The word hell is one of the most misunderstood words in the Bible. Part of the confusion comes from the fact that our English Bibles often use the single word hell to translate three different words from the original Hebrew and Greek languages. When this occurs context should be considered, or better yet, deeper study should be practiced to gain the true meaning of the word.
Which Hell Are We Talking About?
Hell is a term that is often translated when it would better aid our understanding if it were transliterated. (See article What’s The Meaning of This? for the difference in translation and transliteration.) So, we often must use context clues to understand the difference. The words Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna are often translated into the all encompassing term Hell; an important difference between them can be lost when not transliterated.
Sheol - The Place of the Dead
The term Sheol is a Hebrew word found throughout the Old Testament. It refers to the realm of the dead, an unseen place where people go after they die. In Isaiah 38, King Hezekiah describes it as a place separated from the Lord, where we do not observe the “land of the living” or “the inhabitants of the world” (v. 11). He further explains that in Sheol there is no room to display gratitude or praises to God and no hope to find His truth once we are there (v. 18). In other words, no second chances at repentance once we die.
Hades - The Waiting Place Before Judgment
Likewise, Hades is the equivalent Greek word that is used in the New Testament which is considered a waiting place before Judgment. From Jesus’ account of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16 we see that Hades has a great gulf that separates it into two parts: a place of comfort, which Jesus later refers to as “Paradise” (Lk. 23:43); and a hot place of extreme discomfort and torment, which Peter calls “Tartarus” in Greek (2 Pet. 2:4).
Gehenna - The Final Place of Punishment
Gehenna is a Greek word translated into hell that carries a more severe meaning. Gehenna was the name of the Valley of Hinnom outside of Jerusalem. Because of its terrible history, Jesus used it as a picture of the final punishment awaiting those who deny Him. “Fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in gehenna” (Mt. 10:28,33). Also, he warns that this is a place of permanent punishment where fire “shall never be quenched” (Mk. 9:43). From John’s visions in Revelation it is a “lake of fire” which is the final destination for “Death and Hades” and all those not written in the “Book of Life” (Rev. 20:11-15).
What Difference Does It Make?
When we read the word hell in an English Bible, it is helpful to ask ourselves which usage is intended by the author. Understanding these words helps us avoid confusing doctrine surrounding the debates of what happens when we die. It also creates greater clarity in redeeming the time we have on earth as King Hezekiah noted we should do rather than ingesting the burden of regret while in the Haden realm as the rich man from Luke 16 had to suffer.
