[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World whiteboard.]

What is hell?

Are you worried that you might end up in hell? Or worse, that someone you love is there now, suffering in agony for all eternity?

Well, the truth is hell is not what most people think.

Many think of hell as a fiery place of torment where some people go when they die to suffer forever. But is that what the Bible really says? Would a loving God really create human beings and have the vast majority of them literally burn in agony for eternity?

In this video, we’re going to explain the Biblical truth about “hell” in four simple points so that you know what it is, who’s going there, and why.

Be sure to stick around for all 4 points because hell is real, but it’s probably not what you expect. And don’t just believe us, but look up these verses and prove this from your own Bible.

Point number 1: Hell has three meanings from four different words.

English translations of the Bible have made “hell” pretty confusing, because four different words in the original languages have all been translated “hell.” You can use any concordance or lexicon to see this.

The word “hell” in your Bible could be referring to the Hebrew word sheol, or the Greek words hades, gehenna, or tartaroo. And the problem is, not all of these words mean the same thing.

Definition of sheol and hades

For example, the Hebrew word sheol in the Old Testament, simply means grave or pit. So does the Greek word hades in the New Testament. Many translations maintain this rendering. In fact, the New International Version never translates sheol as “hell.”

But not all translations are as clear. The King James Version translates sheol as hell 31 times. Yet, sheol and hades simply refer to a pit or the grave—a place where the dead are buried to decompose and return to dust.

As the cloud disappears and vanishes away, so he who goes down to the grave [or sheol] does not come up (Job 7:9).

Definition of gehenna

Now, the Greek word gehenna is different. This word is derived from the Hebrew expression ge hinnom—a reference to the valley of Hinnom to the south of Jerusalem. Anciently, the valley of Hinnom was used as a place to dump Jerusalem’s trash.

Fires burned continuously and fed on the city’s garbage, which included the dead bodies of condemned criminals. As a result, gehenna became a symbol of judgment associated with fire. So this “hell,” or gehenna fire, is a reference to the final fate of the wicked, which we’ll cover further in point three.

Definition of tartaroo (or tartarus)

And lastly, the Greek word tartaroo is based on the Greek word tartarus. This word denotes a condition of restraint, and it applies not to human beings, but rather to fallen angels.

This word is found only once in the Bible.

In 2 Peter 2:4, it says, “God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment.” This “hell” is only for angels and is completely different from sheol and hades or gehenna.

Use the correct meaning of “hell” to understand scriptures about hell.

So, when it comes to understanding hell, the first thing we need to ask is which “hell” are we talking about?

Using the one word “hell” to convey all three of these meanings has caused confusion and does not accurately communicate the truth of the Bible.

Point number 2: The dead are not in any way alive or conscious in hell.

As mentioned, when “hell” is speaking of the grave, it is simply speaking of the place where the dead remain.

Historically, when people die, their bodies have often been buried in a grave, where the bodies naturally decay and turn again to dust. But the dead are in no way alive or conscious in sheol or hades.

This is how the Bible describes the state of the dead:

• “For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing....” (Ecclesiastes 9:5)
• “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave [or sheol] where you are going.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
• The dead do not praise the LORD, nor any who go down in silence.” (Psalm 115:17)
• “For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave [in sheol] who will give You thanks?” (Psalm 6:5)
• And as Psalm 146 explains, when a man dies, “His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his plans perish.” (Psalm 146:4)

When we die, we are no longer conscious or active in any way. We “know nothing” (Ecclesiastes 9:5), just as if we were in a deep and dreamless sleep.

This is why the Bible often symbolizes death as a sleep.

Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, “For I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.”

And we read in 1 Corinthians 15:20 that “Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

So it’s clear from the Bible that the dead who have gone to “hell” are simply that—dead and in the grave. They are completely without life. No thoughts. No feelings. No actions. Nothing.

They are not in some torturous labyrinth with various levels of punishment. They are not experiencing the burning pain of fire. They are simply awaiting a resurrection.

To learn more about what happens after death, and the 3 main resurrections, be sure to watch our video “THIS Happens After Death.”

Point number 3: Hell is the everlasting punishment for the incorrigibly wicked.

The gehenna fire mentioned in the Bible IS referring to a fiery place of judgment where unrepentant sinners are cast for eternal punishment.

The Bible calls this the lake of fire and the second death (Revelation 20:15; Revelation 21:8).

But there is one very important element to understand about this hell fire. That is—the wicked thrown into it will be burned up and cease to exist forever. It is a final death. They will never be resurrected again and will be erased from all existence.

They will not continuously suffer in agony for eternity. Rather they will suffer the final punishment of death for the rest of eternity.

As Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell [that is, in gehenna]” (Matthew 10:28).

The fate of the wicked is NOT eternal life of suffering—but eternal death.

Yes, the soul can be destroyed.

God will not accept unrepentant sinners into His eternal Kingdom. And He does not give the gift of eternal life to those who are unwilling to submit to Him and accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for their sins.

The Bible makes plain that “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

What is often called the golden verse also says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish [that is to suffer death] but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Eternal life is only a gift for those who will turn to God, obey Him, and accept Jesus’ sacrifice as payment for the death penalty they’ve earned through their sins.

Those who refuse God’s way of life will ultimately perish in the lake of fire and will not receive the gift of eternal life. They will be destroyed.

Final judgment happens after the second resurrection and Great White Throne Judgment.

Speaking of this, the book of Revelation shows that after the second resurrection and the Great White Throne Judgment period, “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14).

Jesus also described the final two outcomes for all people when He spoke of judgment and dividing His sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-46). He said of the unrighteous: They “will go away into everlasting punishment, [that is the punishment of death will last forever and they will never live again] but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46).

And finally…

Point number 4: The expectation of “hell” fire for the wicked will be agonizing.

So you might be wondering—what about the verses describing torment, and weeping, and gnashing of teeth?

For example, when Jesus gave the parable of the talents, He said the wicked and lazy servant was to be “cast... into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:30).

In both the parable of the tares and the dragnet, Jesus explained that at the end of the age, “the Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:41-42).

And He warned, “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out” (Luke 13:28).

Parables such as these, and others like the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, illustrate the mental anguish unrepentant sinners will experience before they are totally burned up.

The incorrigibly wicked will suffer the torment of knowing their fate before their final execution.

God will give every person a fair opportunity to receive eternal life.

But some will refuse God’s will, and as they finally receive the penalty they are due, they will be filled with bitter hatred, misery, regret, and inner torment.

They will be kicking and screaming, so to speak, as they realize there is no going back.

But a loving and merciful God will put them out of their misery for all eternity.

They will be totally burned up and destroyed forever, annihilated in the lake of fire, which is the second death.

So the wicked will experience a brief moment of torment on their way to eternal death in the lake of fire, but they will not continue in their suffering for the rest of eternity.

God is just. He will destroy the wicked, but He is not unfair nor cruel in His judgment on them.

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Thanks for watching!