Three words from the Greek are translated "Hell" in the New Testament. The first of these is Hades and the translation simply means the grave. You'll find Hades in Matthew 11:23 & 16:18; Luke 10:15 & 16:23; Acts 2:27 & 2:31; Revelation 1:18, 6:8, 20:13 & 20:14. All these verse are speaking of the grave....or a tomb (death).
The second of these words means "Gehenna" or simply, the valley of Hinnom. This valley outside Jerusalem was a local garbage dump but earlier in Israel's history had been used to sacrifice children into the ever burning flames to appease the God Molech [Jeremiah 32:35]. As a garbage dump, the fires continually burned....even during the first century. You'll find Gehenna in Matthew 5:22, 5:29-30, 10:28, 18:9, 23:15 & 23:33. Mark 9:43, 9:45 & 9:47. Luke 12:5 & James 3:6. This place was a final resting area for deceased, common criminals and local human debris....not a nebulous, spiritual place where tortured, immortal souls were sent.
The third word translated "Hell" in scripture is Tartarus meaning a place where God has restrained sinning Angels until the day of judgment. The only place you'll find this used is in 2 Peter 2:4....but it is alluded to also in 1 Peter 3:19.
None of these scriptures speak of that, but Ephesians 4:8 has been mistranslated to try and show that to be the case. Let's take a look at what the Greek says and maybe we can figure it out. Ephesians 4:8.
Here is a good study on the subject: leading captive captivity.
The book of first Timothy was written after the book of Ephesians and the Apostle is calling Our Saviour the only one with immortality here. If he had taken up Old testament folks with him to heaven at that time Paul would never had made that statement in I Timothy about him being the only immortal.
Leading captive....captivity, is Paul's way of saying Our Saviour had conquered death!
Hey friend, just asking, is hades hell or not?
Revelation 20:13-15 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
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13The 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. 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.