post-mortem punishment laid the groundwork for hellfire theology.

Hellfire also served sociopolitical purposes. During the Inquisition and Reformation, it was used to control dissent, justify torture, and compel conformity. These historical abuses show the fruit of a doctrine foreign to biblical revelation.

Modern Shifts and the Warning of Scripture

Some modern denominations have revised their views on hell, not due to exegetical rigor, but cultural sensitivity. Yet Paul warns, “The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching… they will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Timothy 4:3–4). The doctrine of hell must be restored to its scriptural definition, not reimagined to fit emotional comfort or tradition.

Conclusion

Hell, as taught in the Bible, is not a place of unending conscious torment, but the grave—the state of death and unconsciousness. The wicked will not suffer eternally but will be destroyed, ceasing to exist. Sheol and Hades refer to the temporary condition of the dead; Gehenna points to final destruction. The idea of eternal hellfire arose from pagan philosophy and religious distortion, not the inspired Word of God. A return to the biblical doctrine of hell aligns with the justice, mercy, and holiness of Jehovah, who desires not the death of the wicked but their repentance and life (Ezekiel 18:23).

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About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).