Zone1 The "Lake of Fire" (Hell) is temporary, punitive, purifying, & restorative

[K9Buck]

The Greek word aiónios is mistranslated in some instances into "forever" or "everlasting" or into "eternity". My understanding is that it can mean forever but oftentimes means for an age or for a time.

I like the English Standard Version (esv) Bible for its ease of reading but I have learned to double-check some verses with Young's Literal Translation (ylt) Bible (created in 1898) as it more accurately translates that word.

Here are some examples of verses translated by the esv vs. te ylt editions.


Mathew 25:46 ESV
And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Mathew 25:46 YLT
And these shall go away to punishment age-during, but the righteous to life age-during

John 5:24 ESV​

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 5:24

Young's Literal Translation

​

24 `Verily, verily, I say to you -- He who is hearing my word, and is believing Him who sent me, hath life age-during, and to judgment he doth not come, but hath passed out of the death to the life.

2 Thessalonians 1:9

English Standard Version

​

9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from[a] the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

2 Thessalonians 1:9

Young's Literal Translation

​

9 who shall suffer justice -- destruction age-during -- from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of his strength,

 

[K9Buck]

I wrote this for another but I'll share it here. If there is a forever "Hell", then the following verses are false and then so is the entire Bible.

John 12:32 esv
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL people to myself.”



John 1:29 esv

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!



Hebrews 1:3

English Standard Version

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,





1 Timothy 4:10 esv
For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.



Revelation 21:5 esv
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”



2 Corinthians 5:19 esv
that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.



John 6:39 esv
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.



2 Corinthians 5:14-15 esv
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.



Colossians 1:20 esv
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.



Romans 5:18 esv
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.



John 3:17 esv
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.



Luke 3:1-6 esv
3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,[a]
make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”



1 Corinthians 15:22 esv
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.



Philippians 2:10-11 esv
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Romans 10:9 esv
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.



(Note: The verse below speaks of God being “love”. A loving God does not send his creation, created in his image, to a forever “Hell”.)

1 John 4:7-21 esv

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot[a] love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.



As Jesus says here, he didn’t come for the “good” people but the bad people.

Matthew 9:13 esv
Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”



Luke 2:10 ylt
And the messenger said to them, `Fear not, for lo, I bring you good news of great joy, that shall be to ALL the people



I like the English Standard Bible (ESV) for its ease of reading. However, it does MISTRANSLATE some Greek words from the original scriptures into words such as "eternal" Anytime you encounter words pertaining to time, you should use Young's Literal Translation to see how the verse reads. Take John 3:15, for example.

1 John 3:15
English Standard Version
15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

1 John 3:15
Young's Literal Translation
15 Every one who is hating his brother -- a man-killer he is, and ye have known that no man-killer hath life age-during in him remaining,



John 3:16 properly translated

John 3:16
Young's Literal Translation
16 for God did so love the world, that His Son -- the only begotten -- He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.



2 Peter 3:9
English Standard Version
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,[a] not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.



God wants us to go to him. Those who refuse and who are ungodly will be judged and they will go through (apparently) a very unpleasant experience but it is temporary, cleansing, purifying, and restorative. Here is the standard English translation and here is another (YLT) that better translates the original Greek text.

Matthew 23:33
English Standard Version
33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?

Matthew 23:33
Young's Literal Translation
33 `Serpents! brood of vipers! how may ye escape from the judgment of the gehenna?



I’m sharing the following from another source:

What is the Greek word for eternity in the Bible?
The Greek word αιών (aiôn) has a wide-ranging meaning as well as a wide. ranging history: it is most commonly translated as 'eternity' but has as its first. meaning 'life' or 'lifetime'; it has its place in Greek literature and philosoph. but also in the Greek Bible, where it represents the Hebrew word 'olâm. In this.

Here is John 3:16 CORRECTLY translated:

John 3:16
Young's Literal Translation
16 for God did so love the world, that His Son -- the only begotten -- He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.



Perhaps God is the “Lake of Fire”?

Hebrews 12:29
English Standard Version
29 for our God is a consuming fire.



They will be punished for an age, not forever.
2 Thessalonians 1:9
Young's Literal Translation
9 who shall suffer justice -- destruction age-during -- from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of his strength,

 

[Jessica-stormlover]

It is all about control. It is utterly fake. It is literally done to cause fear in the population by power hungry people and that is the truth.

This entire subject should be handled as a fairly tail and fantasy. I am sorry to burst your bubble. It is a major threat to human freedom and liberty and that is why it is so important to teach this understanding.

No one is going to fall into a lake of fire
No one is going to burn
NO one deserves to live in fear!

Everyone must fight for freedom and liberty as this is in direct opposition of these concepts.

 

[theHawk]

It is all about control. It is utterly fake. It is literally done to cause fear in the population by power hungry people and that is the truth.

This entire subject should be handled as a fairly tail and fantasy. I am sorry to burst your bubble. It is a major threat to human freedom and liberty and that is why it is so important to teach this understanding.

No one is going to fall into a lake of fire
No one is going to burn
NO one deserves to live in fear!

Everyone must fight for freedom and liberty as this is in direct opposition of these concepts.

You sound just like Satan.

”Surely you won‘t die if you eat from that tree! You’re free to do whatever YOU want! YOU can create whatever rules YOU want!”

 

[theHawk]

I wrote this for another but I'll share it here. If there is a forever "Hell", then the following verses are false and then so is the entire Bible.

John 12:32 esv
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL people to myself.”



John 1:29 esv

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!



Hebrews 1:3

English Standard Version

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,





1 Timothy 4:10 esv
For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.



Revelation 21:5 esv
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”



2 Corinthians 5:19 esv
that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.



John 6:39 esv
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.



2 Corinthians 5:14-15 esv
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.



Colossians 1:20 esv
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.



Romans 5:18 esv
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.



John 3:17 esv
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.



Luke 3:1-6 esv
3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,[a]
make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”



1 Corinthians 15:22 esv
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.



Philippians 2:10-11 esv
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Romans 10:9 esv
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.



(Note: The verse below speaks of God being “love”. A loving God does not send his creation, created in his image, to a forever “Hell”.)

1 John 4:7-21 esv

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot[a] love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.



As Jesus says here, he didn’t come for the “good” people but the bad people.

Matthew 9:13 esv
Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”



Luke 2:10 ylt
And the messenger said to them, `Fear not, for lo, I bring you good news of great joy, that shall be to ALL the people



I like the English Standard Bible (ESV) for its ease of reading. However, it does MISTRANSLATE some Greek words from the original scriptures into words such as "eternal" Anytime you encounter words pertaining to time, you should use Young's Literal Translation to see how the verse reads. Take John 3:15, for example.

1 John 3:15
English Standard Version
15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

1 John 3:15
Young's Literal Translation
15 Every one who is hating his brother -- a man-killer he is, and ye have known that no man-killer hath life age-during in him remaining,



John 3:16 properly translated

John 3:16
Young's Literal Translation
16 for God did so love the world, that His Son -- the only begotten -- He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.



2 Peter 3:9
English Standard Version
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,[a] not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.



God wants us to go to him. Those who refuse and who are ungodly will be judged and they will go through (apparently) a very unpleasant experience but it is temporary, cleansing, purifying, and restorative. Here is the standard English translation and here is another (YLT) that better translates the original Greek text.

Matthew 23:33
English Standard Version
33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?

Matthew 23:33
Young's Literal Translation
33 `Serpents! brood of vipers! how may ye escape from the judgment of the gehenna?



I’m sharing the following from another source:

What is the Greek word for eternity in the Bible?
The Greek word αιών (aiôn) has a wide-ranging meaning as well as a wide. ranging history: it is most commonly translated as 'eternity' but has as its first. meaning 'life' or 'lifetime'; it has its place in Greek literature and philosoph. but also in the Greek Bible, where it represents the Hebrew word 'olâm. In this.

Here is John 3:16 CORRECTLY translated:

John 3:16
Young's Literal Translation
16 for God did so love the world, that His Son -- the only begotten -- He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.



Perhaps God is the “Lake of Fire”?

Hebrews 12:29
English Standard Version
29 for our God is a consuming fire.



They will be punished for an age, not forever.
2 Thessalonians 1:9
Young's Literal Translation
9 who shall suffer justice -- destruction age-during -- from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of his strength,

Why would these versus contradict an eternal hell?

Jesus died for everyone’s sins and calls on all to follow him. But if you refuse the call, and do not believe in Him, then you will likely meet that doom of eternal hell.

 

[K9Buck]

It is all about control. It is utterly fake. It is literally done to cause fear in the population by power hungry people and that is the truth.

This entire subject should be handled as a fairly tail and fantasy. I am sorry to burst your bubble. It is a major threat to human freedom and liberty and that is why it is so important to teach this understanding.

No one is going to fall into a lake of fire
No one is going to burn
NO one deserves to live in fear!

Everyone must fight for freedom and liberty as this is in direct opposition of these concepts.

I'm not entirely clear on what you're saying. Are you declaring that God doesn't exist?

 

[K9Buck]

Jesus died for everyone’s sins and calls on all to follow him. But if you refuse the call, and do not believe in Him, then you will likely meet that doom of eternal hell.

I hope I am not sending the wrong message. Yes, the "Lake of Fire" (Hell) does exist. Yes, the Bible tells us that people are sent there. However, the teaching that souls go there FOREVER is inaccurate. The verses that I shared demonstrate that, eventually, ALL are saved!

 

[K9Buck]

Here is an EXCELLENT 15-minute video on YouTube that expertly explains the definition of aiónios and also goes into depth about how the Bible tells us that the "Lake of Fire" is more like a crucible in which unGodly people are cleansed and purified.

 

[theHawk]

I hope I am not sending the wrong message. Yes, the "Lake of Fire" (Hell) does exist. Yes, the Bible tells us that people are sent there. However, the teaching that souls go there FOREVER is inaccurate. The verses that I shared demonstrate that, eventually, ALL are saved!

No, there is definitely an eternal hell.

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels”

Purgatory is the temporary place to be cleansed.

To say otherwise would suggest everyone ends up in heaven. We know that is not the case, see the part where Jesus will separate the sheep (the good who follow Him) and the goats (evil doers).
Mt25:
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

 

[K9Buck]

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels

Matthew 25:41

Young's Literal Translation

​

41 Then shall he say also to those on the left hand, Go ye from me, the cursed, to the fire, the age-during, that hath been prepared for the Devil and his messengers

 

[K9Buck]

Purgatory is the temporary place to be cleansed.

Verse, please?

 

[K9Buck]

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Matthew 25:46

Young's Literal Translation

​

46 And these shall go away to punishment age-during, but the righteous to life age-during.'

 

[K9Buck]

No, there is definitely an eternal hell.

Did you read all of the verses that I shared that demonstrate that ALL of mankind will be saved? Some will go to "Hell", but it is temporary.

 

[BackAgain]

Lakes of fire are restorative. Like a spa.

Sure

And it’s not forever forever. It’s only for a lifetime or so? Or a millennia or two? An epoch maybe?

The notion that an Almighty God of love and justice would condemn anyone to such torture at all, much less for such unimaginable durations, is itself a blasphemy.

Parents may punish children. But it’s to teach them. There’s a purpose. It’s not torture and it’s not endless torture.

There can’t be a Hell at all if an all just and Almighty God exists.

 

[K9Buck]

Lakes of fire are restorative. Like a spa.

Sure

And it’s not forever forever. It’s only for a lifetime or so? Or a millennia or two? An epoch maybe?

The notion that an Almighty God of love and justice would condemn anyone to such torture at all, much less for such unimaginable durations, is itself a blasphemy.

Parents may punish children. But it’s to teach them. There’s a purpose. It’s not torture and it’s not endless torture.

There can’t be a Hell at all if an all just and Almighty God exists.

I think the early writers of scripture were trying to speak in terms that people of that era would understand and so they used imagery such as "Lake of Fire" to describe a crucible that a metal worker would use to shape, mold, and refine various metals. I don't believe that anyone is thrown into a literal fire.

Revelation 21:8 YLT​

8 and to fearful, and unsteadfast, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all the liars, their part [is] in the lake that is burning with fire and brimstone, which is a second death.'

Brimstone is or at least was a chemical compound used in metallurgy for purification purposes, among others. Following Jesus "saves" souls from having to go through that experience which is likely not one of enjoyment.
Along those lines, I DO believe that there is a punitive aspect of that experience for those that utterly rejected God and his commandments. Even some believers will have to go there.

Matthew 7:21-23 esv
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

1 Corinthians 3:10-15

English Standard Version

​

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled[a] master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

 

[luiza]

This is the mumbo jumbo the political power classes used to subjugate the Sheeple, and still do whenever Gullibles soak up this toxic garbage . Thank Paul , all you cultists .
But it is for their/ our own eternal good , mark you , rofl .
.
An extremely cunning and deceitful cult that puts a basically OK man at the centre of a web of what is otherwise lies and deceptions . For a jealous , judgmental and vain God .

But each to their own .
imho .

 

[K9Buck]

This is the mumbo jumbo the political power classes used to subjugate the Sheeple, and still do whenever Gullibles soak up this toxic garbage . Thank Paul , all you cultists .
But it is for their/ our own eternal good , mark you , rofl .
.
An extremely cunning and deceitful cult that puts a basically OK man at the centre of a web of what is otherwise lies and deceptions . For a jealous , judgmental and vain God .

But each to their own .
imho .

It sounds like you don't believe in God. Am I correct?

 

[Votto]

Is hell forever?

I reckon there is only one way to find out

Abortion anyone?


If not, any children you want to have groomed?

 

[theHawk]

Did you read all of the verses that I shared that demonstrate that ALL of mankind will be saved? Some will go to "Hell", but it is temporary.

You verses do not demonstrate that ALL of mankind will be saved.

 

[theHawk]

This is the mumbo jumbo the political power classes used to subjugate the Sheeple, and still do whenever Gullibles soak up this toxic garbage . Thank Paul , all you cultists .
But it is for their/ our own eternal good , mark you , rofl .
.
An extremely cunning and deceitful cult that puts a basically OK man at the centre of a web of what is otherwise lies and deceptions . For a jealous , judgmental and vain God .

But each to their own .
imho .

Then why do all the political power classes and tyrannical regimes do their best to eliminate Christianity?
Gullibles dismiss it and make up their own rules, how does that always work out? Disastrously.