Is Hell ETERNAL?

[Guest Calamity]

Thought I'd pose this question. Do you believe that the ones who do not accept Christ as their Savior and go to hell when they die, will be eternally tormented, or that it comes to an end at some point and they are "released"?

I definitely believe it's eternal:

Mark 9

44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

4570 // sbennumi // sbennumi // sben'-noo-mee //

a prolonged form of an apparently primary verb; TDNT - 7:165,1009; v

AV - quench 7, go out 1; 8

1) to extinguish, quench

1a) of fire or things on fire

1a1) to be quenched, to go out

1b) metaph. to quench, to suppress, stifle

1b1) of divine influence

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Matt.25

[41] 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:

166 // aiwniov // aionios // ahee-o'-nee-os //

from 165 ; TDNT - 1:208,31; adj

AV - eternal 42, everlasting 25, the world began + 5550 2,

since the world began + 5550 1, for ever 1; 71

1) without beginning and end, that which always has been and

always will be

2) without beginning

3) without end, never to cease, everlasting

[Guest dove2]

Hell is everlasting (eternal). I will add more to this as it goes along. I am having computer problems but wanted to say this is a great post and your provided great scripture.

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings Calamity,

It depends upon WHICH "hell" you are speaking of. The word we read in our English Bibles, HELL, has been translated from one of several words, some meaning the "grave" or "deepest" parts of the earth or perhaps "the Lake of Fire". You may want to think on:

Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

The word "hell" here is "hades" = the abode of the dead.

The "Lake of Fire" is eternal.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[Guest Calamity]

Hi, DE. Do other versions use hades instead of hell in this Mark passage?

Mark 9

[43] 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, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

[44] Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

This is from the KJV. I didn't check the NIV or others for how they're worded. Maybe the thread title should be Is the Lake of Fire Eternal?

[Guest dove2]

Calamity now that I am back on the Internet DE has already answered with the scripture I was going to put down.

In one way hell is eternal because as DE pointed out in scripture that death and hell were swallowed up in the Lake of fire. So, we can say hell is eternal being in the Lake of Fire if that makes sense. Gary said exactly what DE said too. He was talking about the grave, the deepest parts of the earth and the Lake of Fire.

Are you trying to get to the point that no one will ever get out of the Lake of Fire and be able to be reunited with Jesus? If so, I certainly agree with you. How do you feel about that?

[Guest Calamity]

Yes, Dove - that was the point. Once they're there, it's eternal. Never to leave. Not there to be punished or refined with fire, then released to be with God, like some teachings are saying.

[Guest dove2]

The ones who are thrown in the lake of fire will be there for eternity. They will never get out. Eternity is forever and that is a very long time. It is so long that we can not fathom how long it is. Yes, I have read teachings like that about people being purged and reunited with Jesus. This is a false teaching don't you think? I believe it is heretical teachings.

[Guest Calamity]

Yes, I think that is not biblical at all. I'm not totally sure how they even come to that way of reading that into it in the first place.

[Guest dove2]

They came by it by listening to the wrong teachers and have been deceived. One deceived it will take an act of God to get them out of these false teachings. Do you think prayer is the answer here?

[Guest Calamity]

Yes, and sound doctrine. I've read some wild things on the internet, that some people are teaching, and they are way off mark. Do you know of anything else similar to this here, about being released from the fire after being cleansed?