What is the biblical definition of hell ?

Question

Hell has always made more sense to me in terms of being a concept representing separation from god, and not as an entity in it's own right.

Please be sure that when you answer you aren't inadvertently referring to fictional accounts of hell as found in literature.

Please include references.

Answer 1

I believe that what causes the problem with the Biblical understanding of the definition of hell comes from "revelations"

We have to understand that revelations itself is likely not even part of the new Testament, and is probably one of the Syphyllictic prophecies, which occurred and appeared within the Roman Empire many years after the advent of Christianity. The story that explains the creation of revelations or the Syphyllictic prophecy is a that the seer Syphyllictic came to the Roman emperor with 10 books of prophecies and demanded her weight in gold in exchange for them, whereupon the Roman emperor laughed at her. She immediately burned five of the box and left . she returned the next day and the demanded her weight in gold for this remaining five. When she was again laughed at she burned three of them are left again. I again she returned the next day and wanted her weight in gold for the two remaining books, and once again the emperor laughed. She responded by burned the one of the remaining two and left again to return the next day once more demanded her weight in gold for the one remaining book , at which time the Roman emperor were immediately paid her price to get the one remaining book, and kept it is the document are many years. The truths, and I use the term loosely that are contained in this book form the basis of the Christian belief of hell, which is combined with the ancient Greek definition, and belief of a physical place call Hades.

I tend to agree with you that hell is a state of mind, in that you have a separation from God , and are operating entirely from an ego state... rather than a physical place where we are punished eternally after we die. I wouldn't attempt to waste my time, or even arguing the fact with a right-wing evangelical Christian, who are solid in their belief that hell is a place were unbelievers and sinners are punished.

Answer 2

Definition of HELL

hell (hµl) n.

1. a. Often Hell. The abode of condemned souls and devils in some religions; the place of eternal punishment for the wicked after death, presided over by Satan.
b. A state of separation from God.

2. The abode of the dead, identified with the Hebrew Sheol and the Greek Hades; the underworld.

3. Hell. Christian Science. Mortal belief; sin or error.

4. a. A situation or place of evil, misery, discord, or destruction.
b. Torment; anguish.

5. a. The powers of darkness and evil.
b. Informal. One that causes trouble, agony, or annoyance.

6. A sharp scolding.

7. Informal. Excitement, mischievousness, or high spirits.

8. a. A tailor's receptacle for discarded material.
b. Printing. A hellbox.

9. Informal. Used as an intensive.

10. Archaic. A gambling house. --hell intr.v. helled, hell·ing, hells.

Answer 3

Hell, in Christian beliefs, is an afterlife in which the soul suffers the consequences of sin. Jesus, the Savior, saves the faithful from hell.

The nature of hell and its punishment is a subject of debate between various denominations. Hell is however generally held to be irrevocable and eternal. Some Christians believe that hell is a physical place. Some believe that, while hell is real, it is a state, rather than a place, of separation from God. Others hold that hell is a metaphor for a self-imposed mental separation from God. Some view hell as a place of punishment by God while others see it more in terms of self-exclusion from God. Some hold that there are physical torments in hell, principally fire. Some believe that Hell is nothing more than a vice that has been created through literature and other non-Biblical sources in order to "win" people to Christianity and that it has little to no Biblical support. Hell has historically played a large part in post-Constantinian Western culture, especially during the Middle Ages,

Sheol was translated in the Septuagint as 'Hades', the name for the underworld in Greek mythology and is still considered to be distinct from "Hell" by Eastern Orthodox Christians. In Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries and Concordances it is transliterated "Sheh-ole". The Lake of Fire and realm of Eternal Punishment in Hellenistic mythology was in fact Tartarus. Hades was not Hell in Hellenistic mythology, but was rather a form of limbo where the dead went to be judged. The New Testament uses this word, but it also uses the word 'Gehenna

Answer 4

The words translated hell in the Bible are
Sheol = Grave (Hebrew)
Hades = Grave (Greek)
Tartarus = Debased condition of the demons (Greek)
Gehenna = Everlasting destruction/annihilation of those condemned by God (Greek)

The bible says that at death we go to Sheol/Hades, meaning that one goes to the grave. The Gehenna was symbolic of the destruction that would be experienced by those whom God doesn't see fit to be resurrected to life on a paradise earth. Tartarus just refers to the lower condition that the demons are in as opposed to the elevated position they enjoyed before they rebelled.

The idea that the wicked are tormented in a fiery hell comes from the Babylonian concept that an immortal soul survives the death of the body. Plato adopted this and the Church Fathers borrowed this idea.
The first time that the concept of a burning hell was introduced was in Dante's Divine Comedy.

Anything else...?

Answer 5

All religions are connected in their myth and stories. It is likely that Hell was originally borrowed from indus valley cultures. It is known that Parsi (zoroasterians) got most of their belief's from the Vedic stories because the sanskrit words in the Vedas are borrowed by the persian Parsi's. Jewish beliefs are similar to the Parsi, so it is likely that both Parsi and Jews derive their religious tradition from the Vedas.

With this in mind, Hell can be read about in the Srimad Bhagavatam.
Briefly, Hell is a planet within the material world where souls are taken. In the Vedas, the grim reaper is called Mitra (and is a demigod whom serves God's will by attending to souls). Hell is called Yamaloka and hence Mitra is sometimes called Yama.
It is said that a soul whom is obstinate and does not wish to serve God can find him/her self in Yamaloka. Yamaloka is not a permanent home for the wicked (as one reads within the new testament of the orthodox christian bibles). Instead, it is a place of suffering where one lives temporily (such as the earth). Whilst it is not a very nice place, devotee's of the lord can be sent there by God in order to teach the fallen souls whom have ended up there. The Srimad Bhagavatam is free to browse online.

Answer 6

What I tell you is from the original manuscripts:
The lake of fire is such that it is able to kill not only the spiritual body, but the soul as well.
There is no everlasting torture. In fact, the lake of fire does not come into existance until the period that follows the millinium, which is the 1000 yrs. that Christ ushers in when He returns. That 1000 yrs. is for teaching and disipline. Those people who have not had an opportunity to learn truth will be taught during that time. After the thousand years is up, Satan is loosed again for a short period to deceive those stragglers who still haven't managed to straighten up and fly right, sorta speak.
All those who don't make the grade will follow satan into the lake of fire. It will take only as long as it will to "turn to ashes from within". It is said that the smoke of those will rise up forever and ever (smoke does that) but thats all thats "forever and ever".
Nobody fries like bacon in hell and screams and pleads while we all enjoy Heaven.
Thats awful, and not written. People who read scripture are often not knowledgeable of idioms (they are kind of like what a "saying" is to us.).
After all those perish in the lake of fire,
the "lake" is done away with completely.

Answer 7

Hades/Sheol = grave (first death). Called a sleep.
Gehenna = junkyard (symbol of second death). soul and body are destroyed (annihilation). The fire actually descends from heaven (read revelation 20).

One would also have to understand that the "soul" in the bible (nephesh/psyche) is a mortal entity and not a vitalizing force (which the spirit is). The soul is the entire being, especially including the mind and feelings.

Answer 8

According to the Bible, hell is most definitely real! The punishment of the wicked in hell is as never-ending as the bliss of the righteous in Heaven. The punishment of the wicked dead in hell is described throughout Scripture as "everlasting fire" (Matthew 25:41), "unquenchable fire" (Matthew 3:12), "shame and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12:2), a place where "their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:44-49), a place of "torments" and "flame" (Luke 16:23,24), "everlasting destruction" (2 Thessalonians 1:9), a place of torment with "fire and brimstone" where "the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever" (Revelation 14:10,11), and a "lake of fire and brimstone" where the wicked are "tormented day and night forever and ever" (Revelation 20:10). Jesus Himself indicates that the punishment in hell itself is everlasting - not merely the smoke and flames (Matthew 25:46).

Answer 9

Hell=Grave

Answer 10

I believe that hell IS a real place according to the Bible which IS God's word.It is a place of damnation; a place of ETERNAL seperation from God forever.The Bible speaks of this place where God sends, at the end of time, those who don't personally know, love & serve Him & it is referred to as a place where He throws them into a lake of fire where there will be knashing of teeth.. A place where the ruler of Hell will be Satan himself & all the demons who were originally angels in heaven, (who believed Satan was better than God) who were cast out of heaven with Satan at that time.