All right... and now that I look back, you’re quite right about the “cuban leaf” vs. the “hit and run” quip—sorry about that! Reply at your leisure... but let me summarize my point (for when you come back):
1) We both agree that “aionios” could possibly mean “forever” or “a long time/an age”. Looking at that specific word won’t tell us which meaning to use. But surely you’re aware of the fact that eternal hell has been a constant belief of the Christian Church for 2000 years? Look anywhere you like; with the exception of a very few outliers, every last Church father, every last Doctor of the Church, every last Saint and even every last Protestant founder (I’d say “reformer”, but that’s not an accurate description of what they did) are all unanimous about hell being eternal and inescapable. Doesn’t that mean anything to you... especially since the vast majority of the Protestants were/are “sola Scriptura” believers?
2) “Looking at all of Scripture” sounds fine and handsome, but it can often be a cover for “if only you’d read all the Scriptures, you’d agree with ME!” St. Matthew himself uses the very same word (”aionios/n”) in obviously parallel ways in the very same story, and in the very same verse! It’s not a stretch to suppose that he meant them to be taken in the very same way. Otherwise, you’re attributing a good deal of clumsiness to St. Matthew (and to the Holy Spirit Who allowed that text to be Sacred Scripture!).
3) “Death” need not imply obliteration; only atheists are obliged to believe that. I commented on this, already; “death” and “destruction” can refer to “absolute ruin”, as well as “complete erasure”; it can refer to a permanent state of unending misery... a permanent loss of life in union with God. Scripture *does* draw a distinction between “existence” and “life”; see my comments, earlier.