According to Scripture, the final destination for man's spirit is God...

CLV Ecc 12:7 And the soil returns onto the earth just as it was, And the spirit, it returns to the One, Elohim, Who gave it.

Now you say there is definitely 'a place that burns.' Is there Scripture to back that up or is this just your own beliefs?

Of course, there is no such term as "hell-fire." The term "hell" is not Scriptural.

Gehenna is an actual physical place. It can only deal with the body. Gehenna is a garbage ravine outside of Jerusalem which is on a sulfur deposit. It is sometimes used as a "Potters Field" of sorts to "bury vagrants and prisoners. Jesus used it as a metaphor for those who did not make the cut from His judgment for the Millennium.

It's Hebrew counterpart is called the Valley of the Son of Hinnom...

CLV Jer 7:31 They have built the high-place of Topheth which is in the ravine of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in fire such as I did not instruct, nor did it come up on My heart.

Most people have seen the word "hell" from the KJV. I think the Catholic Bibles have it too (RSV & NAB). But if you look, you will find that most English versions have removed the word "hell" from their Bibles.

Year A.D.
BIBLE VERSION
Old T
New T
Total

400
The Latin Vulgate/Douay-Rheims
77
24
101

1611
King James Version
31
23
54

1884
Hanson’s New Covenant
n/a
0
0

1891
Young’s Literal Translation
0
0
0

1900
Twentieth Century New Testament
n/a
0
0

1901
American Standard Version
0
13
13

1902
Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible
0
0
0

1903
Weymouth’s New Testament
n/a
0
0

1917
Jewish Publication Society Bible OT
0
n/a
0

1942
Emphatic Diaglott Greek /English Int.
n/a
0
0

1952
Revised Standard Version
0
17
17

1978
New International Version
0
14
14

1976
Restoration of Original Sacred Name
0
0
0

1982
New King James Version
19
13
32

1983
Concordant Literal NT
n/a
0
0

1998
Tanakh/The Complete Jewish Bible
0
n/a
0

2004
Holman Christian Standard Bible
0
10
10

"Hell" also comes to us from Dante's Inferno, a fiction work from the "Inferno (Italian for "Hell") is the first part of Dante Alighieri's 14th-century epic poem Divine Comedy."


Here are 8 points that prove there is no "hell" in the Scriptures.

1. There is no Ancient term for the word 'hell' as we use it.

Sheol
Hades
Gehenna
Tartarus

Which one did you think was hell?

2. There is no record of a 'hell' ever being created...

CLV Gn 1:1 IN A BEGINNING Created by the Elohim were the heavens and the earth.

This tells me that heaven and earth were created. There is no such record for a 'hell.'

3. The church says that 'hell' is separation from God...

AV Ps 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou [art] there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou [art there].

Evidently, there is no separating from God.

4. The Jews have no hell. Jesus was a Jew. As a Jew, He was not taught about a hell. There is no hell in the OT.

Don't believe me? Ask a Jew.

5. The word 'hell' is absent from the Tanakh. The Tanakh is the Scriptures of the Jews. It is the same books that we have in our English versions of the OT, just in a different order. The Tanakh was here long before English was even a language.

6. Just before the 12th century, there was no such word as 'hell.' So says Merriam - Webster.

That is well over 1000 years after Jesus left.

7. Man's 'punishment' for his disobedience in Eden in Genesis 3:17 to...

CLV Gn 3:19 In the sweat of your face shall you eat your bread, till your return to the ground, for from it are you taken, for soil you are, and to soil are you returning."

If God punished man once, what is the point of punishing him again with a 'hell?'

8. Finally, the Scriptures tell us that all mankind shall be saved. ALL, meaning everyone.

Who shall be Saved?

CLV Ro 11:32 For God locks up all together in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to all.

CLV 1Ti 2:4 Who wills that all mankind be saved and come into a realization of the truth.

CLV 1Ti 4:10 (for this are we toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers.

I'm sorry. If the word doesn't exist, how can it represent anything?





As I said, the Lake of Fire is mentioned in the Scriptures only 4 times. And in The Book of Revelation, which is mostly written in a figurative style. And yet there are all these beliefs about "hell." They did not come from the 4 verses on the Lake of Fire.

Also, there is nothing in the Bible that says anyone in the Lake of Fire can't come out.

I don't see alot of Scripture quoted here, so I have to assume that most of what people have said here is not Scriptural. Can you prove your points from the Scriptures? And by Scriptures I mean book, chapter, and verse. Not from our failing memories.

The word "hell" does not show up in Luke...

CLV Lk 16:23 And in the unseen, lifting up his eyes, existing in torments, he is seeing Abraham from afar, and Lazarus in his bosom.

There is no "hell" in The Book of Luke.

In my thread The End of the World - Eon I have addressed the two Ancient terms 'Aion' (Ancient Koine Greek) and 'Olam' (Ancient Hebrew). For all intents and purposes, these two words are the same, just from different languages.

When the Septiguant was translated from Ancient Hebrew to Ancient Greek 'olam' was almost always rendered as 'aion.'

An example...

CLV Ps 45:6 Your throne, O Elohim, is for the eon and further; A scepter of equity is the scepter of Your kingdom.

CLV Heb 1:8 Yet to the Son: "Thy throne, O God, is for the eon of the eon, And a scepter of rectitude is the scepter of Thy kingdom.

God's punishment is not "forever" or "eternal." There is no "hell."

Here is an example of a fact...

CLV 1Cor 15:5 and that He was seen by Cephas, thereupon by the twelve.
6 Thereupon He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the majority are remaining hitherto, yet some were put to repose also.
7 Thereupon He was seen by James, thereafter by all the apostles.
8 Yet, last of all, even as if a premature birth, He was seen by me also.

Paul is relating some of the facts of Jesus' resurrection. This is NOT a parable.

A parable is a story that is made up. It is fiction designed to teach a moral. Jesus had many concepts that He put into the form of parables.

CLV Matt 13:34 All these things Jesus speaks in parables to the throngs, and apart from a parable He spoke nothing to them,
35 so that fulfilled may be that which is declared through the prophet saying, I shall be opening My mouth in parables, I shall be emitting what is hid from the disruption.

The Lake of Fire is mentioned 4 times in the Scriptures. All in the Book of Revelation. It is a symbol, but not a literal place.

CLV Rev 19:20 And the wild beast is arrested, and with it the false prophet who does the signs in its sight, by which he deceives those getting the emblem of the wild beast, and those worshiping its image. Living, the two were cast into the lake of fire burning with sulphur.

CLV Rev 20:10 And the Adversary who is deceiving them was cast into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the wild beast and where the false prophet are also. And they shall be |tormented day and night for the eons of the eons.

CLV Rev 20:14 And death and the unseen were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death--the lake of fire.
15 And if anyone was not found written in the scroll of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.

And still, no one has come up with the Ancient term that the word "hell" represents. This is not a word that even exists in the Bible.

The Scriptures defines sheol/death…

1. CLV Ec 9:5 For the living know that they shall die, But the dead know nothing whatsoever; There is no further hire for them; Indeed remembrance of them is forgotten.

AV Ec 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.


What does the dead know? The dead know nothing. They do not know Christ. They do not know they are dead. They do not know how to find heaven.

Ask anyone who is dead, and they will tell you what they know. The dead know nothing.

2. CLV Ec 9:10 All that your hand finds to do, do with your vigor, For there is no doing or devising or knowledge or wisdom In the unseen where you are going.

AV Ec 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

As the dead know nothing they have no knowledge. No knowledge so they can give no advise. The dead can not impart wisdom.

The dead can not do anything. They are incapable of doing anything with their hands. If you don't believe it, try hiring a dead man for a job.

3. CLV Isa 38:18 For the unseen is not acclaiming You, nor is death praising You, and those descending into a crypt are not looking forward to Your truth.

AV Isa 38:18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can [not] celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

We have said that the dead can not know Christ. The dead can not praise Him. The dead have no truth.

4. CLV Ps 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the unseen, who shall acclaim You?

AV Ps 6:5 For in death [there is] no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?


This is a very good point. It is the living that remembers the dead. The dead have no memory. The dead neither remember us or God.

5. CLV Ps 31:17 O Yahweh, do not let me be ashamed, For I have called out to You. Let the wicked be ashamed; Let them be still in the unseen;

AV Ps 31:17 Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, [and] let them be silent in the grave.

The dead are silent, they do not speak. They do not rattle chains or gnash teeth. The dead do not weep. The grave is silent.

AV Ps 115:17 The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.

CLV Ps 115:17 The dead cannot praise Yah, Nor all those descending into stillness.

Again, the dead makes no noise. They are silent.


Jesus even made this distinction, and tried to impart this to the Jews when He said…

CLV Mt 22:32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."

CLV Mk 12:27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You, then, are much deceived."

CLV Lk 20:38 Now God is He, not of the dead, but of the living, for all, to Him, are living."


As death is defined in the Scriptures how is it that so many so-called Christians pretend that the dead are somehow enjoying life? Isn't this 'life' even called afterlife?

Such confusion.

There are seven reasons why this story in Luke 16 can not be literal.

1. Although they lived on the Earth at one time, we are told that they are both dead. They could not be physically alive and physically dead at the same time. Yet even though they are dead they are both represented as alive in bodies. The tongue, eyes, and finger are all mentioned in this story. This proves that this story is to be taken figuratively, not literally.

2. Abraham is represented as alive. In Luke 20:27-40 Jesus tells us most plainly that Abraham is dead. He tells us that before God can once again be the God of Abraham, that Abraham must first be alive. The fact that Abraham is dead in Hades and awaits the Resurrection proves that this story it to be taken figuratively, not literally.

3. From Genesis to Revelation the Scriptures teach that the dead are asleep until the Resurrection. Those who limit this 'sleep' to the body alone do so in direct contradiction of the statements made in the Scriptures. The sleep of death is presented to us, according to the Scriptures, as the death of a person, not just his/her body. The Rich man and Lazarus are both represented to us as awake prior to the Resurrection. This little fact proves that this story is to be taken figuratively, not literally.

4. The account of the Rich Man and Lazarus upholds the authority and reliability of the writings of Moses and the Prophets. In these writings it is clear that the dead are dead and that the dead must be Resurrected before they can live again. Death is taught as the opposite of life, in the Scriptures. Furthermore, death is said to be of a person, not just a body. Often times the OT will express this as "he died," "she died'" or "they died." Abraham died in Genesis 25:8. Isaac died in Genesis 35:29. Joseph died in Genesis 50:26. David died in Acts 2:29.

If what Jesus said about the Rich Man and Lazarus were to be taken literal, then we would have to discard everything that the OT says concerning the dead as unreliable. Moses and the Prophets must be discarded and the Divine Inspiration of the text must also be denied. However, if the words of our Lord are taken figuratively then the harmony and agreement throughout the Scriptures is preserved.

5. If what Jesus said was to be taken literally, this would contradict all that God had previously revealed about the state of Sheol and Hades.

Sheol and Hades are the same word. The Ancient Hebrew term Sheol literally means unseen or unperceived. The Ancient Greek term Hades is the same word translated into Greek from Hebrew. We prove this by looking at Psalms 16:8-11 and then Acts 2:25-28.

Here is what the Scriptures have to say about death...

AV Isa 38:18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can [not] celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

CLV Isa 38:18 For the unseen is not acclaiming You, nor is death praising You, and those descending into a crypt are not looking forward to Your truth.

And...

AV Ps 6:5 For in death [there is] no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

CLV Ps 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the unseen, who shall acclaim You?

and...

AV Ec 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

CLV Ec 9:10 All that your hand finds to do, do with your vigor, For there is no doing or devising or knowledge or wisdom In the unseen where you are going.

And check this one out...

AV Ps 31:17 Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, [and] let them be silent in the grave.

CLV Ps 31:17 O Yahweh, do not let me be ashamed, For I have called out to You. Let the wicked be ashamed; Let them be still in the unseen

The nature of death is unmistakable here. The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus must be figurative if it is to conform to the rest if the Scriptures. Everything else Jesus said teaches that the dead do not live until the Resurrection. (Rev.20:4-6 & 11-15)

6. In Luke 16, after making it clear that the Rich Man and Lazarus have both died, the Lord immediately represents them as alive and possessing bodies. To take this literally would be to deny the need for Resurrection.

The teaching of the OT does not differ from the teaching of the NT in regard to death and the absolute necessity for Resurrection. In 1Corinthians 15:12-19 the Resurrection of Christ and the Resurrection of the dead are inseparably tied together. If Christ had not been raised from the dead there would be no Resurrection of the dead.

"then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ have perished"

7. AV Mt 13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

CLV Mt 13:34 All these things Jesus speaks in parables to the throngs, and apart from a parable He spoke nothing to them

If the Lord did not speak to the multitudes except in parables, then the story concering the Rich Man and Lazarus must be taken figuratively.

If men (and woman) do not heed the word of God given through Moses and the Prophets, neither would they be persuaded by the words of one who came back from the traditional and unscriptural kind of death in which many believe.

The lake of fire cannot be "hell."

CLV Rev 20:14 And death and the unseen were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death--the lake of fire.

Are you suggesting that "hell" is cast into "hell"?

The "lake of fire" and "sheol" are very different words and are not interchangeable.

The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is just that... a parable.

As I said before, there is no "hell."

It is obvious this upsets some people.

The word "hell" appears in the KJV and a couple others but has been removed from most English versions.

King James was a bisexual man. That is a historical fact.

And still, no one has come up with the Ancient Hebrew/Greek term that "hell" represents.

From undrboss


I consider the rest of your post to be off topic.

I see you are still using the bisexual king's NT, aka, the KJV.

'Sheol' is a Hebrew word. Let's see what the Jews say it means...

SHEOL ():

By: Emil G. Hirsch

Position and Form.
Hebrew word of uncertain etymology (see Sheol, Critical View), synonym of "bor" (pit), "abaddon" and "shaḥat" (pit or destruction), and perhaps also of "tehom" (abyss).

—Biblical Data:
It connotes the place where those that had died were believed to be congregated.
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/13563-sheol

There is no mention of any fire or punishment. No "eternal damnation." In fact, all souls go to 'sheol' according to the Scriptures.

It is also a fact that the Jews of the NT did not have a "hell." And they did not believe anyone here would go to heaven. And let us not forget, Jesus is a Jew.

The Scriptures is very clear about what happens to the unrighteous.

Also, I see you have not read all the posts here. As I said before, the "grave" only deals with a man's physical body. But what of his spirit and soul?

Still no evidence to support the term "hell."

From undrboss


Here's what's funny. The lengths some people will go to just to defend their own ego.

I have the same question as I have asked since the beginning.

If there is a "hell" in the Scriptures, prove it. Show what the Ancient Hebrew/Greek term for "hell" is.

If you can't do that, then what is your argument?

From undrboss


I am doing no such thing. If you read what I wrote, you can see I said there was no "hell" in the Scriptures.

I am going by what the book says, and not making up the parts I don't like. Isn't that what so many people do?

I would appreciate it if you did not twist my words.

From undrboss


First off, this is not just what I think. The term "hell" is missing from the Scriptures. If you think you can find it I would be very interested.

According to the Scriptures, ALL will be saved. Is this your list of those who are not included in the term ALL? Contrary to what the Scriptures say?

What you are doing it going against what the Scripture tells us. The word "hell" is missing from the Bible and there is no verse that says punishment is eternal. None. Nada. Zip.

CLV Prov 16:25 There is a way that seems upright before a man, Yet its end becomes the ways of death.

From Dodo_David


Another point of information.

Actually, the word 'hel' is Nordic. It is cited in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century. A long time since the Bible was even written.

"Hell" and the "lake of fire" are not interchangeable terms. This can be proven by the verse...

CLV Re 20:14 And death and the unseen were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death--the lake of fire.

So was "hell" cast into "hell"?

But there is still no Ancient term that the word "hell" represents. And we have to include the OT in this. The words 'sheol' and 'hades' are actually the same word in different languages. 'Hades' is a translation of the word 'sheol' from the OT Hebrew.

So, if you still think there is a "hell," prove it.

From mikey4yousweety


Is that what is called indulgences?

For those who still think that there is a "hell" in the Scriptures, I say prove it.

Show me the ancient term that the word "hell" represents.

From iam_resurrected


The word "grave" is an English word. What Ancient term did you think "hell" represents?

Strong's

H6913 qeber, keh'-ber
or (feminine) qibrah {kib-raw'};

from H6912; a sepulchre.

This is the closest you can get to the word "grave." In Ancient Hebrew, that is.

"Abraham's Bosom" is not mentioned in the OT. There is no such place, except symbolically.

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus is just that, a parable. There are 7 specific reasons why this parable cannot be taken literally.



Since you have not named the "other thread" I am at a loss for what you are talking about. But there aren't any verses that tell us demons can be sent to "hell," if that is what you mean.



The weeping and gnashing of teeth you refer to is about Israelites who find themselves excluded from the Millennial Kingdom. But it would be difficult for anyone who was not raised a Jew/Hebrew to understand.

By the way, "weeping and gnashing of teeth" is not a term. A term is one word. More than one word would be referred to as a phrase.



Honestly reading the Bible involves a Bible that has honestly been translated. So I will ask you again, what is the Ancient term that your "hell" comes from?

CLV Ezk 18:4 Behold, all souls, they are Mine! as The soul of the father even as the soul of the son, they are Mine! The soul that is sinning, it shall die.



The word "grave" does not equal the word "death." A grave involves the physical body only. There is more to death than that. What of the spirit and soul? Can you find those in the grave?

Strong's

H8415 thowm teh-home'
or thom {teh-home'};

(usually feminine) from H1949; an abyss (as a surging mass of water), especially the deep (the main sea or the subterranean water-supply).

Much like the grave, the abyss involves only the physical body. The spirit and soul are ignored.

CLV 1Tim 2:4 Who wills that all mankind be saved and come into a realization of the truth.

How many can read this verse without adding something to the mix?

Jesus came for all mankind, not just a select few.

CLV Rom 11:32 For God locks up all together into/in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to all.

According to the rules (the Law), we all should be punished. But God is a loving and merciful Father Who forgives His children and extends us His mercy.

CLV 1Tim 4:10 (for this are we toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers.

Who is not counted as part of "ALL"?

CLV Col 1:20 and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens.

Perhaps this is the result of an unbelieving heart? Perhaps it is not conceivable that God forgives all, even though He has told us He would, and welcome all to Himself?

CLV 1Cor 15:28 Now, whenever all may be subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also shall be subjected to Him Who subjects all to Him, that God may be All in all.)

It is only by adding something to these verses.

CLV Rom 5:18 Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for all mankind for condemnation, thus also it is through one just award for all mankind for life's justifying.

We shall all be justified, according to the Scriptures. Who is not part of "all"?

CLV Col 1:20 and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens.

There is that pesky word again... ALL.

Christians seem to be especially guilty of changing His Word and adding to His burden (Matt 11:30). And adding to His Word does have consequences (Rev. 22:18 - 19).

Instead of praising Him for His goodness and love, and appreciating His ways and plans, we prefer to criticize and condem all those who hear His voice and know Him.

It's easy to get caught up in the symbolism of the Book of Revelation.

Our insistence on a "hell" must be based on our inability to accept God's love and forgiveness.

But I will start another topic so as not to disturb this one.