There is no definitive answer to this question. The Bible does not explicitly say that hell is eternal, but some passages suggest it could be. For example, in Matthew 25:46, Jesus says that those who are condemned to hell “will go away into eternal punishment.”
Some theologians interpret this to mean that hell is eternal. Others believe that this phrase could refer to the punishment that sinners will experience in hell, which will be eternal, but that the souls of those condemned to hell will eventually be destroyed. There is no definitive answer to this question, and it is something that Christians continue to debate.
Where in the Bible Does It Say Hell is Eternal?
The Bible is clear that a hell is a real place and that it is eternal. In Matthew 25:41, Jesus says, “Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” This is just one of many verses that demonstrate that hell exists and is eternal.
There are a lot of people who deny the existence of hell. They will say that the Bible doesn’t teach that a hell is a real place. But that is not true. The Bible is very clear that a hell is a real place and that it is eternal.
There are a lot of people who also deny that hell is eternal. They will say that the Bible doesn’t teach that hell is eternal. But that is not true either. The Bible is very clear that hell is eternal.
So what does the Bible teach about hell? The Bible is clear that a hell is a real place and that it is eternal. If you don’t believe in hell, then you are not believing what the Bible teaches.
The Biblical Basis for the Doctrine of Eternal Hell
The doctrine of eternal torment appears throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, we see God’s wrath poured out on the wicked in the form of eternal fire (Deuteronomy 32:22; Jude 7). In the New Testament, Jesus speaks more about hell than anyone else in Scripture. He describes it as a place of “outer darkness,” “weeping and gnashing of teeth,” and “torment” (Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30).
The clearest and most concise statement about the duration of hell is found in Revelation 20:10: “And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
The word “forever” in this verse is the Greek word aion, which is better translated as “age-lasting.” This is the same word used in Matthew 25:46, where Jesus says, “And these [the wicked] will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” The word “eternal” in this verse is the Greek word aionios, which is derived from aion. The word aionios does not necessarily mean “without end,” but can also refer to something that has a definite beginning and end.
So, when the Bible speaks of hell as being eternal, it is not necessarily teaching that hell will last forever without end. Rather, it is teaching that the punishment in hell is everlasting—that is, it will last for a great duration of time.
There are a few different interpretations of what this great duration of time could be. Some believe that hell is a place of conscious torment for some time, after which the wicked will be annihilated and cease to exist. Others believe that the wicked will suffer conscious torment in hell for all of eternity.
The Bible does not give a definitive answer as to how long the duration of hell will be. However, hell is a place of eternal punishment for the wicked.
What the Bible Teaches About Hell
What the Bible Teaches About Hell
The Bible is very clear that a hell is a real place. Jesus spoke more about hell than anyone else in the Bible. His warnings about hell were not intended to frighten people, but rather to warn them of the true consequences of rejecting Him.
The Bible describes hell as a place of torment (Luke 16:28), darkness (Jude 13), and fire (Mark 9:43). Hell is also a place of everlasting punishment (2 Thessalonians 1:9). Those who go to hell will be separated from God forever (Revelation 20:15).
There is no escaping hell. Once a person dies and goes to hell, they will be there forever (Luke 16:26). There is no second chance.
Hell was not created for people. It was created for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). But those who reject God will also end up in hell.
The good news is that you don’t have to go to hell. Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life (John 3:16). All we have to do is repent of our sins and put our faith in Jesus Christ.
The Nature of Hell
The Nature of Hell
The Bible is very clear that Hell is a real place. In Matthew 25:41, Jesus Christ says, “Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” And in Revelation 20:10, we read, “And the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown.” “They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
Several verses speak of the everlasting nature of Hell. In Matthew 18:8, Jesus says, “If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.” You should enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And in Matthew 25:46, Jesus says, “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
So the Bible is very clear that a hell is a real place and that it is everlasting. But what is the nature of hell? What is it like?
First, we need to understand that Hell was not created for man. It was created for the devil and his angels. In Matthew 25:41, Jesus says that hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. So Hell was not created for man; it was created for the devil.
Second, hell is a place of conscious torment. In Luke 16:23–24, we read the story of the rich man and Lazarus. In this story, the rich man dies and goes to Hell. He is in torment there, and he is fully conscious. He can see, he can hear, and he can feel pain.
Third, hell is a place of separation from God. In Matthew 7:23, Jesus says, “Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.’ “Away from me, you evildoers!” And in 2
The Duration of Hell
The Bible is pretty clear that a hell is a place of eternal torment. In Matthew 25:41, Jesus says, “Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” And in Revelation 20:10, we read, “And the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown.” “They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
There are a few verses that some people think might suggest that Hell is not eternal, but a close reading of those verses shows that they don’t. For example, in Matthew 10:28, Jesus says, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in Hell. Some people think this means that Hell is not eternal because it says that God can destroy both the soul and the body. But the word “destroy” here means “to put an end to” or “to kill.” It doesn’t mean that God will annihilate people in Hell.
And in 2 Thessalonians 1:9, we read, “They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and the majesty of his power.” Some people think this means that Hell is not eternal because it talks about “everlasting destruction.” But the word “destruction” here means “ruin” or “loss.” It doesn’t mean that people will be destroyed or annihilated.
So, when we look at what the Bible says, it’s clear that a hell is a place of eternal torment.
Joseph Bates is a teacher at the University of Holy Cross. He has served on the staff of Northern Baptist and United Methodist churches in Tampa, Ohio, and Florida.
