| 1. Romans 6:23 |
" For the wages of sin is death ; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." |
|
 C.R.
|
|
| 2.
Revelation 21:8 |
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death . |
|
C.R.
|
|
| 3. Malachi 4:1-3 |
"For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts." |
|
C.R.
|
|
| 4. Psalms 37:20 |
" But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke; shall they consume away." |
|
C.R.
|
back
to top |
| 5. Matthew 10:28 |
"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul [Original Greek for "soul" is psuche ; #5590 in Strong's Concordance — meaning breath or life ]: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul [life] and body in hell [ gehenna]."
Comment —
Notice carefully here that both soul [life] and body CAN be DESTROYED!
There are three different Greek words translated into the English word as hell in the English Bible. The first one is in this verse. The Greek word translated as hell here is Gehenna (#5020 in Strong's Concordance). The Greek word represents The Valley of Hinnom located to the south; just outside Jerusalem. It was used as a garbage dump; where refuse was burnt continually. The word is used figuratively in scripture to represent a place of fiery destruction. |
|
C.R..
|
|
| 6. Acts 2:31 | "He (David) seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in hell [ hades ] , neither His flesh did see corruption." (Acts 2:31)
Comment —
The second Greek word — translated as "hell" here is Hades (#5020 in Strongs's Concordance). It simply means grave (Strong's Concordance #86). It can also mean pit.
It is interesting that 400 years ago — at the time when the King James Bible was written — the people of England commonly talked of putting their potatoes in HELL (buried in a hole or pit) to preserve them through the winter. But people who read the Bible now read the word "HELL" and mistakenly think it means a fiery place of torment.
|
|
C.R.
|
|
| 7. Psalms 16:10 |
"For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell [sheol] neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."
Comment — Acts 2:31 is a reference to this Old Testament Messianic prophecy uttered under inspiration by David. The Hebrew word for "hell" used here is sheol (Strong's Concordance #7585) . It is the word translated as hell in the Old Testament. It's basic meaning is place of the dead, pit, depths or grave. It is the Old Testament equivalent of the the New Testament Greek word for grave — hades. Sheol is translated thirty-one times as grave, thirty-one times as hell and three times as pit in the Old Testament. The important point to remember is that at NO TIME does sheol indicate the meaning of a place of torment.
|
|
C.R.
|
|
| 8. 2 Peter 2:4 |
"For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell [tartaroo] , and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;"
The third word Greek word translated as hell used here is tartaroo (#5020 in Strongs's Concordance). It is the only place this word is used in the Bible. This word comes from the name Tatarus a place mentioned used in a legendary story of the Greeks. Homer describes this place as a subterranean prison of the Titans or Giant's; who rebelled against Zeus.
Here in the Bible it is used symbolically — metaphorically — as place of restraint for fallen angels or Satanic spirits. The fallen angels, originally who's chief domain was heaven, fell to and are restrained to this earth. Read Luke 10:18. |
|
C.R.
|
back
to top |
| 9. Mark 9:43-44 |
" And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell [Gehenna] , into the fire that never shall be quenched": Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
Comment —
The word hell used here is Gehenna in the original Greek that this passage was originally written in . Many misunderstand the words fire that never shall be quenched— mistakenly believing that it means the fire shall never go out. However, a fire that is never quenched simply means it did not go out until everything it was burning up was consumed. If a house burns in a roaring fire and the house totally burns up, the fire goes out with nothing else to burn with — but the fire was never quenched or extinguished. |
|
C.R.
|
|
| 10. Jeremiah 17:27 |
"But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched."
Comment —
Here we will let the Bible interpret Mark 9:43-44 itself. A few years later, in 586 B.C., Jerusalem was burnt and destroyed. The fire was not quenched but it is still not burning today! |
|
C.R.
|
|
| 11. Jeremiah 52:12-13 |
" Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem, And burned the house of the Lord, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire."
Comment —
The vital point to notice here is, the fires that burnt Jerusalem were not quenched , but went out — are not burning today. Likewise, the Gehenna fire which destroys the wicked will not be quenched but it will not burn forever! |
|
C.R.
|
back
to top |
| 12. Mark 9:45-48 |
Now to explain rest of this passage —
" And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell (Gehenna) fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
Comment —
Gehenna, or the Valley of Hinnom, was located outside of Jerusalem and was a place where trash, filth, and the dead bodies of animals and despised criminals were thrown. If anything, especially a dead body, landed on a ledge above the fires, it would be devoured by many worms or maggots which were kept alive by the animal and vegetable substances deposited there. It was to these worms that Christ was referring when He said "their worm dieth not." But Christ didn't mean that each individual worm continued to live forever!
Actually, these worms, or maggots are the larvae which develop from eggs deposited by flies. They continue for only a few days in this larval stage, then they pupate and finally emerge as flies, later dying. This is what Christ meant when He said " their worm dieth not" ! |
|
C.R.
|
|
| 13. Isaiah 66:23-24 |
" And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."
Comment —
Notice that they are NOT looking at a fire burning in the earth as most picture hell. Also note that they are not looking upon ever burning individuals — but carcasses!
|
|
C.R.
|
|
|
C.R.
|
back
to top |
| 14. Jude 7 |
"Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."
Comment —
These cities of Sodom and Gomorrah suffered from the vengeance of eternal fire, yet these cities obviously not still burning today — they no longer exist! The fires which burned Sodom and Gomorrah went out of themselves. Clearly there is no question as to the plain meaning of God's Word. Eternal fire means fire whose results are permanent or everlasting. Sodom and Gomorrah have never been rebuilt!
|
|
C.R.
|
|
| 15. Genesis 19:24-29 |
"Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; And He overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord: And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt."
Comment — Again, Sodom and Gomorrah were DESTROYED by eternal fire; that is it had ETERNAL RESULTS; it did not burn forever! No one is even quite sure where the former location of these two cities exactly was. Some believe the location of these cities was at the south end of the dead sea!
|
|
C.R.
|
|
| 16. Matthew 25:41-46 |
"Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
Comment —
The important point to understand here is that the everlasting fire had everlasting effects — but it is everlasting PUNISHMENT — NOT PUNISHING! The wicked will be burnt up and dead for eternity! The punishment will be death!
|
|
C.R.
|
|
| 17. Hebrews 10:26-27 |
"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."
Comment —
Notice clearly here that these wilful sinners will be DEVOURED — not eternally tormented with fire!
|
|
C.R.
|
back
to top |
| 18. Revelation 20:10 |
" And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."
Comment —
In your King James Version you will notice that the word are is in italics. This means that the word was supplied by the translators and is not in the original Greek. This wrong translation misleads, indicating that the human beast and the false prophet are still in the lake of fire at the time that the devil and his demons are cast into this lake of fire . According to the chronology of Revelation itself both the beast and the false prophet were cast alive into the lake of fire at the beginning of God's thousand-year reign on the earth (Rev. 19:20).
By merely using God's definition of what happens to human bodies when they are cast into fire, we can realize that they will be burned up just like so much fat on a hot stove (Psalm 37:20), and therefore the phrase in Revelation 20:10 should be translated where the beast and the false prophet WERE CAST.
The last part of this verse should read, according to the original Greek, " And THEY shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." The New King James correctly translates this. Obviously, as the next verse will show; unclean spirits indwelt the Beast and False prophet. Since spirit does not burn up in a physical fire, they are among the unclean spiritual beings who will be tormented day and night, for ever and ever — not the actual physical bodies of the Beast and false Prophet.
|
|
C.R.
|
|
| 19. Revelation 16:13-14 |
"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. "
Comment — The Beast and the False prophet will be thrown into the lake of fire; along with the unclean spirits spoken of here that possessed them. The Devil; also an unclean spirit ; spoken of as the "Dragon" (Revelation 12:3 ) will be thrown in the lake of fire as well. The physical bodies of the Beast and False Prophet will burn up; but the three unclean spirits, along with the rest of the demons, will be the ones "tormented day and night forever and ever".
|
| 20. Jude 6,13 |
Vs. 6 " And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day".
Vs 13- "Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever."
Comment —
Stars are symbolic of Angels (Revelation 2:7). Wandering stars are symbolic of fallen angels. The false brethren described throughout the book of Jude are influenced by and a type of these Satanic and fallen angels — evil demonic spirits. Because spirit cannot be burnt up with fire — they will be sent into outer darkness — tormented — isolated and apart from God's people forever; yet still existing . The false brethren, in contast, will be cursed with the darkness and unawareness of physical death. |
|
C.R.
|
|
| 21. 2 Peter 3:9-13 |
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. "
Comment —
Someday this entire earth and physical heavens will be burnt up.It is important to understand that in the New Earth there will be no wickedness — no evil and unrepentant people burning forever in hell. They will have been consumed by the fire! Only righteousness will exist.
|
|
C.R.
|
|
| 22. Psalms 109:14-15 |
" Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the Lord; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.Let them be before the Lord continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth."
Comment —
The important point to notice here is that the memory of the wicked will be cut off! |
|
C.R.
|
back
to top |
| 23. Revelation 14:9-11 |
"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."
Comment —
Notice that it is in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. Obviously, they are not going to stand for eternity watch the wicked suffer! It is a momentary torment.
The words "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever:" obviously are similar to the words from Edom's destruction recorded in the next chain reference scripture in Isaiah 34:8-10. It is a figurative expression connoting utter and full torment that will never be forgotten etched into eternity. If I said that the cry of pain and grief the Jews suffered in World War 2 will ring out forever; I am denoting the pain lasting in a figurative, unforgettable way — though the literal physical suffering has ended.
The underlined words in they have no rest day nor night who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. — are in the present tense. It should be translated as are worshipping — That is, those who were continuing to worship the beast would have no rest day or night.
|
|
C.R.
|
|
| 24. Isaiah 34:8-10 |
For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever."
Comment —
This prophecy as speaking prophetically of the destruction of Edom, which came to pass. Obviously, as in Revelation 14:9-11 it is speaking figuratively. The phrases used here "it shall not be quenched" and "the smoke shall go up forever" can not be taken literally. The fire is not still burning nor is the smoke going still going up! It signifies utter perpetual destruction! |
|
C.R.
|
|
| 25. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 |
"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; " |
|
C.R.
|
|
| 26. Revelation 20:12-14 |
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 [hades-grave] were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. |
|
C.R.
|
|
back
to top
| 27. Revelation 21:1-4 |
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Comment — Notice that there will be "neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:". If there was an ever-burning hell, this could not be true. Additionally, how could there NOT be sorrow knowing you had loved ones in hell suffering excruciating pain! |
|
C.R.
|
|
| CONCLUSION |
We find then that the wages and penalty of sin is death, not eternal torment in an ever-burning hell. The wicked will be thrown into fire; suffer the momentary torment of knowing they have lost their eternal life, as well as the temporary pain of quickly burning up in the flames. As horrible as the experience will be, with "weeping and gnashing of teeth", the pain will not be suffered for eternity. It will be eternal PUNISHMENT; not PUNISHING. Satan and his demonic kingdom, WILL BE tormented for eternity; NOT by endless pain in a fiery hell; but sent out into the isolation of eternal darkness.
|
|
