Jesus, I believe spoke metaphorically. There is no pit of fire.
Revelation 22:19
And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
Oops!
- Revelation 19:20: And the beast[5] was taken, and with him the false prophet[6] that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
- Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
- Revelation 20:14-15 Then Death and Hades[7] were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
- Revelation 21:8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.[8]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_of_fire
SLB; you'd better hope that JOHN wrote metaphorically; too!
Your cite refers to the book of Revelation alone. Regardless, why should one believe it is the “word of God?” The Gospel of John was written long after Christ and no one is precisely sure who wrote it.
And again, how is it possible that a power capable of creating the universe, create life, create human beings, etc. - a power with the wisdom of eternity - condemn people to flaming hell for, essentially, picking the wrong door on Let’s Make a Deal?