Hell and Hades In The Bible

by Don Hite

Hell and Hades in the bible is the place Jesus warned us to avoid at all costs.

Hell is found in the Bible only in the New Testament and comes from the Greek word Tartarus and the Hebrew word Gehenna and is a place of torment designed for Satan and his demons.

Hell is the final destiny for those that have not accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior as we see in the book Revelation.

In Revelation, at the great white throne or the throne of Judgment, the dead are summoned before God.

If their names are not found in the Book of Life or the Lambs book of Life they are judged according to their deeds and condemned to Hell.

Revelation 20:11-13 – NIV

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.

Hell is mentioned 14 Times in the NIV New Testament and half of the references appear in the Gospel of Matthew for a total of seven times.

Hell NIV Verses

Matthew 5:22
Matthew 5:29
Matthew 5:30
Matthew 10:28
Matthew 18:9
Matthew 23:15
Matthew 23:33
Mark 9:43
Mark 9:45
Mark 9:47
Luke 12:5
Luke 16:23
James 3:6
2 Peter 2:4

Hell and Hades in the bible are New Testament terms. Hades is also only found in the Bible in the New Testament like the word Hell and comes from the Hebrew word Sheol.

Hades is a Greek word for the underworld which is the realm of the dead.

Hades is mentioned 5 Times in the NIV New Testament with all but one found in Revelation.

For most Christians when they think of Hades they are quick to quote Revelation 6:8 where John says:

I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.

Hades NIV Verses

Matthew 16:18
Revelation 1:18
Revelation 6:8
Revelation 20:13
Revelation 20:14

As Christian followers of Jesus Christ, we need not fear Hell and Hades in the bible because Jesus Christ holds the keys to them and by virtue of our salvation, which we cannot lose.

His finished work will keep us from it!